72403 – Railway carmen/women
Lead statement
Railway carmen/women inspect, troubleshoot, maintain and repair structural and mechanical components of railway freight, passenger and urban transit rail cars. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.
Main duties
- Inspect interior and exterior components of freight, passenger and urban transit rail cars to determine defects and extent of wear and damage
- Repair and install railway car parts such as compressors, air valves, bearings, couplings, air cylinders and piping
- Repair and maintain electrical and electronic controls for propulsion and braking systems
- Repair defective or damaged metal and wood components, using hand and power tools
- Repair and repaint wooden fixtures
- Replace damaged windows and repair upholstery
- Test and adjust parts using testing gauges and other test equipment
- Perform and document routine maintenance.
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Completion of an industry-offered apprenticeship program or three to four years of on-the-job training is usually required.
- Trade certification is available, but voluntary, in Ontario, Manitoba and British Columbia.
Example job titles
air brake inspector - railway car · railway carman/woman apprentice · apprentice carman/woman - railway · car inspector - railway · railway car inspector · car repairer - railway · carman/woman - railway · railway carman/woman · railway coach repairer · railway carman/woman inspector · carman/woman inspector - railway · inspector-carman/woman - railway · car repairer apprentice - railway · railway equipment inspector · wheel and axle inspector - railway · brake inspector - railway car · streetcar and subway car mechanic · streetcar mechanic · subway car mechanic · rail vehicle mechanic · railcar mechanic apprentice
Wages (per hour)
| Province / territory | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $32.00 | $42.00 | $47.00 |
| New Brunswick | $33.18 | $42.32 | $51.47 |
| Quebec | $30.07 | $41.48 | $52.44 |
| Ontario | $29.88 | $40.13 | $47.12 |
| Manitoba | $35.00 | $44.00 | $47.00 |
| Saskatchewan | $32.00 | $42.79 | $45.00 |
| Alberta | $36.00 | $40.00 | $40.00 |
| British Columbia | $43.00 | $46.00 | $54.29 |
Source: Job Bank wages, 2025 release (ESDC). Low and high are the 10th and 90th percentiles.
Occupation details: ESDC OaSIS 2025, based on NOC 2021.