Jobs Similar to Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers
Also called: Railroad Brake and Switch Operators
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Aircraft Service Attendants, Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers and Locomotive Engineers.
Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers: $68,840 median pay · usual preparation: High school.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
| # | Career | Similarity | Median pay (vs. Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers) | Usual preparation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aircraft Service Attendants | 81% | $40,450−41% | High school |
| 2 | Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and HostlersSame group | 81% | $60,600−12% | High school |
| 3 | Locomotive EngineersSame group | 80% | $81,410+18% | High school |
| 4 | Bridge and Lock Tenders | 79% | $57,700−16% | High school |
| 5 | Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders | 78% | $58,870−14% | High school |
| 6 | Hazardous Materials Removal Workers | 78% | $49,450−28% | High school |
| 7 | Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 77% | $40,240−42% | High school |
| 8 | Subway and Streetcar OperatorsSame group | 77% | $86,380+25% | High school |
| 9 | Light Truck Drivers | 77% | $44,860−35% | High school |
| 10 | Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels | 77% | $92,460+34% | Training or associate |
| 11 | Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 77% | $58,640−15% | High school |
| 12 | Sailors and Marine Oilers | 76% | $51,520−25% | High school |
| 13 | Railroad Conductors and YardmastersSame group | 76% | $78,000+13% | High school |
| 14 | Highway Maintenance Workers | 76% | $50,260−27% | High school |
| 15 | Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters | 76% | $61,390−11% | High school |
| 16 | Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity | 75% | $59,050−14% | High school |
| 17 | Recycling and Reclamation Workers | 75% | $40,240Broader BLS group · not compared | High school |
| 18 | Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners | 75% | $49,880−28% | High school |
| 19 | Machine Feeders and Offbearers | 75% | $41,220−40% | High school |
| 20 | Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | 75% | $96,710+40% | High school |
- 1Aircraft Service Attendants
81% similar · $40,450 (−41%) · High school
- 2Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers
81% similar · $60,600 (−12%) · High school · Same group
- 3Locomotive Engineers
80% similar · $81,410 (+18%) · High school · Same group
- 4Bridge and Lock Tenders
79% similar · $57,700 (−16%) · High school
- 5Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders
78% similar · $58,870 (−14%) · High school
- 6Hazardous Materials Removal Workers
78% similar · $49,450 (−28%) · High school
- 7Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
77% similar · $40,240 (−42%) · High school
- 8Subway and Streetcar Operators
77% similar · $86,380 (+25%) · High school · Same group
- 9Light Truck Drivers
77% similar · $44,860 (−35%) · High school
- 10Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels
77% similar · $92,460 (+34%) · Training or associate
- 11Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
77% similar · $58,640 (−15%) · High school
- 12Sailors and Marine Oilers
76% similar · $51,520 (−25%) · High school
- 13Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters
76% similar · $78,000 (+13%) · High school · Same group
- 14Highway Maintenance Workers
76% similar · $50,260 (−27%) · High school
- 15Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters
76% similar · $61,390 (−11%) · High school
- 16Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity
75% similar · $59,050 (−14%) · High school
- 17Recycling and Reclamation Workers
75% similar · $40,240 (broader group) · High school
- 18Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners
75% similar · $49,880 (−28%) · High school
- 19Machine Feeders and Offbearers
75% similar · $41,220 (−40%) · High school
- 20Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers
75% similar · $96,710 (+40%) · High school
Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology
Similar jobs that pay more
Only careers that usually need no more preparation than railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers.
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs for former railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers →
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
- Bridge and Lock Tenders (89)
- Sailors and Marine Oilers (83)
- Aircraft Service Attendants (81)
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers (81)
- Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity (79)
- Motorboat Operators (79)
- Hazardous Materials Removal Workers (78)
- Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders (78)
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand (77)
- Light Truck Drivers (77)
Questions about jobs like railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers
What jobs are most similar to railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Aircraft Service Attendants (81% similar), Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers (81% similar), Locomotive Engineers (80% similar), Bridge and Lock Tenders (79% similar) and Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders (78% similar).
Which jobs like railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers pay more?
Among the 20 most similar careers, Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers ($96,710, +40%; usually a high school diploma), Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels ($92,460, +34%; usually training or an associate degree) and Subway and Streetcar Operators ($86,380, +25%; usually a high school diploma) have the highest BLS median pay compared with railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers ($68,840). Without more preparation than railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers usually need: Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers, Subway and Streetcar Operators and Locomotive Engineers.
How is the similarity percentage worked out?
We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.