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How exposed to AI is a Rail Car Repairer?

Of the 20 tasks O*NET lists for rail car repairers, 1 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 19 cannot be sped up at all. Here is which.

Exposure means published research judged an AI could halve the time a task takes, at the same quality. It does not mean the task stops needing a person. How to read this

Also called
Freight Maintenance SpecialistLocomotive RepairmanRail Car Maintenance MechanicRail Car MechanicRail Car RepairerRail Car RepairmanRail Car SandblasterRail Car WelderRailroad Car RepairmanTrain Car Repairman
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
20
tasks rated for this occupation
0%
hold a degree, from a survey of 22
23k
people do this job in the US
40 of 50
least protected in installation and repair

Every task, and what AI can do with it

These are O*NET's task statements for this occupation, exactly as written, sorted into the three bands by the ratings behind this report. Nothing has been reworded.

Reachable with a chat window today

1
  • Record conditions of cars, and repair and maintenance work performed or to be performed

Cannot be sped up

19
  • Inspect components such as bearings, seals, gaskets, wheels, and coupler assemblies to determine if repairs are needed
  • Repair or replace defective or worn parts such as bearings, pistons, and gears, using hand tools, torque wrenches, power tools, and welding equipment
  • Inspect the interior and exterior of rail cars coming into rail yards to identify defects and to determine the extent of wear and damage
  • Remove locomotives, car mechanical units, or other components, using pneumatic hoists and jacks, pinch bars, hand tools, and cutting torches
  • Test units for operability before and after repairs
  • Adjust repaired or replaced units as needed to ensure proper operation
  • Repair, fabricate, and install steel or wood fittings, using blueprints, shop sketches, and instruction manuals
  • Perform scheduled maintenance, and clean units and components
  • Examine car roofs for wear and damage, and repair defective sections, using roofing material, cement, nails, and waterproof paint
  • Paint car exteriors, interiors, and fixtures
  • Repair and maintain electrical and electronic controls for propulsion and braking systems
  • Disassemble units such as water pumps, control valves, and compressors so that repairs can be made
  • Measure diameters of axle wheel seats, using micrometers, and mark dimensions on axles so that wheels can be bored to specified dimensions
  • Test electrical systems of cars by operating systems and using testing equipment such as ammeters
  • Replace defective wiring and insulation, and tighten electrical connections, using hand tools
  • Install and repair interior flooring, fixtures, walls, plumbing, steps, and platforms
  • Repair window sash frames, attach weather stripping and channels to frames, and replace window glass, using hand tools
  • Align car sides for installation of car ends and crossties, using width gauges, turnbuckles, and wrenches
  • Repair car upholstery
What this does not say

This is not a prediction about your job

Nobody surveyed an employer. Tasks are counted equally, so a percentage here is a share of the list rather than a share of your week. And the ratings were made in 2023, which makes every figure a floor rather than a ceiling.

It must never be used to select anyone for redundancy. The full limits are here.

Where to go next

This is the standard task list for the title. The useful next question is which of the tasks you actually do should go near AI, and which should not.

Sort your own tasks Read the full report

Exposure ratings from Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock, GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs, Science 384, 1306–1308, 2024, used under the MIT licence. This page includes information from the O*NET Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. People Team AI has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Employment figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.