Will AI replace rail transportation workers?
5 jobs scored. On average 83% of the task time in these jobs still needs a person, and the family averages 82 out of 100 on Still needs a human, where higher is safer.
82
Average Still needs a human score, 0 to 100 ↑ safer. Will AI replace them? Nah.
5
Jobs scored in this family
83%
Average share of Task timeHow a job’s working hours divide between its tasks. Tasks that matter more and come up more often get a bigger share.More in the glossary that still needs a person
106k
US workers in these jobs
How the work could shift in Rail Transportation Workers
The share of US workers in these jobs whose job would sit in each band, from today to 2060.
Today
47%
of US workers in this family are in jobs that mostly need a person (our top band, Nah.)
0% are in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)
By 2045
5%
of US workers in this family would still be in jobs that mostly need a person (our top band, Nah.)
39% would be in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)
By 2060
5%
of US workers in this family would still be in jobs that mostly need a person (our top band, Nah.)
89% would be in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)
Each job's score moves towards the bottom band (Largely: AI could largely do the job) by the year it could be largely automated, slowly at first and faster later, as adoption usually goes. Each job is run as ten scenarios across its replacement range, so every figure mixes early and late outcomes. The model stops at 2060. How the timeline works
Will AI replace the job?Largely.Mostly.Partly.A little.Nah.
Show the data
| Year | Largely | Mostly | Partly | A little | Nah |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today (2026) | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 53.2% | 46.8% |
| 2030 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 70.3% | 29.7% |
| 2035 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 43.8% | 51.5% | 4.7% |
| 2040 | 5.5% | 39.5% | 38.0% | 12.3% | 4.7% |
| 2045 | 38.5% | 34.5% | 17.0% | 5.3% | 4.7% |
| 2050 | 61.7% | 27.2% | 1.2% | 5.3% | 4.7% |
| 2055 | 83.0% | 7.0% | 0.0% | 5.3% | 4.7% |
| 2060 | 88.8% | 1.2% | 0.0% | 5.3% | 4.7% |
Every job in Rail Transportation Workers, ranked
Railroad Conductors and YardmastersTransportation and Material Moving · 53-4031
76↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 34%Needs a human 66%
20492043–2060+
46k
$78,000
Subway and Streetcar OperatorsTransportation and Material Moving · 53-4041
79↑ saferAI replace? A little.
AI does 0%AI helps 28%Needs a human 72%
20512044–2060+
10k
$86,380
Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and HostlersTransportation and Material Moving · 53-4013
83↑ saferAI replace? Nah.
AI does 0%AI helps 13%Needs a human 87%
20542044–2060+
4k
$60,600
Locomotive EngineersTransportation and Material Moving · 53-4011
85↑ saferAI replace? Nah.
AI does 0%AI helps 4%Needs a human 96%
20532044–2060+
33k
$81,410
Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive FirersTransportation and Material Moving · 53-4022
86↑ saferAI replace? Nah.
AI does 0%AI helps 8%Needs a human 92%
20562044–2060+
12k
$68,840