Railroad Jobs

When you talk about railroad jobs, you probably think of engineers and conductors. But did you know there are more than 30 occupations that keep trains running? And nearly every job is centered around two things—safety and staying on schedule. All railroad jobs work closely together to keep trains running. That's why communication and leadership skills are fundamental to this industry.

A job with the railroad is a great entry-level opportunity with room to grow. Most employees are hired right out of high school and receive on-the-job training with experienced workers. Smaller railroad companies may send their new employees to a community college for training. A new railroad engineer can be operating a train in about three months after they're hired. Typically, they're paired with an experienced engineer who shows them the characteristics of the train route, including the track length and the location of switches.