AI JOB RISK SCANNER
O*NET-SOC 47-4061.00 / model V11 rated-task engine

Will AI replace
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators?

Lay, repair, and maintain track for standard or narrow-gauge railroad equipment used in regular railroad service or in plant yards, quarries, sand and gravel pits, and mines. Includes ballast cleaning machine operators and railroad bed tamping machine operators.

Estimated AI task exposure
5%

Low exposure

V11 weights occupation tasks using O*NET Importance, Relevance and Frequency ratings instead of treating every task equally.

26 tasks have usable Task Rating records; weighted-task coverage is 100%.

Digital/info work

19/100

Physical moat

78/100

Human moat

17/100

Rating coverage

100%

26 task statements / 26 rated

Highest-weighted occupation tasks

Repair or adjust track switches, using wrenches and replacement parts.
Importance 84/100Relevance 100/100Frequency 40/100Weight 0.79
Patrol assigned track sections so that damaged or broken track can be located and reported.
Importance 82/100Relevance 98/100Frequency 45/100Weight 0.79
Operate track wrenches to tighten or loosen bolts at joints that hold ends of rails together.
Importance 73/100Relevance 99/100Frequency 56/100Weight 0.79
Engage mechanisms that lay tracks or rails to specified gauges.
Importance 80/100Relevance 97/100Frequency 45/100Weight 0.78
Cut rails to specified lengths, using rail saws.
Importance 78/100Relevance 98/100Frequency 36/100Weight 0.75
Lubricate machines, change oil, or fill hydraulic reservoirs to specified levels.
Importance 72/100Relevance 96/100Frequency 42/100Weight 0.74
Drill holes through rails, tie plates, or fishplates for insertion of bolts or spikes, using power drills.
Importance 72/100Relevance 95/100Frequency 38/100Weight 0.72
Clean or make minor repairs to machines or equipment.
Importance 68/100Relevance 90/100Frequency 42/100Weight 0.70
Clean tracks or clear ice or snow from tracks or switch boxes.
Importance 71/100Relevance 92/100Frequency 32/100Weight 0.69
Dress and reshape worn or damaged railroad switch points or frogs, using portable power grinders.
Importance 70/100Relevance 88/100Frequency 38/100Weight 0.69

Task weighting

Each rated task receives a composite weight: 38% relevance, 37% importance and 25% frequency. Core tasks receive a small additional multiplier. Low-precision rows flagged by O*NET for suppression are excluded.

Occupation scoring

When rating coverage is strong, rated tasks contribute 60% of the digital, physical and human task signals and Work Activities contribute 40%. Lower-coverage occupations automatically rely more on Work Activities.

U.S. labor market

BLS Wage & Employment Outlook

Median annual wage

$70,070

BLS OEWS May 2025

National employment

19,580

BLS OEWS May 2025

Projected growth

+1.5%

BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035

Average annual openings

1

BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035

BLS labor-market figures are separate from the site's AI-exposure model. Missing values mean a compatible detailed BLS occupation estimate was not published or could not be mapped.

Career pivot radar

Safer Career Alternatives

These options are selected from the same 923-occupation model. They favor a similar task/work profile with meaningfully lower estimated AI exposure. They are suggestions for exploration, not guarantees of job fit.

SAFER ALTERNATIVE

Agricultural Equipment Operators

5%

similar low-exposure profile • 99% profile similarity

Median wage: $41,730 Growth 2025–2035: +8.6% Annual openings: 10

similar work profile with lower modeled exposure
SAFER ALTERNATIVE

Structural Iron and Steel Workers

5%

similar low-exposure profile • 99% profile similarity

Median wage: $62,780 Growth 2025–2035: +3.1% Annual openings: 6

similar work profile with lower modeled exposure
SAFER ALTERNATIVE

Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers

5%

similar low-exposure profile • 99% profile similarity

Median wage: $58,930 Growth 2025–2035: +2.5% Annual openings: 7

similar work profile with lower modeled exposure
SAFER ALTERNATIVE

Glaziers

5%

similar low-exposure profile • 98% profile similarity

Median wage: $57,080 Growth 2025–2035: +1.9% Annual openings: 4

similar work profile with lower modeled exposure
SAFER ALTERNATIVE

Roustabouts, Oil and Gas

5%

similar low-exposure profile • 97% profile similarity

Median wage: $46,960 Growth 2025–2035: +3.6% Annual openings: 4

more physical-world work
SAFER ALTERNATIVE

Highway Maintenance Workers

5%

similar low-exposure profile • 97% profile similarity

Median wage: $50,260 Growth 2025–2035: +3.4% Annual openings: 12

similar work profile with lower modeled exposure

Personalized career defense protocol

AI-Proofing Plan

AUTOMATE

    AUGMENT

    • administrative support tasks
    • planning and documentation

    PROTECT

    • physical-world execution
    • on-site troubleshooting
    • dexterity and equipment interaction

    LEARN

    • AI-assisted diagnostics
    • digital documentation
    • basic AI literacy

    AI-PROOFING RESOURCES

    What this score does not mean

    The percentage is a comparative task-exposure index. It is not the probability that this occupation disappears, that a worker is laid off, or that AI can perform the entire job.

    New in V11

    Find a Safer Career Path

    High exposure does not mean starting over. V11 compares your occupation with the other 922 O*NET occupations and surfaces lower-exposure options with similar work profiles.

    EXPLORE CAREER ALTERNATIVES
    I am your guide.
    Knowledge is your strongest upgrade.