Rail yard engineer or hostler
Drives switching locomotives and small engines within railroad yards, factories, quarries, and construction sites.
Will AI replace rail yard engineer or hostler jobs?
AI changes jobs more often than it replaces them. How much AI can help with this work: Medium. More AI overlap than 46 in 100 jobs. AI helps with some tasks, like paperwork or first drafts. People still do the core of the job. 0% of this job’s working time is already spent on tasks people bring to AI at work (Anthropic Economic Index). Based on Microsoft research on real AI use at work, matched to the tasks of each job in O*NET.
What AI already helps with
- Talk with conductors and others by radio or computer about switching
- Receive, pass on, and act on instructions from train operations staff
- Report arrival and departure times, train delays, finished orders, and hours
What stays human
- Watch for and respond to signals along the track
- Inspect engines before and after use to make sure they work properly
- Apply and release hand brakes
10-year outlook · USA
Expected change in the number of these jobs by 2035: +0.8%. Typical pay: $60,600 a year. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. German figures differ, but the direction is usually similar.
Try Rail yard engineer or hostler for a day
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