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Moves that raise your pay
Locomotive engineer
The usual next step. Conductors are the pool engineers are drawn from. Locomotive engineers had a national median of $81,410 in 2025, against $78,000 for conductors and yardmasters.
Yardmaster
Running a yard instead of a train. Indoors, more planning, fewer nights outside in the rain.
Passenger railroads
Amtrak and commuter lines run to a timetable, so the hours are far more predictable than freight.
Road foreman or manager
Leaves the union contract behind, so weigh it carefully.