Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers Career, Salary and Skills
Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $60,600 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 3,920. Wage data is published for 19 locations.
Occupation description
Drive switching or other locomotive or dinkey engines within railroad yard, industrial plant, quarry, construction project, or similar location.
O*NET code
53-4013.00
Job zone
2
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Experience
None
National salary and employment
Median annual
$60,600
Hourly median
$29.14
Employment
3,920
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
$44,540
10th
$52,780
25th
$60,600
Median
$80,360
75th
$100,270
90th
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Operation and Control | 3.75 | 3.62 |
| Monitoring | 3.62 | 3.12 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.62 | 3.62 |
| Speaking | 3.50 | 3.12 |
| Active Listening | 3.38 | 3.00 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.38 | 3.12 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.25 | 3.00 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Coordination | 3.12 | 3.25 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.12 | 3.00 |
Typical tasks
- Operate track switches, derails, automatic switches, and retarders to change routing of train or cars.
- Observe and respond to wayside and cab signals, including color light signals, position signals, torpedoes, flags, and hot box detectors.
- Inspect engines before and after use to ensure proper operation.
- Apply and release hand brakes.
- Signal crew members for movement of engines or trains, using lanterns, hand signals, radios, or telephones.
- Confer with conductors and other workers via radiotelephones or computers to exchange switching information.
- Inspect track for defects such as broken rails and switch malfunctions.
- Spot cars for loading and unloading at customer locations.
Technology
- Positive train control PTC systems
- Railcar inspection management software
- RailComm DocYard
- Railyard inventory software
- Railyard management software RMS
- Softrail AEI Automatic Yard Tracking System
- Softrail AEI Rail & Road Manager
- Web browser software
Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers Salary in CAMedian $67,160 · Employment 190
- Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers Salary in INMedian $54,420 · Employment 190
- Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers Salary in NJMedian $71,030 · Employment 130
- Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers Salary in FLMedian $80,360 · Employment 120
- Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers Salary in KYMedian $62,070 · Employment 110
- Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers Salary in ALMedian $48,900 · Employment 80
- Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers Salary in ARMedian $38,980 · Employment 70
- Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers Salary in OKMedian $63,400 · Employment 70
- Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers Salary in New York, NYMedian $53,890 · Employment 60
- Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers Salary in TNMedian $54,060 · Employment 60
- Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers Salary in TXMedian $53,130 · Employment 50
- Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers Salary in PAMedian $65,380 · Employment 40
Related careers
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNational median $40,240
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesNational median $65,510
- Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and AmbulanceNational median $50,340
- Ship EngineersNational median $109,530
- Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface MiningNational median $57,430
- Signal and Track Switch RepairersNational median $92,460
- Transportation Vehicle, Equipment and Systems Inspectors, Except AviationNational median $92,100
- Subway and Streetcar OperatorsNational median $86,380
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.