Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters
Also called: Conductor, Freight Conductor, Freight Train Conductor, Local Freight Conductor, Passenger Conductor, Pullman Conductor, Railroad Conductor, Railway Yardmaster
Coordinate activities of switch-engine crew within railroad yard, industrial plant, or similar location.
What railroad conductors and yardmasters do
Typical tasks
- Observe yard traffic to determine tracks available to accommodate inbound and outbound traffic.
- Receive instructions from dispatchers regarding trains' routes, timetables, and cargoes.
- Direct and instruct workers engaged in yard activities, such as switching tracks, coupling and uncoupling cars, and routing inbound and outbound traffic.
- Signal engineers to begin train runs, stop trains, or change speed, using telecommunications equipment or hand signals.
- Direct engineers to move cars to fit planned train configurations, combining or separating cars to make up or break up trains.
- Confirm routes and destination information for freight cars.
- Arrange for the removal of defective cars from trains at stations or stops.
- Review schedules, switching orders, way bills, and shipping records to obtain cargo loading and unloading information and to plan work.
- Receive information regarding train or rail problems from dispatchers or from electronic monitoring devices.
- Operate controls to activate track switches and traffic signals.
- Keep records of the contents and destination of each train car, and make sure that cars are added or removed at proper points on routes.
- Confer with engineers regarding train routes, timetables, and cargoes, and to discuss alternative routes when there are rail defects or obstructions.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters salary
The median annual wage for railroad conductors and yardmasters is $78,000 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $58,740 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $109,770. The mean annual wage is $79,100.
The mean hourly wage of $38.00 is 5.2× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $78,000 → in 3 years $84,900 → in 5 years $89,900 → in 10 years $103,600 (10-year range $89,100–$120,300). The model assumes pay growth of +2.9% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
Skills, education and requirements for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 2 — some preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★☆☆☆☆ Easy to enter (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become railroad conductors and yardmasters
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as railroad conductors and yardmasters
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.