Job description Maintenance Of Way Employee - Railway in the Northern Region

Find out what work is like for a maintenance of way employee - railway in Canada. This work description is applicable to all Railway yard and track maintenance workers (NOC 74200).

Railway yard and track maintenance workers

Description

Railway yard workers regulate yard traffic, couple and uncouple trains and perform related yard activities. Railway track maintenance workers operate machines and equipment to lay, maintain and repair railway tracks. They are employed by railway transport companies.

Job duties

Here are some of the main activities and tasks that Railway yard and track maintenance workers have to perform, and some of the physical demands they involve:

  • Railway yard workers
  • Operate control panel switches from railway yard tower to set traffic signals and to activate train switches that regulate railway traffic in railway yards
  • Operate car retarders, turntables and track switches to align locomotives and cars as required for coupling, uncoupling or servicing
  • Switch cars according to instructions which indicate the location, disposition and number of cars
  • Lubricate moving parts of railway cars and locomotives.
  • Railway track maintenance workers
  • Operate machines and equipment such as sleeper sliders, anchors, rail lifters, drag drills, drag diggers, rail saws and tie-bar cranes to lay, maintain, repair and align railway tracks to transfer, spread, level and tamp ballast around ties and rails and to clear snow from tracks
  • Clean and make minor repairs to machines and equipment
  • Patrol assigned track sections to identify and report damaged or broken track
  • Perform other track maintenance duties as directed.

Physical demands

Physical demands are the physical activities that the job requires the worker to do. Physical demands are selected according to the likeliness that workers will have to perform them for at least half of the time they spend at work.

Work environment

The work environment refers to the physical setting in which people work. The characteristics and conditions of the work environment are selected according to the likeliness that workers will be exposed to them at least once a week.

Physical proximity from others

Physical proximity from others refers to the physical distance between individuals in the workplace. The likeliness that the job requires to perform tasks while being physically close to other people is rated on a scale with 3 levels: "Somewhat close", "Close" and "Very close".

Related job titles

Here are some other related job titles that are found in the same occupational category (NOC 74200), and a list of similar occupations:

  • ballast regulator operator - railway
  • car controller - railway
  • control tower operator - railway
  • machine operator - railway
  • rail saw operator
  • railway equipment operator
  • railway trackman/woman
  • railway track patroller
  • section worker - railway
  • signal tower operator - railway
  • spike machine operator - railway
  • switch tender - railway yard
  • tie tamper operator - railway
  • towerman/woman - railway transport
  • yard coupler - railway
  • yard worker - railway

Similar occupations Help - Similar occupations

Similar occupations

This section lists other occupations that are part of the same broad occupational category as Railway yard and track maintenance workers in the National Occupational Classification (NOC). These occupations involve similar core qualifications but involve different responsibilities. To see more similar occupations, use the Job Transition Tool.

Sources Occupational and Skills Information System & National Occupational Classification

Labour Market Information Survey
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