Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firer resume example
A resume for a Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firer needs to show the work itself: operate or monitor railroad track switches or locomotive instruments. Day to day that means work like this: observe train signals along routes and verify their meanings for engineers; signal locomotive engineers to start or stop trains when coupling or uncoupling cars, using hand signals, lanterns, or radio communication. 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.
- Brakeman
- Locomotive Switch Operator
- Railroad Switchman
- Trainman
- Carman
- Fireman
- Railroad Brakeman
- Terminal Carman
- Air Brake Operator
- Air Hose Coupler
- Area Brakeman
- Brake Holder
- Brake Rider
- Car Coupler
- Car Hopper
- Car Rider
- Car Runner
- Car Shifter
O*NET records 40 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.
- Observe train signals along routes and verify their meanings for engineers.
- Signal locomotive engineers to start or stop trains when coupling or uncoupling cars, using hand signals, lanterns, or radio communication.
- Pull or push track switches to reroute cars.
- Observe signals from other crew members so that work activities can be coordinated.
- Monitor trains as they go around curves to detect dragging equipment and smoking journal boxes.
- Inspect couplings, air hoses, journal boxes, and handbrakes to ensure that they are securely fastened and functioning properly.
- Observe tracks from left sides of locomotives to detect obstructions on tracks.
- Operate locomotives in emergency situations.
- Raise levers to couple and uncouple cars for makeup and breakup of trains.
- Climb ladders to tops of cars to set brakes.
- Receive oral or written instructions from yardmasters or yard conductors indicating track assignments and cars to be switched.
- Inspect locomotives to detect damaged or worn parts.
26 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.
- Observe train signals along routes and verify their meanings for engineers, for [who or what it served], at [what volume].
- Signal locomotive engineers to start or stop trains when coupling or uncoupling cars, using hand signals, lanterns, or radio communication, for [who or what it served], at [what volume].
- Pull or push track switches to reroute cars, for [who or what it served], at [what volume].
- Observe signals from other crew members so that work activities can be coordinated, 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 system software
- Electronic train management systems ETMS
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Outlook
- 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.
- Accelerometers
- Air horns
- Air pressure gauges
- Automatic track switching systems
- Battery gauges
- Buffer stops
- Car pullers
- Circuit breakers
- Clamp-on ammeters
- Cut-off valves
- Derailers
- Desktop computers
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 system
- Electronic train management systems ETMS
What this job rates as most important
O*NET rates every skill for importance to this occupation. These are the highest rated, in order.
- 01Monitoring
- 02Operations Monitoring
- 03Active Listening
- 04Critical Thinking
- 05Operation and Control
- 06Reading Comprehension
- 07Coordination
- 08Judgment and Decision Making
- 09Social Perceptiveness
- 10Time Management
Knowledge areas
The subject knowledge this occupation draws on, rated by importance.
- Transportation
- Public Safety and Security
- Mechanical
- English Language
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 Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firer do?
- Operate or monitor railroad track switches or locomotive instruments. Day to day that includes work like observe train signals along routes and verify their meanings for engineers and Signal locomotive engineers to start or stop trains when coupling or uncoupling cars, using hand signals, lanterns, or radio communication.
- What skills should a Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firer put on a resume?
- O*NET rates Monitoring, Operations Monitoring, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, and Operation and Control 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 Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firer list?
- Software recorded for this occupation includes Electronic train management system software, Electronic train management systems ETMS, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Outlook, and Route mapping 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 Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firer work?
- O*NET records 40 titles for this occupation, including Brakeman, Locomotive Switch Operator, Railroad Switchman, and Trainman. Searching only your own job title hides most of the openings you could apply to.
- Will this resume pass an ATS for a Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firer 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.