Careers > Locomotive Engineers

Locomotive Engineers

$74.57K Median Salary 2.5K Job Openings (Annual Projection) 5.3% Job Growth

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About This Career

Drive electric, diesel-electric, steam, or gas-turbine-electric locomotives to transport passengers or freight. Interpret train orders, electronic or manual signals, and railroad rules and regulations.

Reported Job Titles

Locomotive Engineer, Passenger Locomotive Engineer, Railroad Engineer, Through Freight Engineer, Train Engineer, Trainmaster, Transportation Specialist

Career data shown for:

Skills You'll Need

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Abilities

Far Vision

Control Precision

Response Orientation

Selective Attention

Depth Perception

Near Vision

Problem Sensitivity

Reaction Time

Multilimb Coordination

Oral Comprehension

Oral Expression

Perceptual Speed

Auditory Attention

Flexibility of Closure

Information Ordering

Rate Control

Inductive Reasoning

Hearing Sensitivity

Manual Dexterity

Speech Recognition

Deductive Reasoning

Speech Clarity

Time Sharing

Written Comprehension

Arm-Hand Steadiness

Spatial Orientation

Finger Dexterity

Glare Sensitivity

Visual Color Discrimination

Visualization

Written Expression

Knowledge

Transportation

Public Safety and Security

Education and Training

English Language

Customer and Personal Service

Mechanical

Skills

Operation and Control

Operations Monitoring

Active Listening

Critical Thinking

Monitoring

Speaking

Judgment and Decision Making

Reading Comprehension

Active Learning

Complex Problem Solving

Time Management

Coordination

Writing

Technology Skills

Spreadsheet software

Expert system software

Word processing software

Route navigation software

Time accounting software

Tools

Screwdrivers

Rail switching systems

Electric freight locomotives

Train braking systems

Diesel freight locomotives

Diesel passenger locomotives

Vehicle horns

Socket sets

Radio frequency transmitters or receivers

Electric passenger locomotives

Rail couplers

Thin client computers

Adjustable wrenches

Claw hammer

Two way radios

Tape measures

Steam engines

Adjustable widemouth pliers

Desktop computers

Personal computers

Abilities

Far Vision: The ability to see details at a distance.
Control Precision: The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
Response Orientation: The ability to choose quickly between two or more movements in response to two or more different signals (lights, sounds, pictures). It includes the speed with which the correct response is started with the hand, foot, or other body part.
Selective Attention: The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Depth Perception: The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.
Near Vision: The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Problem Sensitivity: The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
Reaction Time: The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
Multilimb Coordination: The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
Oral Comprehension: The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Perceptual Speed: The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
Auditory Attention: The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
Flexibility of Closure: The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
Information Ordering: The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Rate Control: The ability to time your movements or the movement of a piece of equipment in anticipation of changes in the speed and/or direction of a moving object or scene.
Inductive Reasoning: The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Hearing Sensitivity: The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.
Manual Dexterity: The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Speech Recognition: The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Deductive Reasoning: The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Speech Clarity: The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Time Sharing: The ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources).
Written Comprehension: The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Arm-Hand Steadiness: The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
Spatial Orientation: The ability to know your location in relation to the environment or to know where other objects are in relation to you.
Finger Dexterity: The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
Glare Sensitivity: The ability to see objects in the presence of a glare or bright lighting.
Visual Color Discrimination: The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
Visualization: The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
Written Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Knowledge

Transportation: Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Public Safety and Security: Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Education and Training: Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Mechanical: Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Skills

Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Operations Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Technology Skills

Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel
Expert system software: MASterMind
Word processing software: 3M Post-it App; Evernote; Google Docs; Microsoft Word
Route navigation software: Navzilla
Time accounting software: Timekeeping software

Tools

Screwdrivers: Mini screwdriver sets
Rail switching systems: Switching system controls
Electric freight locomotives: Diesel-electric freight engines; Electric freight engines; Electric powered freight engines; Gas turbine-electric freight engines
Train braking systems: Dynamic braking systems; Freight car air brakes; Hand brakes; Locomotive airbrakes
Diesel freight locomotives: Diesel freight engines; Dinkey engines; Dinky engines; Remote control locomotives
Diesel passenger locomotives: Diesel powered train engines
Vehicle horns: Warning horns
Socket sets: Socket wrench sets
Radio frequency transmitters or receivers: Animal transmitters; Radio telemetry equipment
Electric passenger locomotives: Electric train engines
Rail couplers: Uncoupling levers
Thin client computers: On-board computers for sending/receiving instructions
Adjustable wrenches: Adjustable hand wrenches
Claw hammer: Claw hammers
Two way radios:
Tape measures: Diameter tape measures
Steam engines: Steam turbines
Adjustable widemouth pliers: Oil filter pliers
Desktop computers:
Personal computers:

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