Maintenance of Way Technician Overview

Required Education and Training To Become a Maintenance of Way Technician

Best Schools to become a Maintenance of Way Technician in U.S. 2024

Gadsden State Community College

Gadsden, AL

In-State Tuition:$4,000
Out-of-State Tuition:$8,000
Admission Rate:N/A
Graduation Rate:25%
Total Enrollment:4,352

Georgia Northwestern Technical College

Rome, GA

In-State Tuition:$2,400
Out-of-State Tuition:$4,800
Admission Rate:N/A
Graduation Rate:49%
Total Enrollment:6,141

Elizabethtown Community and Technical College

Elizabethtown, KY

In-State Tuition:$4,368
Out-of-State Tuition:$15,288
Admission Rate:N/A
Graduation Rate:42%
Total Enrollment:5,648

Bluegrass Community and Technical College

Lexington, KY

In-State Tuition:$4,368
Out-of-State Tuition:$15,288
Admission Rate:N/A
Graduation Rate:35%
Total Enrollment:10,318

Owensboro Community and Technical College

Owensboro, KY

In-State Tuition:$4,368
Out-of-State Tuition:$15,288
Admission Rate:N/A
Graduation Rate:47%
Total Enrollment:4,621

MIAT College of Technology

Canton, MI

In-State Tuition:$14,678
Out-of-State Tuition:$14,678
Admission Rate:99%
Graduation Rate:61%
Total Enrollment:1,303
Maintenance of Way Technician Job Description:
  • Lay, repair, and maintain track for standard or narrow-gauge railroad equipment used in regular railroad service or in plant yards, quarries, sand and gravel pits, and mines.
  • Includes ballast cleaning machine operators and railroad bed tamping machine operators.

Required Skills and Competencies To Become a Maintenance of Way Technician

Job Duties for Maintenance of Way Technicians

  • Patrol assigned track sections so that damaged or broken track can be located and reported.

  • Repair or adjust track switches, using wrenches and replacement parts.

  • Weld sections of track together, such as switch points and frogs.

Technologies and Skills Used by Maintenance of Way Technicians

Office suite software

  • Microsoft Office software

Spreadsheet software

  • Microsoft Excel

Time accounting software

  • Timekeeping software

Basic Skills

  • Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
  • Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem

Problem Solving

  • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Current Job Market and Opportunites for a Maintenance of Way Technician

Additional Resources To Help You Become a Maintenance of Way Technician

FAQs About Becoming a Maintenance of Way Technician