Rail System Monitor Overview

Required Education and Training To Become a Rail System Monitor

Best Schools to become a Rail System Monitor in U.S. 2024

Valencia College

Orlando, FL

In-State Tuition:$1,984
Out-of-State Tuition:$7,933
Admission Rate:N/A
Graduation Rate:45%
Total Enrollment:43,370

Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus

Atlanta, GA

In-State Tuition:$10,258
Out-of-State Tuition:$31,370
Admission Rate:17%
Graduation Rate:93%
Total Enrollment:45,296

Purdue University-Main Campus

West Lafayette, IN

In-State Tuition:$9,718
Out-of-State Tuition:$28,520
Admission Rate:53%
Graduation Rate:83%
Total Enrollment:51,528

Texas A & M University-College Station

College Station, TX

In-State Tuition:$8,815
Out-of-State Tuition:$36,239
Admission Rate:63%
Graduation Rate:84%
Total Enrollment:74,014

University of Central Florida

Orlando, FL

In-State Tuition:$4,478
Out-of-State Tuition:$19,810
Admission Rate:41%
Graduation Rate:76%
Total Enrollment:68,346

University of California-Berkeley

Berkeley, CA

In-State Tuition:$11,564
Out-of-State Tuition:$41,636
Admission Rate:11%
Graduation Rate:94%
Total Enrollment:45,307
Rail System Monitor Job Description:
  • Operate or monitor railroad track switches or locomotive instruments.
  • May couple or uncouple rolling stock to make up or break up trains.
  • Watch for and relay traffic signals.
  • May inspect couplings, air hoses, journal boxes, and hand brakes.
  • May watch for dragging equipment or obstacles on rights-of-way.

Required Skills and Competencies To Become a Rail System Monitor

Job Duties for Rail System Monitors

  • Observe train signals along routes and verify their meanings for engineers.

  • Pull or push track switches to reroute cars.

  • Signal locomotive engineers to start or stop trains when coupling or uncoupling cars, using hand signals, lanterns, or radio communication.

Technologies and Skills Used by Rail System Monitors

Expert system software

  • Electronic train management systems ETMS

Route navigation software

  • Route mapping software

Time accounting software

  • Time tracking software

Basic Skills

  • Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
  • Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions

Problem Solving

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

Current Job Market and Opportunites for a Rail System Monitor

Additional Resources To Help You Become a Rail System Monitor

FAQs About Becoming a Rail System Monitor