Railway and yard locomotive engineers
Career Overview
Railway locomotive engineers:
- Operate railway locomotives to transport passengers and freight
- Work for railway transport companies
Yard locomotive engineers:
- Operate locomotives within yards of railway, industrial or other establishments
- Work for railway transport companies and industrial or commercial users of rail transport
Job Titles
Duties
Railway locomotive engineers:
- Operate locomotives to transport passengers and freight on railways
- Run communication systems to communicate with train crews and traffic controllers to make sure the operation and scheduling of trains is done safely
- Inspect assigned locomotives and test operating controls and equipment
Yard locomotive engineers:
- Operate locomotives to switch, couple and uncouple cars for loading and unloading
- Perform switching operations according to written switching orders or dispatched instructions
- Inspect locomotives, replenish fuel or perform routine maintenance on locomotives
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
1,270% Employed Full Time
75%Key aspects of the work in this occupation:
- Work takes place outdoors so workers may be exposed to various weather conditions
- Work also takes place in locomotives
- Work may involve back and forth or fluctuating movements of the body
- The workplace may be noisy enough to affect hearing
Career Pathways
Movement between railway transport companies or between establishments employing locomotive engineers may be limited due to seniority provisions of collective agreements.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
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For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
- Completion of secondary school is usually required
- Experience as a conductor is required for railway locomotive engineers and may be required for yard locomotive engineers
- Experience as a railway yard worker may be required for yard locomotive engineers
- Railway locomotive engineers require a Canadian Rail Operating Rules certificate
Education programs in B.C.
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Watching gauges, dials or other indicators to make sure that a machine is working properly.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
1,270Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 130 | 10.2% |
| Kootenay | 115 | 9.1% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 505 | 39.8% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 135 | 10.6% |
| Northeast | 35 | 2.8% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 335 | 26.4% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 20 | 1.6% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
700Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 90 | 1.4% |
| Kootenay | 60 | -0.3% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 150 | -0.2% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 230 | 1.2% |
| Northeast | 40 | -0.3% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 130 | 1.7% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 10 | -2.0% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Transportation and Warehousing | 620 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 50 |
| Manufacturing | 10 |
| Wholesale Trade | 10 |
| Construction | 10 |
Resources
Resource information is currently not available.