Switchman vs railroad conductor

The differences between switchmen and railroad conductors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a railroad conductor has an average salary of $58,338, which is higher than the $57,143 average annual salary of a switchman.

The top three skills for a switchman include switches, ladders and rail cars. The most important skills for a railroad conductor are switches, rail cars, and FRA.

Switchman vs railroad conductor overview

	Switchman	Railroad Conductor
Yearly salary	$57,143	$58,338
Hourly rate	$27.47	$28.05
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	518	547
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 47%	High School Diploma, 36%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	-	-

Switchman vs railroad conductor salary

Switchmen and railroad conductors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Switchman	Railroad Conductor
Average salary	$57,143	$58,338
Salary range	Between $39,000 And $81,000	Between $40,000 And $83,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between switchman and railroad conductor education

There are a few differences between a switchman and a railroad conductor in terms of educational background:

	Switchman	Railroad Conductor
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 47%	High School Diploma, 36%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Switchman vs railroad conductor demographics

Here are the differences between switchmen' and railroad conductors' demographics:

	Switchman	Railroad Conductor
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 95.4% Female, 4.6%	Male, 94.8% Female, 5.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 2.0% White, 70.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 2.0% White, 72.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between switchman and railroad conductor duties and responsibilities

Switchman example responsibilities.

Manage daily inspections and audits of locomotives.
Complete safety training and follow all FRA safety regulations on a daily basis.
Operate track switches, couple cars, and work on freight trains in yard operations and on the road.
Qualify in GCOR, HAZMAT, OSHA, EPA and ODOT regulations.
Train & supervise various employees to be safe and knowledgeable conductors.
Process and evaluate train documents to assure compliance with FRA and company guidelines.

Railroad conductor example responsibilities.

Travel from terminal to terminal by rail while strictly adhering to all FRA rules and regulations.
Inspect locomotives after runs to detect damage and defective equipment.
Project problem solving and analysis skills to maintain interaction with coworkers and supervisors.
Follow all GCOR and SOI rules with no injuries.
Project problem solving and analysis skills to maintain interaction with coworkers and supervisors.

Switchman vs railroad conductor skills

Common switchman skills

Switches, 27%
Ladders, 19%
Rail Cars, 12%
Air Hoses, 11%
Locomotives, 7%
Electrical Connections, 5%

Common railroad conductor skills

Switches, 16%
Rail Cars, 13%
FRA, 13%
Air Brakes, 9%
Locomotives, 7%
Hand Signals, 5%

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Switchman vs Railroad Conductor

Updated January 8, 2025

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