Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers

High Risk
Low High

Explore safer careers (4)

Lower estimated automation risk

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Why it fits

Advancement path using vehicle movement coordination, shift assignments, safety, and yard throughput.

Rail Car Repairers
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Why it fits

Reuses rail equipment knowledge, coupling and brake awareness, inspections, safety, and yard procedures with repair training.

Traffic Technicians
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Why it fits

Uses signal awareness, operational records, field traffic systems, safety monitoring, and coordination.

Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters
58% automation risk | Moderate Risk
Pays better More jobs
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Why it fits

Strong move using yard operations, train makeup, schedules, crews, safety rules, and documentation.

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Occupation snapshot

What does this snowflake show?
The Snowflake is a visual summary of the five badges: Automation Risk (calculated), Risk (polled), Growth, Wages and Volume. It gives you an instant snapshot of an occupations profile. The colour of the Snowflake relates to its size. The better the occupation scores in relation to others, the larger and greener the Snowflake becomes.
JOB SCORE
3.2/10
What's this?
Job Score (higher is better):

We rate jobs using four factors. These are:

- Chance of being automated
- Job growth
- Wages
- Volume of available positions

These are some key things to think about when job hunting.

Risk & user votes

Calculated automation risk

63% (High Risk)

High Risk (61-80%): This occupation shows a significant risk of end-to-end replacement by automation. Many core parts of the role may be structured, repeatable, software-driven, or physically predictable enough for AI, machines, or robotic systems to take over. If you work in this area, it may be worth exploring safer related careers or moving towards more human-centred responsibilities.

More information on what this score is, and how it is calculated is available here.

Human strengths important in this job

These are human abilities and work contexts that are important in this occupation. They may help explain why parts of the role are harder to replace end-to-end, but they are not the only inputs into the automation score.

Decision-making and problem solving

Very important
Why this matters
Analyze information, weigh tradeoffs, and choose the best solution—especially when situations are ambiguous, high-stakes, or have real-world consequences.
Jobs that also use this strength

Coordinating others’ work

Quite important
Why this matters
Bringing people together, assigning tasks, and keeping a group aligned so work gets done.
Jobs that also use this strength

Coaching and developing others

Quite important
Why this matters
Helps people learn and improve through coaching, mentoring, and feedback. This relies on trust, motivation, and adapting guidance to each person—work that’s hard to replace end-to-end with automation.
Jobs that also use this strength

Communicating with people outside the organization

Quite important
Why this matters
Represents the organization to customers, the public, or government—handling questions, concerns, and relationship-building through conversations, writing, calls, or email.
Jobs that also use this strength

Consulting and advising others

Quite important
Why this matters
Provide guidance and expert advice to managers or teams on technical, system, or process decisions—explaining options, tradeoffs, and recommended actions.
Jobs that also use this strength

What users think

Based on 9 votes

What do you think the risk of automation is?

What is the likelihood that Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers will be replaced by robots or artificial intelligence within the next 20 years?

Pay & outlook

Wages

Moderately paid relative to other professions

In 2024, the median annual wage for Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers was $58,030 ($28 per hour).

The median annual wage for Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers was 17.2% higher than the national median annual wage, which stood at $49,500.

View wage trend

Wages over time

* Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Growth

Slow growth relative to other professions.

The number of 'Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers' job openings is expected to rise 0.3% by 2034

View employment trend

Total employment, and estimated job openings

* Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the period between 2023 and 2033
Updated projections are due 09-2025.

Volume

Significantly lower range of job opportunities compared to other professions

As of 2024 there were 3,300 people employed as 'Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers' within the United States.

This represents around < 0.001% of the employed workforce across the country

Put another way, around 1 in 46 thousand people are employed as 'Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers'.

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Job description

Drive switching or other locomotive or dinkey engines within railroad yard, industrial plant, quarry, construction project, or similar location.

O*NET-SOC code: 53-4013.00