Locomotive Engineer resume example
A resume for a Locomotive Engineer needs to show the work itself: drive electric, diesel-electric, steam, or gas-turbine-electric locomotives to transport passengers or freight. Day to day that means work like this: interpret train orders, signals, or railroad rules and regulations that govern the operation of locomotives; confer with conductors or traffic control center personnel via radiophones to issue or receive information concerning stops, delays, or oncoming trains. Recruiters and applicant tracking systems both read for the tasks and tools this role actually involves, so the strongest resume names them in your own experience rather than describing the job in the abstract. Below are the tasks O*NET records for this occupation, the software and tools it uses, the titles it is advertised under, and the skills worth naming if they are genuinely yours.
Also advertised as
The same job is posted under many titles. Searching only your own job title hides most of the openings you could apply to.
- Passenger Locomotive Engineer
- Railroad Engineer
- Transportation Specialist
- Through Freight Engineer
- Train Engineer
- Trainmaster
- Diesel Engine Operator
- Diesel Engineer
- Diesel Locomotive Engineer
- Engine Pilot
- Engineer
- Engineman
- Freight Engineer
- Fuel Pilot Engineer
- Locomotive Operator
- Lokie Driver
- Lokie Engineer
- Motor Driver
O*NET records 35 titles for this occupation in total.
What this work actually involves
Tasks recorded for this occupation, in O*NET's words. If your experience covers one of these, it belongs on your resume in your own words.
- Interpret train orders, signals, or railroad rules and regulations that govern the operation of locomotives.
- Confer with conductors or traffic control center personnel via radiophones to issue or receive information concerning stops, delays, or oncoming trains.
- Receive starting signals from conductors and use controls such as throttles or air brakes to drive electric, diesel-electric, steam, or gas turbine-electric locomotives.
- Monitor gauges or meters that measure speed, amperage, battery charge, or air pressure in brake lines or in main reservoirs.
- Observe tracks to detect obstructions.
- Call out train signals to assistants to verify meanings.
- Operate locomotives to transport freight or passengers between stations or to assemble or disassemble trains within rail yards.
- Check to ensure that brake examination tests are conducted at shunting stations.
- Respond to emergency conditions or breakdowns, following applicable safety procedures and rules.
- Inspect locomotives to verify adequate fuel, sand, water, or other supplies before each run or to check for mechanical problems.
- Inspect locomotives after runs to detect damaged or defective equipment.
- Prepare reports regarding any problems encountered, such as accidents, signaling problems, unscheduled stops, or delays.
14 tasks are recorded in total; these are the most central.
Example bullets for this role
Built from this occupation's own tasks. The brackets stay empty on purpose: we will not invent a number for you, and a fabricated metric is the fastest way to lose an interview you had already won.
- Interpret train orders, signals, or railroad rules and regulations that govern the operation of locomotives, for [who or what it served], at [what volume].
- Confer with conductors or traffic control center personnel via radiophones to issue or receive information concerning stops, delays, or oncoming trains, for [who or what it served], at [what volume].
- Receive starting signals from conductors and use controls such as throttles or air brakes to drive electric, diesel-electric, steam, or gas turbine-electric locomotives, for [who or what it served], at [what volume].
- Monitor gauges or meters that measure speed, amperage, battery charge, or air pressure in brake lines or in main reservoirs, for [who or what it served], at [what volume].
Software used in this role
Recorded for this occupation by O*NET. An applicant tracking system matches the exact product name, so write the tool the way the posting writes it.
- Electronic train management systems ETMS
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Route mapping software
- Time tracking software
Tools and equipment
The physical equipment this occupation is recorded as using. Worth naming when a posting asks for it by name.
- Adjustable hand wrenches
- Adjustable widemouth pliers
- Automatic track switching systems
- Car coupling devices
- Claw hammers
- Desktop computers
- Diesel freight engines
- Diesel passenger engines
- Electric freight engines
- Electric passenger engines
- Freight car air brakes
- Gas-turbine-electric engines
Skills an ATS reads for
Worth naming only if they are genuinely yours. Keyword overlap is one input to a resume's score, not a verdict.
- Electronic train management systems ETMS
- Route mapping
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
What this job rates as most important
O*NET rates every skill for importance to this occupation. These are the highest rated, in order.
- 01Operation and Control
- 02Operations Monitoring
- 03Active Listening
- 04Critical Thinking
- 05Monitoring
- 06Speaking
- 07Judgment and Decision Making
- 08Reading Comprehension
- 09Active Learning
- 10Complex Problem Solving
Knowledge areas
The subject knowledge this occupation draws on, rated by importance.
- Transportation
- Public Safety and Security
- English Language
- Education and Training
- Customer and Personal Service
What qualifications people in this job have
From O*NET's survey of people doing this work. This is what postholders reported, not a requirement any single employer sets.
- 68%High School Diploma, or the equivalent
- 23%Post-Secondary Certificate, awarded for training completed after high school
- 7%Some College Courses
What level this role is pitched at
O*NET places this occupation in “Some Preparation Needed”. These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Common questions
- What does a Locomotive Engineer do?
- Drive electric, diesel-electric, steam, or gas-turbine-electric locomotives to transport passengers or freight. Day to day that includes work like interpret train orders, signals, or railroad rules and regulations that govern the operation of locomotives and Confer with conductors or traffic control center personnel via radiophones to issue or receive information concerning stops, delays, or oncoming trains.
- What skills should a Locomotive Engineer put on a resume?
- O*NET rates Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, and Monitoring among the most important skills for this occupation. Name the ones that are genuinely yours and show where you used them. A resume that lists skills you do not have is weaker than one that lists fewer.
- What software should a Locomotive Engineer list?
- Software recorded for this occupation includes Electronic train management systems ETMS, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, Route mapping software, and Time tracking software. Applicant tracking systems match on the exact product name, so write the tool as the posting writes it rather than describing it in general terms.
- What other job titles cover Locomotive Engineer work?
- O*NET records 35 titles for this occupation, including Passenger Locomotive Engineer, Railroad Engineer, Transportation Specialist, and Through Freight Engineer. Searching only your own job title hides most of the openings you could apply to.
- What qualifications does a Locomotive Engineer need?
- In O*NET's survey of people doing this job, 68% reported their level of education as "High School Diploma, or the equivalent". That is what current postholders reported, not a requirement any single employer sets.
- Will this resume pass an ATS for a Locomotive Engineer role?
- No tool outside an employer can tell you how that employer's system is configured, including ours. What you can control is that the resume parses cleanly, names the work in the words the posting uses, and does not claim anything you cannot back up.
Related roles
Occupations O*NET records as closest to this one, and worth looking at if this search is not moving.
What this page cannot tell you
- No tool outside an employer can tell you how that employer’s ATS is configured, including ours.
- This page makes no claim about pay, demand or how many people hold this job. O*NET does not publish that here and we will not estimate it.
- Keyword overlap is one input to a resume’s score, not a verdict on you. A resume that names skills you do not have is worse than one that names fewer.
If this is the job you are aiming at, the guide to tailoring a resume covers how to aim one posting properly, and building and exporting a resume here is free.
Occupation data from the O*NET 29.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. SpartanResume is not endorsed by USDOL/ETA.