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 road bed tamping machine operators.

• Grinding-Machine Operator, Portable
• Railway-Equipment Operator
• Track Repairer
• Track-Moving-Machine Operator
• Track-Surfacing-Machine Operator

• Adjust controls of machines that spread, shape, raise, level, and align track, according to specifications.
• Clean and make minor repairs to machines and equipment.
• Clean tracks, and clear ice and snow from tracks and switch boxes.
• Clean, grade, and level ballast on railroad tracks.
• Cut rails to specified lengths, using rail saws.
• Dress and reshape worn or damaged railroad switch points and frogs, using portable power grinders.
• Drill holes through rails, tie plates, and fishplates for insertion of bolts and spikes, using power drills.
• Drive graders, tamping machines, brooms, and ballast cleaning/spreading machines to redistribute gravel and ballast between rails.
• Drive vehicles that automatically move and lay tracks or rails over sections of track to be constructed, repaired, or maintained.
• Engage mechanisms that lay tracks or rails to specified gauges.
• Grind ends of new or worn rails to attain smooth joints, using portable grinders.
• Lubricate machines, change oil, and fill hydraulic reservoirs to specified levels.
• Observe leveling indicator arms to verify levelness and alignment of tracks.
• Operate single- or multiple-head spike driving machines to drive spikes into ties and secure rails.
• Operate single- or multiple-head spike pullers to pull old spikes from ties.
• Operate tie-adzing machines to cut ties and permit insertion of fishplates that hold rails.
• Operate track-wrench machines to tighten or loosen bolts at joints that hold ends of rails together.
• Paint railroad signs, such as speed limits and gate-crossing warnings.
• Patrol assigned track sections so that damaged or broken track can be located and reported.
• Push controls to close grasping devices on track or rail sections so that they can be raised or moved.
• Raise rails, using hydraulic jacks, to allow for tie removal and replacement.
• Repair and adjust track switches, using wrenches and replacement parts.
• Spray ties, fishplates, and joints with oil to protect them from weathering.
• String and attach wire-guidelines machine to rails so that tracks or rails can be aligned or leveled.
• Turn wheels of machines, using lever controls, to adjust guidelines for track alignments and grades, following specifications.

• grade or redistribute earth for roads or other construction
• maintain or repair construction machinery or equipment
• operate earth-moving or other heavy construction equipment
• read specifications
• use measuring devices in construction or extraction work