CompGeo Salary Survey Benchmark Job Summary and Competencies

Signal or Track Switch Maintainers

The Benchmark Job Description below represents the specific Position Characteristics of the job used in the Salary Survey. Benchmark Job Descriptions should be inspected carefully to review the degree of matching between an organizations' Job and the Salary Survey Benchmark. Matching internal Jobs to Salary Survey Benchmark Jobs should not be done on Job Title alone. A thorough comparison of Salary Survey Benchmark to Internal Job Descriptions is recommended. A good overlap should exist on any comparisons used on critical Job Dimensions and Competencies.
 
CompGeo Occupation Group: Transportation
Job Family: Railroad
Benchmark Title: Signal or Track Switch Maintainers
 
Summary Job Description Tasks
Install, inspect, test, maintain, or repair electric gate crossings, signals, signal equipment, track switches, section lines, or intercommunications systems within a railroad system. Install, inspect, maintain, and repair various railroad service equipment on the road or in the shop, including railroad signal systems.
 
Inspect and test operation, mechanical parts, and circuitry of gate crossings, signals, and signal equipment such as interlocks and hotbox detectors.
 
Inspect switch-controlling mechanisms on trolley wires and in track beds, using hand tools and test equipment.
 
Drive motor vehicles to job sites.
 
Tighten loose bolts, using wrenches, and test circuits and connections by opening and closing gates.
 
Inspect electrical units of railroad grade crossing gates and repair loose bolts and defective electrical connections and parts.
 
Replace defective wiring, broken lenses, or burned-out light bulbs.
 
Record and report information about mileage or track inspected, repairs performed, and equipment requiring replacement.
 
Inspect, maintain, and replace batteries as needed.
 
Lubricate moving parts on gate-crossing mechanisms and swinging signals.
 
Clean lenses of lamps with cloths and solvents.
 
Maintain high tension lines, de-energizing lines for power companies when repairs are requested.
 
Test air lines and air cylinders on pneumatically operated gates.
 
 
CompGeo Occupation Group: Transportation
Job Family: Railroad
Benchmark Title: Signal or Track Switch Maintainers
 
Important Knowledge Competencies Competency Description
Computers and Electronics Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
 
Mechanical Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
 
Public Safety and Security Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
 
English Language Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
 
Engineering and Technology Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
 
Transportation Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
 
 
CompGeo Occupation Group: Transportation
Job Family: Railroad
Benchmark Title: Signal or Track Switch Maintainers
 
Important Skill Competencies Competency Description
Troubleshooting Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
 
Equipment Maintenance Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
 
Repairing Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
 
Quality Control Analysis Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
 
Equipment Selection Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
 
Operation Monitoring Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
 
Critical Thinking Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
 
Complex Problem Solving Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
 
Operation and Control Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
 
Monitoring Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
 
Installation Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or programs to meet specifications.
 
Judgment and Decision Making Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
 
Active Listening 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.
 
Time Management Managing one's own time and the time of others.
 
Speaking Talking to others to convey information effectively.
 
Active Learning Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
 
Coordination Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
 
Reading Comprehension Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
 
Writing Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
 
Social Perceptiveness Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
 
 
CompGeo Occupation Group: Transportation
Job Family: Railroad
Benchmark Title: Signal or Track Switch Maintainers
 
Important Ability Competencies Competency Description
Problem Sensitivity The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
 
Manual Dexterity The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
 
Finger Dexterity The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
 
Flexibility of Closure The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
 
Visualization The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
 
Multilimb Coordination The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
 
Visual Color Discrimination The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
 
Arm-Hand Steadiness The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
 
Control Precision The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
 
Far Vision The ability to see details at a distance.
 
Deductive Reasoning The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
 
Inductive Reasoning The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
 
Perceptual Speed The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
 
Near Vision The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
 
Information Ordering The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
 
Reaction Time The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
 
Depth Perception The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.
 
Hearing Sensitivity The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.
 
Oral Comprehension The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
 
Speed of Closure The ability to quickly make sense of, combine, and organize information into meaningful patterns.
 
Selective Attention The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
 
Static Strength The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
 
Trunk Strength The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing.
 
Auditory Attention The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
 
Oral Expression The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
 
Category Flexibility The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
 
Speech Recognition The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
 
Speech Clarity The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
 
Written Expression The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
 
Memorization The ability to remember information such as words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.
 
Time Sharing The ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources).
 
Extent Flexibility The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
 
Spatial Orientation The ability to know your location in relation to the environment or to know where other objects are in relation to you.
 
Response Orientation The ability to choose quickly between two or more movements in response to two or more different signals (lights, sounds, pictures). It includes the speed with which the correct response is started with the hand, foot, or other body part.
 
Gross Body Coordination The ability to coordinate the movement of your arms, legs, and torso together when the whole body is in motion.
 
 
CompGeo Occupation Group: Transportation
Job Family: Railroad
Benchmark Title: Signal or Track Switch Maintainers
 
Prerequisite Qualification Category Education and Experience Level
Required Level of Education Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
 
On-the-Job Training Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
 
Required Level of Education Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in Personnel Services, Engineering-related Technologies, Vocational Home Economics, Construction Trades, Mechanics and Repairers, Precision Production Trades)
 
Related Work Experience Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
 
 
CompGeo Occupation Group: Transportation
Job Family: Railroad
Benchmark Title: Signal or Track Switch Maintainers
 
Alternate Job Title(s)
Electric Track Switch Maintainer
Electrician
Electronic Train Control Technician
Light Rail Signal Technician
Rail Signal Mechanic
Railroad Crossing Protection Maintainer
Railroad Signal Technician
Railway Signal Technician
Register Repairer
Signal Inspector
Signal Maintainer
Signal Maintenance Technician
Signal Mechanic
Signal Supervisor
Signal System Testing Maintainer
Signal Technician
Signal and Communications Maintainer
Signalman
Third Rail Installer
Train Control Electronic Technician
Train Control Technician
 
CompGeo Occupation Group: Transportation
Job Family: Railroad
Benchmark Title: Signal or Track Switch Maintainers
 
 
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