Career: Locomotive Engineers
The haunting whistle, the tracks snaking through painted deserts and rocky canyons -- no one is immune to the romance of trains.
If you become a locomotive engineer, you’ll join the ranks of the most skilled and experienced of all rail workers. You’ll control a piece of equipment that is both powerful and intricate. You’ll shoulder responsibility for the safety of human life and precious cargo. To do so, you’ll need to keep on the alert for changes in the track and even in the weight of your train, which can affect speed and braking.
Locomotive engineers operate large trains carrying cargo or passengers.
Did You Know?
- Most trains run on diesel fuel, while a few run on electricity.
Are You Ready To...?
- Check the condition of your locomotive before and after each run you make
- Guide your train through tricky turns
- Adjust your speed according to the weight of your cargo
- Use the radio to discuss track delays with traffic controllers
It Helps to Be...
Alert and aware, good with your hands, and in good physical shape with good eyesight, hearing, and color vision. You’ll also need to pass drug and alcohol tests as well as a criminal background check.
Make High School Count
- Get to know computers. Rail yards increasingly rely on the latest technology.
- Sign up for classes in automotive repair or shop to build practical hands-on skills.
- Take gym classes and participate in outdoors sports that require good reflexes.
Did You Know?
- In 1869, a railroad from the West joined one from the East to become the world’s first transcontinental railroad. The occasion was marked with a golden spike in the Utah spot that’s now a National Historic Site.
Outlook
Government economists expect there to be fewer jobs for train engineers in 2014 than there were in 2004. Larger, faster, more fuel-efficient trains make it possible to move more passengers and freight with fewer runs.
Compensation
The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that the average yearly salary in 2006 for locomotive engineers was $61,850.
