Locomotive Engineers
Also called: Engineer, Passenger Locomotive Engineer, Railroad Engineer, TrainmasterDrive electric, diesel-electric, steam, or gas-turbine-electric locomotives to transport passengers or freight. Interpret train orders, electronic or manual signals, and railroad rules and regulations.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 6 of its 15 tasks, and jobs are projected to grow 0.5% by 2035. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 0.7% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Locomotive engineers and operators”
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 9.0 hires for every 10 job openings in transportation, warehousing, and utilities, which employs about 98% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.9.0 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $77,600 | $56,580 to $78,740 | 590 |
| Arizona | $89,840 | $89,840 to $93,260 | 490 |
| Arkansas | $78,930 | $66,450 to $78,930 | 620 |
| California | $77,070 | $74,370 to $79,940 | 1,570 |
| Colorado | $89,360 | $76,670 to $99,800 | 480 |
| Delaware | not published | not published | 290 |
| Florida | $92,310 | $80,290 to $94,020 | 350 |
| Illinois | $93,320 | $84,470 to $97,280 | 2,340 |
| Indiana | $92,790 | $83,150 to $94,240 | 1,030 |
| Iowa | $89,970 | $74,850 to $92,170 | 1,000 |
| Kansas | $75,190 | $69,290 to $75,190 | 1,020 |
| Kentucky | $77,620 | $77,590 to $96,810 | 540 |
| Louisiana | $64,200 | $63,890 to $70,970 | 700 |
| Massachusetts | $108,790 | $108,790 to $119,030 | 640 |
| Minnesota | $93,700 | $85,620 to $93,830 | 990 |
| Mississippi | $96,710 | $60,640 to $174,440 | 300 |
| Missouri | $78,820 | $78,820 to $79,040 | 1,110 |
| Montana | $90,220 | $90,220 to $90,370 | 470 |
| New Hampshire | $70,670 | $60,510 to $72,400 | 30 |
| New Jersey | $86,550 | $86,550 to $86,680 | 830 |
| New Mexico | $88,330 | $83,960 to $91,610 | 440 |
| New York | $109,220 | $93,590 to $110,280 | 1,510 |
| North Carolina | $61,190 | $61,160 to $61,190 | 340 |
| Ohio | $63,280 | $63,120 to $63,320 | 200 |
| Oklahoma | $91,970 | $84,280 to $100,290 | 260 |
| Oregon | $79,130 | $71,490 to $82,490 | 580 |
| Pennsylvania | $82,460 | $81,440 to $82,550 | 1,430 |
| South Carolina | $89,290 | $83,210 to $89,290 | 380 |
| South Dakota | $69,180 | $69,180 to $69,200 | 150 |
| Tennessee | $81,410 | $80,660 to $81,900 | 700 |
| Texas | $79,000 | $65,340 to $79,310 | 3,780 |
| Virginia | $90,780 | $82,020 to $90,940 | 790 |
| Washington | $73,750 | $59,910 to $91,140 | 1,120 |
| West Virginia | $64,400 | $64,380 to $74,840 | 340 |
| Wisconsin | $84,550 | $72,640 to $84,560 | 220 |
| Wyoming | $78,910 | $78,910 to $105,080 | not published |
Nationally: $81,410. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 6 of its 15 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Not much | Receive starting signals from conductors and use controls such as throttles or air brakes to drive electric, diesel-electric, steam, or gas turbine-electric locomotives. | Not published |
| Not much | Monitor gauges or meters that measure speed, amperage, battery charge, or air pressure in brake lines or in main reservoirs. | Not published |
| AI alone | Interpret train orders, signals, or railroad rules and regulations that govern the operation of locomotives. | Not published |
| AI + software | Observe tracks to detect obstructions. | Not published |
| AI + software | Confer with conductors or traffic control center personnel via radiophones to issue or receive information concerning stops, delays, or oncoming trains. | Not published |
| Not much | Inspect locomotives to verify adequate fuel, sand, water, or other supplies before each run or to check for mechanical problems. | Not published |
See all 15 tasks
| Not much | Inspect locomotives after runs to detect damaged or defective equipment. | Not published |
| Not much | Operate locomotives to transport freight or passengers between stations or to assemble or disassemble trains within rail yards. | Not published |
| Not much | Respond to emergency conditions or breakdowns, following applicable safety procedures and rules. | Not published |
| Not much | Call out train signals to assistants to verify meanings. | Not published |
| AI + software | Prepare reports regarding any problems encountered, such as accidents, signaling problems, unscheduled stops, or delays. | Not published |
| Not much | Check to ensure that documentation, such as procedure manuals or logbooks, are in the driver's cab and available for staff use. | Not published |
| AI + software | Check to ensure that brake examination tests are conducted at shunting stations. | Not published |
| AI + software | Monitor train loading procedures to ensure that freight or rolling stock are loaded or unloaded without damage. | Not published |
| Not much | Drive diesel-electric rail-detector cars to transport rail-flaw-detecting machines over tracks. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 0 of the 15 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 15 tasks fall under 10 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Communicate with others about operational plans or activities | |||
| Operate transportation equipment or vehicles | |||
| Monitor operations to ensure adequate performance | |||
| Monitor resources or inventories | |||
| Prepare reports of operational or procedural activities | |||
| Monitor equipment operation | |||
| Monitor safety or security of work areas, facilities, or properties | |||
| Intervene in crisis situations or emergencies |
Show all 10 activities
| Inspect vehicles | |||
| Signal others to coordinate work activities |
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for locomotive engineers specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 1,619 moves out
- 1 Chief Executives Very high +3.2% 9%
- 2 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 6%
- 3 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 5%
- 4 Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers Very high +6.1% 4%
- 5 Engineers, All Other Very high +3.7% 4%
Where people moved in from
of 1,590 moves in
- 1 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 6%
- 2 Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters Moderate +0.9% 6%
- 3 Communications Equipment Operators, All Other Very high +1.0% 5%
- 4 Chief Executives Very high +3.2% 4%
- 5 Loan Officers Very high +1.1% 4%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 3% less than high school
- 45% high school
- 28% some college
- 10% associate's
- 13% bachelor's
- 2% master's
Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Locomotive engineers and operators” · 435 people surveyed.
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Locomotive engineers and operators”
1 program: Railroad and Railway Transportation.
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
BLS publishes no credential figures for this occupation.
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeship Finder ↗ DOL lists 1 registered apprenticeship in this occupation (LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEER). Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “Locomotive Engineers” there.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS
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