# Signal and Track Switch Repairers

> Install, inspect, test, maintain, or repair electric gate crossings, signals, signal equipment, track switches, section lines, or intercommunications systems within a railroad system.
- **Entity Type:** role
- **Schema Version:** role.v1
- **Soc Code:** 49-9097.00
- **Summary:** Install, inspect, test, maintain, or repair electric gate crossings, signals, signal equipment, track switches, section lines, or intercommunications systems within a railroad system.

## Aliases

- Signal Inspector
- Signal Maintainer
- Signalman
- Train Control Electronic Technician
- Railroad Signal Maintainer
- Signal Maintenance Technician
- Signal System Testing Maintainer
- Signal Technician
- Signal and Communications Maintainer
- Train Control Technician
- Communications Maintainer
- Electric Track Switch Maintainer

## Tasks

| Text | Type | Iwa |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Inspect and test operation, mechanical parts, and circuitry of gate crossings, signals, and signal equipment such as interlocks and hotbox detectors. | Core | 4.A.1.b.2.g |
| Inspect electrical units of railroad grade crossing gates and repair loose bolts and defective electrical connections and parts. | Core | 4.A.1.b.2.g |
| Test and repair track circuits. | Core | 4.A.1.b.2.l |
| Drive motor vehicles to job sites. | Core | 4.A.3.a.4.a |
| Install, inspect, maintain, and repair various railroad service equipment on the road or in the shop, including railroad signal systems. | Core | 4.A.1.b.2.g |
| Tighten loose bolts, using wrenches, and test circuits and connections by opening and closing gates. | Core | 4.A.1.b.2.l |
| Inspect switch-controlling mechanisms on trolley wires and in track beds, using hand tools and test equipment. | Core | 4.A.1.b.2.g |
| Replace defective wiring, broken lenses, or burned-out light bulbs. | Core | 4.A.3.b.4.c |
| Inspect, maintain, and replace batteries as needed. | Core | 4.A.1.b.2.g |
| Record and report information about mileage or track inspected, repairs performed, and equipment requiring replacement. | Core | 4.A.3.b.6.h |
| Lubricate moving parts on gate-crossing mechanisms and swinging signals. | Core | 4.A.3.b.5.a |
| Clean lenses of lamps with cloths and solvents. | Core | 4.A.3.a.1.c |

## Emerging Tasks


## Activities

| Name | Iwa |
| --- | --- |
| Inspect mechanical equipment to locate damage, defects, or wear. | 4.A.1.b.2.g |
| Maintain work equipment or machinery. | 4.A.3.b.5.a |
| Inspect equipment to locate or identify electrical problems. | 4.A.1.b.2.g |
| Test electrical circuits or components for proper functioning. | 4.A.1.b.2.l |
| Drive trucks or other vehicles to or at work sites. | 4.A.3.a.4.a |
| Adjust the tension of nuts or bolts. | 4.A.3.a.2.i |
| Repair electrical circuits or wiring. | 4.A.3.b.5.b |
| Replace worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts. | 4.A.3.b.4.c |
| Record information about parts, materials or repair procedures. | 4.A.3.b.6.h |
| Inspect electrical or electronic systems for defects. | 4.A.1.b.2.g |
| Lubricate equipment to allow proper functioning. | 4.A.3.b.5.a |
| Clean equipment, parts, or tools to repair or maintain them in good working order. | 4.A.3.a.1.c |
| Test mechanical equipment to ensure proper functioning. | 4.A.1.b.2.l |
| Repair worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts. | 4.A.3.b.4.c |

## Capabilities

| Name | Family | Value |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Troubleshooting | transferable_skill | 4.12 |
| Equipment Maintenance | transferable_skill | 4 |
| Repairing | transferable_skill | 4 |
| Quality Control Analysis | transferable_skill | 3.88 |
| Critical Thinking | essential_skill | 3.75 |
| Operations Monitoring | transferable_skill | 3.75 |
| Problem Sensitivity | ability | 3.75 |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | ability | 3.75 |
| Control Precision | ability | 3.75 |
| Transportation | knowledge | 3.73 |
| Mechanical | knowledge | 3.7 |
| Equipment Selection | transferable_skill | 3.62 |
| Flexibility of Closure | ability | 3.62 |
| Visualization | ability | 3.62 |
| Manual Dexterity | ability | 3.62 |
| Finger Dexterity | ability | 3.62 |
| Visual Color Discrimination | ability | 3.62 |
| English Language | knowledge | 3.59 |
| Public Safety and Security | knowledge | 3.52 |
| Multilimb Coordination | ability | 3.5 |
| Far Vision | ability | 3.5 |
| Complex Problem Solving | transferable_skill | 3.38 |
| Deductive Reasoning | ability | 3.25 |
| Inductive Reasoning | ability | 3.25 |
| Reaction Time | ability | 3.25 |
| Near Vision | ability | 3.25 |
| Operation and Control | transferable_skill | 3.12 |
| Information Ordering | ability | 3.12 |
| Perceptual Speed | ability | 3.12 |
| Engineering and Technology | knowledge | 3.09 |
| Telecommunications | knowledge | 3.09 |
| Computers and Electronics | knowledge | 3.05 |
| Active Listening | essential_skill | 3 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | transferable_skill | 3 |
| Time Management | transferable_skill | 3 |
| Oral Comprehension | ability | 3 |
| Oral Expression | ability | 3 |
| Selective Attention | ability | 3 |
| Trunk Strength | ability | 3 |
| Depth Perception | ability | 3 |

## Skills

| Name | Type |
| --- | --- |
| Equipment Maintenance | Specialized Skill |
| Critical Thinking | Common Skill |
| Visualization | Specialized Skill |
| Finger Dexterity | Common Skill |
| Equipment Selection | Specialized Skill |
| English Language | Common Skill |
| Complex Problem Solving | Common Skill |
| Inductive Reasoning | Common Skill |
| Deductive Reasoning | Common Skill |
| Information Ordering | Specialized Skill |
| Telecommunications | Specialized Skill |
| Time Management | Common Skill |
| Speech Recognition | Specialized Skill |
| Microsoft Word | Common Skill |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | Common Skill |
| Microsoft Outlook | Common Skill |
| Microsoft Excel | Common Skill |
| Depth Perception | Common Skill |
| Active Listening | Common Skill |
| Writing | Common Skill |
| Reading Comprehension | Common Skill |
| Installation | Specialized Skill |
| Active Learning | Common Skill |
| Mathematics | Common Skill |
| Social Perceptiveness | Common Skill |
| Learning Strategies | Specialized Skill |
| Instructing | Specialized Skill |
| Systems Analysis | Specialized Skill |
| Negotiation | Common Skill |
| Chemistry | Specialized Skill |
| Physics | Specialized Skill |
| Geography | Specialized Skill |
| Psychology | Specialized Skill |
| Presentation Software | Specialized Skill |
| Industrial Control Software | Specialized Skill |
| Foreign Language | Common Skill |
| Biology | Specialized Skill |

## Tools

| Example | Category | Hot | In Demand |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Microsoft Excel | Spreadsheet software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Office software | Office suite software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Outlook | Electronic mail software | yes | no |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | Presentation software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Word | Word processing software | yes | no |
| Maintenance management software | Facilities management software | no | no |
| Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software | Industrial control software | no | no |
| Web browser software | Internet browser software | no | no |

## Work Context

| Name | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets | 4.99 |
| Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions | 4.67 |
| Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable | 4.65 |
| Health and Safety of Other Workers | 4.64 |
| Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team | 4.57 |
| Telephone Conversations | 4.55 |
| Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams | 4.55 |
| In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment | 4.52 |
| Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals | 4.49 |
| Freedom to Make Decisions | 4.44 |
| Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures | 4.4 |
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls | 4.24 |
| Contact With Others | 4.02 |
| Exposed to Contaminants | 3.99 |
| Importance of Being Exact or Accurate | 3.99 |
| Frequency of Decision Making | 3.88 |
| Time Pressure | 3.86 |
| Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results | 3.83 |
| Spend Time Standing | 3.62 |
| Exposed to Hazardous Equipment | 3.57 |
| Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities | 3.51 |
| Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers | 3.47 |
| Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions | 3.47 |
| Consequence of Error | 3.46 |
| Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled | 3.45 |
| E-Mail | 3.4 |
| Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings | 3.29 |
| Exposed to High Places | 3.12 |
| Spend Time Walking or Running | 3.1 |
| Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions | 3.07 |
| Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions | 3.07 |
| Importance of Repeating Same Tasks | 3.07 |
| Deal With External Customers or the Public in General | 2.97 |
| Exposed to Hazardous Conditions | 2.95 |
| Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body | 2.83 |
| Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People | 2.76 |
| Indoors, Environmentally Controlled | 2.73 |
| Level of Competition | 2.65 |
| Physical Proximity | 2.58 |
| Spend Time Sitting | 2.41 |

## Preparation

- **Job Zone:** 3
- **Job Zone Name:** Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- **Education:** Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
- **Experience:** Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
- **Svp Range:** (6.0 to < 7.0)

### Education Distribution

| Label | Percentage |
| --- | --- |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 33.98 |
| High School Diploma | 28.74 |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 23.78 |
| Some College Courses | 9.63 |
| Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 3.87 |

## Person Fit

| Name | Family | Value |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Realistic | career_interest_type | 6.49 |
| Mechanics/Electronics | specific_interest_area | 6.33 |
| Physical/Manual Labor | specific_interest_area | 4.93 |
| Engineering | specific_interest_area | 4.51 |
| Conventional | career_interest_type | 4.46 |
| Transportation/Machine Operation | specific_interest_area | 3.67 |
| Dependability | work_style | 3 |
| Investigative | career_interest_type | 2.64 |
| Cautiousness | work_style | 2.62 |
| Attention to Detail | work_style | 2.44 |
| Information Technology | specific_interest_area | 1.86 |
| Integrity | work_style | 1.79 |
| Perseverance | work_style | 1.67 |
| Protective Service | specific_interest_area | 1.48 |
| Mathematics/Statistics | specific_interest_area | 1.47 |
| Construction/Woodwork | specific_interest_area | 1.44 |

## Related Roles

| Soc Code | Slug | Title | Tier |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 49-2095.00 | role-49-2095-00 | Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay | Primary-Short |
| 49-9051.00 | role-49-9051-00 | Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers | Primary-Short |
| 49-2093.00 | role-49-2093-00 | Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment | Primary-Short |
| 49-3043.00 | role-49-3043-00 | Rail Car Repairers | Primary-Short |
| 49-2091.00 | role-49-2091-00 | Avionics Technicians | Primary-Short |
| 49-9012.00 | role-49-9012-00 | Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door | Primary-Long |
| 27-4015.00 | role-27-4015-00 | Lighting Technicians | Primary-Long |
| 49-2094.00 | role-49-2094-00 | Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment | Primary-Long |
| 49-2092.00 | role-49-2092-00 | Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers | Primary-Long |
| 51-8012.00 | role-51-8012-00 | Power Distributors and Dispatchers | Primary-Long |
| 53-4022.00 | role-53-4022-00 | Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers | Supplemental |
| 49-3031.00 | role-49-3031-00 | Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists | Supplemental |

## Career Clusters

| Cluster | Slug |
| --- | --- |
| Supply Chain & Transportation | supply-chain-transportation |

## Education Level

- **Category:** High school diploma or equivalent

## Study Programs

| Title | Slug |
| --- | --- |
| Construction Trades | construction-trades |

## Market

- **Median Wage:** 83600
- **Mean Wage:** 84940
- **Pct10Wage:** 57410
- **Pct25Wage:** 75680
- **Pct75Wage:** 95620
- **Pct90Wage:** 104860
- **Employment:** 8210
- **Area Title:** U.S.

## Industries


### Top

| Naics | Slug | Title | Level | Employment | Median Wage | Lq |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 48-49 | 48-49 | Transportation and Warehousing | Sector | 6030 | 83340 | 15.32 |

### Concentrated

| Naics | Slug | Title | Level | Employment | Lq |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 48-49 | 48-49 | Transportation and Warehousing | Sector | 6030 | 15.32 |
- **Count:** 1

## Ai Signals

| Source | Label | Score | Scale | Release |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| frey_osborne | Computerization probability | 0.9 | 0-1 probability | 2013-baseline-2016-employment-snapshot |
| felten_aioe | AI occupational exposure | -0.858221 | relative exposure score | 2021-plus-generative-ai-workbooks |
| felten_image_generation_aioe | Image generation occupational exposure | 0.0566345 | relative exposure score | 2021-plus-generative-ai-workbooks |
| felten_language_modeling_aioe | Language modeling occupational exposure | -1.147593 | relative exposure score | 2021-plus-generative-ai-workbooks |

## Ai Outlook


### Index

- **Value:** 18
- **Percentile:** 15
- **Band:** Low
- **Version:** ai-exposure-index-v1

#### Components

| Percentile | Source |
| --- | --- |
| 24 | felten_aioe |
| 11 | openai_gpts_are_gpts |
| 19 | microsoft_working_with_ai |
- **Component Count:** 3

### Exposure

| Source | Label | Value | Percentile | Band | Note |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| felten_aioe | Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.) | -0.858221 | 24 | Low | How much this job's abilities overlap with what AI systems can do, across many AI capabilities. A relative research score, not a forecast of job loss. |
| eloundou_gamma | LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) | 0.07692307692307693 | 11 | Low | Share of this job's tasks where a large language model plus simple tools could cut the time to do them by at least half. γ is capped at 1.0 and many jobs reach that ceiling, so treat a top score as 'in the top group', not a precise rank. |
| microsoft_applicability | AI assistant applicability (Microsoft) | 0.07335277116312701 | 19 | Low | How applicable today's AI assistants are to this job's activities, measured from real Microsoft Copilot conversations. Applicability is not the same as replacement. |

### Frey Historical

- **Source:** frey
- **Label:** Computerization probability (Frey & Osborne, 2013)
- **Value:** 0.9
- **Percentile:** 78
- **Band:** High
- **Note:** A pre-LLM (2013) estimate of how automatable this job is by computerization and robotics. Shown for historical context only — it is not part of any current AI ranking.
- **Teleworkable:** no

### Eloundou

- **Alpha:** 0.07692307692307693
- **Beta:** 0.07692307692307693
- **Gamma:** 0.07692307692307693

### Usage Tasks


### Bls

- **Growth Percent:** 1.7
- **Growth Percentile:** 38
- **Direction:** About average
- **Annual Openings Thousands:** 0.8
- **Annual Openings Percentile:** 12
- **Employment2024Thousands:** 8.7
- **Employment2034Thousands:** 8.8

### Sources

| Source | Version |
| --- | --- |
| bls_employment_projections | 2024-2034 |
| dingel_neiman | dingel-neiman-workathome |
| felten_aioe | felten-raj-seamans-aioe |
| frey_osborne | frey-osborne-automation |
| microsoft_working_with_ai | working-with-ai |
| openai_gpts_are_gpts | gpts-are-gpts |

## Counts

- **Tasks:** 12
- **Skills:** 37
- **Capabilities:** 120
- **Tools:** 8
- **Related Roles:** 20

## Source

- **Dataset:** gold.onet_role_starter_surface
- **Version:** 30.3
- **Generated At:** 2026-06-02T21:00:32.945303+00:00
- **Content Hash:** 6cfc5cee029124c0