What Do Rail Car Repairers Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Rail Car Repairers diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul railroad rolling stock, mine cars, or mass transit rail cars. They also record conditions of cars, and repair and maintenance work performed or to be performed.

Other tasks include:

• Inspect components such as bearings, seals, gaskets, wheels, and coupler assemblies to determine if repairs are needed.
• Repair or replace defective or worn parts such as bearings, pistons, and gears, using hand tools, torque wrenches, power tools, and welding equipment.
• Inspect the interior and exterior of rail cars coming into rail yards to identify defects and to determine the extent of wear and damage.
• Remove locomotives, car mechanical units, or other components, using pneumatic hoists and jacks, pinch bars, hand tools, and cutting torches.
• Test units for operability before and after repairs.
• Adjust repaired or replaced units as needed to ensure proper operation.

We asked Rail Car Repairers how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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67% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 52% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Rail Car Repairers test units for operability before and after repairs. They repair or replace defective or worn parts such as bearings, pistons, and gears, using hand tools, torque wrenches, power tools, and welding equipment.

A typical day for a Rail Car Repairer will also include:

• Adjust repaired or replaced units as needed to ensure proper operation.
• Perform scheduled maintenance, and clean units and components.
• Record conditions of cars, and repair and maintenance work performed or to be performed.
• Remove locomotives, car mechanical units, or other components, using pneumatic hoists and jacks, pinch bars, hand tools, and cutting torches.
• Inspect the interior and exterior of rail cars coming into rail yards to identify defects and to determine the extent of wear and damage.

We asked some Rail Car Repairers a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	33% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	51% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	66% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	1% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	5% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	53% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Rail Car Repairers also test electrical systems of cars by operating systems and using testing equipment such as ammeters. They may also disassemble units such as water pumps, control valves, and compressors so that repairs can be made.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Rail Car Repairers Replace defective wiring and insulation, and tighten electrical connections, using hand tools. They might also Repair and maintain electrical and electronic controls for propulsion and braking systems.

In addition, they Install and repair interior flooring, fixtures, walls, plumbing, steps, and platforms.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Measure diameters of axle wheel seats, using micrometers, and mark dimensions on axles so that wheels can be bored to specified dimensions.

To some Rail Car Repairers, it is also their responsibility to Perform scheduled maintenance, and clean units and components.

Working life

Standard 40 hour work week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Rail Car Repairer, you can expect to work 40 hour work week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery..

They also like working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

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