Railroad Switch Inspector Overview
Required Education and Training To Become a Railroad Switch Inspector
Best Schools to become a Railroad Switch Inspector in U.S. 2024
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus
In-State Tuition:$10,258
Out-of-State Tuition:$31,370
Admission Rate:17%
Graduation Rate:93%
Total Enrollment:45,296
Texas A & M University-College Station
In-State Tuition:$8,815
Out-of-State Tuition:$36,239
Admission Rate:63%
Graduation Rate:84%
Total Enrollment:74,014
Clemson University
In-State Tuition:$14,118
Out-of-State Tuition:$38,062
Admission Rate:43%
Graduation Rate:85%
Total Enrollment:28,466
Purdue University-Main Campus
In-State Tuition:$9,718
Out-of-State Tuition:$28,520
Admission Rate:53%
Graduation Rate:83%
Total Enrollment:51,528
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
In-State Tuition:$17,454
Out-of-State Tuition:$56,941
Admission Rate:18%
Graduation Rate:93%
Total Enrollment:51,225
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
In-State Tuition:$12,104
Out-of-State Tuition:$31,754
Admission Rate:57%
Graduation Rate:86%
Total Enrollment:38,170
Railroad Switch Inspector Job Description:
- Install, inspect, test, maintain, or repair electric gate crossings, signals, signal equipment, track switches, section lines, or intercommunications systems within a railroad system.
Required Skills and Competencies To Become a Railroad Switch Inspector
Job Duties for Railroad Switch Inspectors
Inspect and test operation, mechanical parts, and circuitry of gate crossings, signals, and signal equipment such as interlocks and hotbox detectors.
Inspect electrical units of railroad grade crossing gates and repair loose bolts and defective electrical connections and parts.
Test and repair track circuits.
Technologies and Skills Used by Railroad Switch Inspectors
Electronic mail software
- Microsoft Outlook
Industrial control software
- Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software
Presentation software
- Microsoft PowerPoint
Basic Skills
- Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
- 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
Technical
- Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work
- Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment