As of June 2026, Rail Car Repairers has an AI-exposure score of 38/100 (Low exposure) on the AI-Safe Careers index, blending O*NET tasks, the Anthropic Economic Index, the Penn/OpenAI study, and BLS data. This is an estimate of task exposure, not a prediction of job loss.
Rail Car Repairers
More exposed than 8% of the roles we track. Median pay ~US$67,530. About 1,500 projected openings a year (BLS 2024–34 — growth plus replacement).
Pay & demand figures are US medians (BLS, in USD) — your local figures will differ. Your exposure score applies broadly.
How you compare to similar Installation & Repair roles
Your tasks, by AI exposure
No automatable tasks identified for this role — its real, individually-assessed tasks consistently read as durable (75%).
- Record conditions of cars, and repair and maintenance work performed or to be performed.
- Perform scheduled maintenance, and clean units and components.
- Test electrical systems of cars by operating systems and using testing equipment such as ammeters.
- Repair and maintain electrical and electronic controls for propulsion and braking systems.
- Adjust repaired or replaced units as needed to ensure proper operation.
- Repair or replace defective or worn parts such as bearings, pistons, and gears, using hand tools, torque wrenches, power tools, and welding equipment.
- Align car sides for installation of car ends and crossties, using width gauges, turnbuckles, and wrenches.
- Test units for operability before and after repairs.
- Disassemble units such as water pumps, control valves, and compressors so that repairs can be made.
- Measure diameters of axle wheel seats, using micrometers, and mark dimensions on axles so that wheels can be bored to specified dimensions.
- Examine car roofs for wear and damage, and repair defective sections, using roofing material, cement, nails, and waterproof paint.
- Replace defective wiring and insulation, and tighten electrical connections, using hand tools.
- Paint car exteriors, interiors, and fixtures.
- Repair, fabricate, and install steel or wood fittings, using blueprints, shop sketches, and instruction manuals.
- Remove locomotives, car mechanical units, or other components, using pneumatic hoists and jacks, pinch bars, hand tools, and cutting torches.
- Repair car upholstery.
- Install and repair interior flooring, fixtures, walls, plumbing, steps, and platforms.
- Repair window sash frames, attach weather stripping and channels to frames, and replace window glass, using hand tools.
- Inspect components such as bearings, seals, gaskets, wheels, and coupler assemblies to determine if repairs are needed.
- Inspect the interior and exterior of rail cars coming into rail yards to identify defects and to determine the extent of wear and damage.
Safer adjacent roles
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