Rail Maintenance Technician Overview

Required Education and Training To Become a Rail Maintenance Technician

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

Lincoln College of Technology-Nashville

Nashville, TN

In-State Tuition:$N/A
Out-of-State Tuition:$N/A
Admission Rate:N/A
Graduation Rate:55%
Total Enrollment:1,053

Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas

De Queen, AR

In-State Tuition:$2,700
Out-of-State Tuition:$3,150
Admission Rate:N/A
Graduation Rate:46%
Total Enrollment:1,278

Johnson County Community College

Overland Park, KS

In-State Tuition:$2,400
Out-of-State Tuition:$5,088
Admission Rate:N/A
Graduation Rate:27%
Total Enrollment:16,497

Wake Technical Community College

Raleigh, NC

In-State Tuition:$2,432
Out-of-State Tuition:$8,576
Admission Rate:N/A
Graduation Rate:31%
Total Enrollment:21,551

West Georgia Technical College

Waco, GA

In-State Tuition:$2,400
Out-of-State Tuition:$4,800
Admission Rate:N/A
Graduation Rate:34%
Total Enrollment:6,140

International Air and Hospitality Academy

Vancouver, WA

In-State Tuition:$N/A
Out-of-State Tuition:$N/A
Admission Rate:N/A
Graduation Rate:73%
Total Enrollment:133
Rail Maintenance 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 Rail Maintenance Technician

Job Duties for Rail Maintenance 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 Rail Maintenance 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 Rail Maintenance Technician

Additional Resources To Help You Become a Rail Maintenance Technician

FAQs About Becoming a Rail Maintenance Technician