Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers
Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers (SOC 53-4013) earn a median $60,600 a year ($29.14 an hour) in the United States, with 3,920 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is West Virginia.
What rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers do
Rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers drive locomotives and small engines inside a limited area rather than over long routes. Typical settings are railroad switching yards, industrial plants, quarries, and construction projects. Their engines are used for switching and similar moves within these locations. They inspect their engine before and after use, apply and release hand brakes, and follow wayside and cab signals, including color lights, flags, and other markers. Communication with conductors and other yard workers by radio, hand signals, or lantern coordinates each switching move. Some also inspect track for broken rails and switch problems, watch water levels and oil, air, and steam pressure gauges, and couple and uncouple air hoses and electrical connections between cars. This differs from locomotive engineers, who operate trains between stations, and from brake and switch operators, who mainly handle couplings and switches rather than drive the engine.
Typical entry: O*NET reports that most workers in this occupation have a high school diploma or equivalent.
Also called: Car Barn Laborer, Car Mover, Carman, Coal Tram Driver, Coal Trammer.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $21.41 | $25.37 | $29.14 | $38.63 | $48.21 | $32.91 | 3,920 |
| Annual | $44,540 | $52,780 | $60,600 | $80,360 | $100,270 | $68,450 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| West Virginia | Hourly | $30.29 | $30.53 | $43.93 | $43.94 | $43.94 | $38.28 | 40 | 0.05 | 2.10 |
| Annual | $62,990 | $63,510 | $91,380 | $91,380 | $91,380 | $79,630 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $27.36 | $38.63 | $38.63 | $38.74 | $38.74 | $37.36 | 120 | 0.01 | 0.47 |
| Annual | $56,900 | $80,360 | $80,360 | $80,580 | $80,580 | $77,700 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $24.69 | $25.91 | $34.15 | $49.14 | $49.14 | $35.98 | 130 | 0.03 | 1.17 |
| Annual | $51,350 | $53,890 | $71,030 | $102,220 | $102,220 | $74,840 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $32.21 | $32.28 | $32.29 | $32.29 | $32.29 | $31.95 | 190 | 0.01 | 0.41 |
| Annual | $66,990 | $67,130 | $67,160 | $67,160 | $67,160 | $66,450 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $17.50 | $18.92 | $31.43 | $31.45 | $31.66 | $27.20 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.27 |
| Annual | $36,390 | $39,350 | $65,380 | $65,420 | $65,850 | $56,570 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $32.21 | $32.28 | $32.29 | $32.29 | $32.29 | $31.95 | 190 | 0.01 | 0.41 |
| Annual | $66,990 | $67,130 | $67,160 | $67,160 | $67,160 | $66,450 | ||||
| Indiana | Hourly | $18.45 | $20.57 | $26.16 | $32.77 | $50.73 | $28.49 | 190 | 0.06 | 2.33 |
| Annual | $38,370 | $42,790 | $54,420 | $68,160 | $105,530 | $59,260 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $24.69 | $25.91 | $34.15 | $49.14 | $49.14 | $35.98 | 130 | 0.03 | 1.17 |
| Annual | $51,350 | $53,890 | $71,030 | $102,220 | $102,220 | $74,840 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $27.36 | $38.63 | $38.63 | $38.74 | $38.74 | $37.36 | 120 | 0.01 | 0.47 |
| Annual | $56,900 | $80,360 | $80,360 | $80,580 | $80,580 | $77,700 | ||||
| Kentucky | Hourly | $23.45 | $24.72 | $29.84 | $48.44 | $49.24 | $34.32 | 110 | 0.05 | 2.16 |
| Annual | $48,770 | $51,410 | $62,070 | $100,760 | $102,430 | $71,390 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | Hourly | $20.75 | $20.75 | $29.44 | $29.44 | $29.44 | $26.93 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $43,160 | $43,160 | $61,230 | $61,230 | $61,230 | $56,010 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $18.85 | $25.91 | $25.91 | $27.66 | $34.15 | $26.67 | 60 | 0.01 | 0.24 |
| Annual | $39,200 | $53,890 | $53,890 | $57,530 | $71,030 | $55,470 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $18.85 | $25.91 | $25.91 | $27.66 | $34.15 | $26.67 | 60 | 0.01 | 0.24 |
| Annual | $39,200 | $53,890 | $53,890 | $57,530 | $71,030 | $55,470 | ||||
Top industries employing rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers
Rail Transportation employ 58.4% of rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers nationally (2,290 jobs) at a median $72,590 a year ($34.90 an hour), followed by Support Activities for Rail Transportation (26.0%) and Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (6.1%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rail Transportation NAICS 482100 | 2,290 | 58.4% | $72,590 | $34.90 |
| Support Activities for Rail Transportation NAICS 488200 | 1,020 | 26.0% | $50,000 | $24.04 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 240 | 6.1% | $68,480 | $32.92 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (3,920). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $61,090 for rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers in May 2021 and $60,600 in May 2025, with employment of 4,460 and 3,920.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $61,090 | $29.37 | 4,460 |
| May 2022 | $56,340 | $27.09 | 2,680 |
| May 2023 | $57,070 | $27.44 | 2,430 |
| May 2024 | $58,030 | $27.90 | 3,300 |
| May 2025 | $60,600 | $29.14 | 3,920 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
17 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia profile | $43.93 | $91,380 | $62,990 | $91,380 | 40 | 0.05 | 2.10 |
| 2 | Florida profile | $38.63 | $80,360 | $56,900 | $80,580 | 120 | 0.01 | 0.47 |
| 3 | New Jersey profile | $34.15 | $71,030 | $51,350 | $102,220 | 130 | 0.03 | 1.17 |
| 4 | California profile | $32.29 | $67,160 | $66,990 | $67,160 | 190 | 0.01 | 0.41 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania profile | $31.43 | $65,380 | $36,390 | $65,850 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.27 |
| 6 | Oklahoma profile | $30.48 | $63,400 | $38,570 | $80,440 | 70 | 0.04 | 1.68 |
| 7 | Kentucky profile | $29.84 | $62,070 | $48,770 | $102,430 | 110 | 0.05 | 2.16 |
| 8 | Colorado profile | $29.22 | $60,770 | $54,810 | $81,670 | ** | ** | ** |
| 9 | Ohio profile | $28.59 | $59,460 | $50,480 | $68,480 | ** | ** | ** |
| 10 | Utah profile | $28.07 | $58,380 | $43,160 | $61,230 | ** | ** | ** |
| 11 | Kansas profile | $26.97 | $56,090 | $48,330 | $59,240 | ** | ** | ** |
| 12 | Indiana profile | $26.16 | $54,420 | $38,370 | $105,530 | 190 | 0.06 | 2.33 |
| 13 | Tennessee profile | $25.99 | $54,060 | $44,330 | $79,690 | 60 | 0.02 | 0.73 |
| 14 | Texas profile | $25.54 | $53,130 | $44,540 | $101,310 | 50 | 0.00 | 0.13 |
| 15 | Nevada profile | $23.55 | $48,970 | $40,650 | $58,640 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.93 |
| 16 | Alabama profile | $23.51 | $48,900 | $31,270 | $75,220 | 80 | 0.04 | 1.41 |
| 17 | Arkansas profile | $18.74 | $38,980 | $37,550 | $72,340 | 70 | 0.05 | 2.02 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (53-4010), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Transportation and Material Moving Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 53-4013 Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 53-4013, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 53-4013.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.