Takeover Tracker
30%medium risk
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators
vs

65 shared · 8 different

core competencies

23%low risk
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricRail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment OperatorsOperating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
Risk Score29.8%23.0%
Risk TierMedium RiskLow Risk
Risk Percentile38th14th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)4 / 156 / 15
Median Salary$67,370$58,710
Employment16K469K

Skill Comparison

|

Sorted by largest difference

Performing General Physical Activities
Transportation
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
Trunk Strength
Flexibility of Closure
Static Strength
Depth Perception
Making Decisions and Solving Problems

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators

28%

total discount

Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

25%

total discount

Task Risk Comparison

Tasks sorted by AI automation risk — higher means more automatable

Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators

4 of 15 at risk
84%Observe leveling indicator arms to verify levelness and alignment of tracks.
57%Adjust controls of machines that spread, shape, raise, level, or align track, according to specifications.
55%Engage mechanisms that lay tracks or rails to specified gauges.
53%Clean, grade, or level ballast on railroad tracks.
49%Operate single- or multiple-head spike driving machines to drive spikes into ties and secure rails.

Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

6 of 15 at risk
87%Keep records of material or equipment usage or problems encountered.
86%Test atmosphere for adequate oxygen or explosive conditions when working in confined spaces.
85%Monitor operations to ensure that health and safety standards are met.
84%Learn and follow safety regulations.
84%Locate underground services, such as pipes or wires, prior to beginning work.

Wage Comparison

Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators earns -$8,660(-13%) vs Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment OperatorsOperating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
10th
$45,720$40,080
25th
$51,630$47,780
Median
$67,370$58,710
75th
$79,330$75,750
90th
$84,840$100,690

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators2028–2035
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators2028–2035
20242030203520402045

Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators has a longer runway before significant displacement, projected 0 years later than Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators.

Risk-Adjusted Salary

Salary weighted by displacement risk: salary × (1 − risk%)

Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators

$47,267

from $67,370

Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

$45,195

from $58,710

After adjusting for AI risk, Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators offers $2,072 more in risk-adjusted pay.

Transition Feasibility

1%

Skill Overlap

Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition

0

Unique to Rail-Track

0

Unique to Operating

Combined Protection Strategy

Regardless of which path you choose, focus on these protective factors

Fine Manipulation
Decision Complexity
Creativity
Regulatory Barriers
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment OperatorsOperating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
Find transitions from Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment OperatorsFind transitions from Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators