Rail car mechanic skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

1 min read

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical rail car mechanic skills. We ranked the top skills for rail car mechanics based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 28.2% of rail car mechanic resumes contained mechanical repairs as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a rail car mechanic needs to be successful in the workplace.

5 rail car mechanic skills for your resume and career

1. Mechanical Repairs

Here's how rail car mechanics use mechanical repairs:

Performed mechanical repairs on interior and exterior cars to include undercarriage.
Light and heavy mechanical repairs, ranging from break shoes, hoses, wheel sets, bolster and side frames.

2. Hand Tools

Here's how rail car mechanics use hand tools:

Experienced using various hand tools and devices.
Replaced both mechanical and electrical/electronic components using hand tools.

3. Shop Equipment

Shop Equipment refers to the collection of items and tools that a (usually brick-and-mortar) business keeps and utilises in providing their services, maintaining their surroundings, or when selling their wares. While this equipment might consist simply of just some fridges, a till, and some cleaning supplies like in everyday grocery shops, more specific and specialised businesses might also make frequent use of saws, lawnmowers, freezers, bikes and cars, and heavy machinery such as rollers and cranes.

Here's how rail car mechanics use shop equipment:

Maintain vehicle records by recording repairs Keeps shop equipment operating by following operating instructions.
Developed an effective preventative maintenance schedule for all shop equipment.

4. Torches

Here's how rail car mechanics use torches:

Repair freight cars on track and in yards using welding equipment, cutting torches and other tools.
Operate acetylene torches for cutting and/or shaping metal parts such as aluminum, cast iron, steel and bronze.

5. HVAC

Here's how rail car mechanics use hvac:

Respond to and provides assistance in emergencies such as securing or safeguarding HVAC equipment or those related to fire/life/safety conditions.
Monitored HVAC systems and operations, and ensured that routine preventive maintenance was performed according to established schedules.

What skills help Rail Car Mechanics find jobs?

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List of rail car mechanic skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a rail car mechanic resume and required skills for a rail car mechanic to have include:

Mechanical Repairs
Hand Tools

Shop Equipment
Torches

HVAC

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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Rail Car Mechanic Skills

Updated January 8, 2025

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