Rail Car Repairers

In repair shops, there are smart tools too. A robotics company built a gantry robot that automatically machines heavy train wheels on a computer-controlled lathe, which speeds up wheel truing and keeps workers safer ^[3]. However, complex repairs – like replacing a damaged axle, welding a broken coupler, or fitting new gears – still require skilled mechanics.

As one industry expert points out, AI can handle repetitive jobs, but it’s “a big leap” for a machine to match the critical thinking and craftsmanship of a railcar mechanic on the job ^[2]. In short, AI is augmenting the job by catching problems early, but the core fixing and fitting work remains human.

On the other hand, high costs and strict rules make change slow. Setting up AI systems or robots costs a lot of money up-front, and each rail yard would need custom equipment. Rail maintenance is also heavily regulated and unionized – recent proposals to replace human track inspectors with sensors met strong objections from unions and lawmakers ^[5].

Unions argue that machines can miss subtle defects that a person would catch ^[5]. For example, one plan to cut 75% of manual track checks with automated systems was opposed because “sensors… cannot detect many defects that human inspectors can” ^[5]. Companies will weigh those concerns against the benefits.

With repairers earning around \$28/hour on average (about \$58K/year) ^[6], a railroad would only install expensive robots or AI if it clearly improves efficiency or safety.