Full-Time

Track Laborer

Posted on 8/21/2026

Norfolk Southern

Norfolk Southern

5,001-10,000 employees

Rail freight transportation across eastern U.S.

Compensation Overview

$30.98 - $34.93/hr

Fostoria, OH, USA

In Person

Travel to various job sites, including overnight stays and short-notice mobilization, is required.

Category
General Maintenance & Repair (1)
Required Skills
Welding

Get referred to Norfolk Southern

See people who can refer or advise you

Requirements
  • A high school diploma or GED is required.
  • Must be at least 18 years old.
  • Must have a valid driver's license.
  • Must be capable of lifting and carrying at least 75 pounds.
  • Must be willing and able to travel to various job sites, including overnight stays and short-notice mobilization.
  • Must be capable of working in inclement weather and other challenging conditions.
  • Must be capable of walking up to five miles per day on railroad rights of way while negotiating steep grades and rough terrain without assistance.
  • Must be capable of working unsupervised at times.
  • Must interact effectively as a crew member.
  • Must understand and follow verbal and visual communications.
  • Must understand and respond to audible and visual signals and warnings.
  • Must quickly learn and perform job duties.
  • Must recognize, avoid, and report potential hazards.
Responsibilities
  • Perform physical labor using hand tools and equipment to construct, alter, repair, maintain, and demolish railroad tracks, associated structures, and components.
  • Work as a member of a local Line Maintenance crew.
  • Carry and place track materials using tie tongs, rail tongs, rail forks, lining bars, shovels, and jacks.
  • Attach rail to ties using spike mauls or spike drivers.
  • Remove spikes with claw bars, spike lifters, and spike pullers.
  • Lift, position, handle, remove, and install railroad crossties in and around the track structure.
  • Connect and disconnect rail using track, impact, and power wrenches or welding materials.
  • Move, clean, and tamp ballast using shovels, clay picks, lining bars, and ballast forks.
  • Raise tracks, turnouts, crossings, and rails with track or power jacks.
  • Cut associated materials with oxygen-propane torches, rail saws, cut-off saws, and cold chisels.
  • Drill holes with gasoline, pneumatic, hydraulic, and electric drill motors.
  • Work alongside heavy equipment by connecting, disconnecting, and controlling moved material and directing its movement.
  • Participate in safety meetings.
  • Wear all appropriate personal protective equipment.

Norfolk Southern operates a large U.S. rail network with about 19,500 route miles across 22 eastern states and the District of Columbia, moving coal, automotive, industrial products, and other freight. Its trains serve major eastern container ports and connect with other rail carriers to enable intermodal shipments across the network. Revenue comes from charging customers to move goods, with rates based on haul distance, weight, commodity, and demand. The company differentiates itself through its extensive eastern footprint, port access, and carrier connections, serving a diverse customer base focused on coal, automotive, and industrial shipments, with a goal of delivering reliable and efficient freight transportation and logistics that support customers’ supply chains.

Company Size

5,001-10,000

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Norfolk, Virginia

Founded

1880

Get referred to Norfolk Southern

See people who can refer or advise you

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Q2 2026 revenue hit $3.5 billion, up 11%, with adjusted EPS $3.52.
  • Norfolk Southern raised 2026 cost-takeout to $150 million after $216 million savings in 2025.
  • Management says 60 projects drove $7.7 billion of 2025 industrial investment across its network.

What critics are saying

  • STB merger scrutiny and CN opposition threaten Union Pacific close by late 2026.
  • DOJ probes and Eastern Ohio litigation keep billions tied up in legal and environmental liabilities.
  • CSX-BNSF intermodal competition keeps stealing volume, pressuring pricing and margins into 2027.

What makes Norfolk Southern unique

  • Norfolk Southern links 22 eastern states to every major East Coast container port.
  • Its 24 REDI Sites accelerate rail-served industrial development across the Southeast and Midwest.
  • 2026 productivity gains and tighter costs support better service without massive headcount growth.

Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?

Benefits

Health Insurance

Life Insurance

401(k) Retirement Plan

401(k) Company Match

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Hybrid Work Options

Unlimited Paid Time Off

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

1%

1 year growth

1%

2 year growth

2%
Yahoo Finance
Jul 30th, 2026
US freight rates climb 18% YoY as capacity crunch, not demand, tightens market through 2027

Freight rates are rising due to capacity constraints rather than demand surges, according to Q2 earnings from major trucking and rail carriers. A FreightWaves analyst expects the capacity-driven tightening to continue through at least 2027. JB Hunt reported 19% year-over-year revenue growth, beating earnings estimates by nearly 10%, driven primarily by intermodal. Knight-Swift exceeded expectations with 12.6% revenue growth and noted regulatory pressures forcing non-compliant capacity from the market. Spot rates currently sit at $3.53 per mile versus an annual average of $2.79, whilst contract rates have risen 18% year-over-year. Tender rejections remain elevated at 15.44%. Three Class 1 railroads posted strong results, with Union Pacific, CSX, and Norfolk Southern reporting revenue growth between 10% and 12%.

Yahoo Finance
Mar 6th, 2026
Norfolk Southern stock up 13% in 6 months, but declining margins signal trouble ahead

Norfolk Southern shares have gained 13.1% to $311.61 over six months, outperforming the S&P 500 by 7.5%. However, concerns remain about the railway company's long-term performance. The company's revenue grew at just 4.5% annually over the past five years, falling short of industrial sector benchmarks. Operating margin declined by 4.1 percentage points during this period, raising questions about expense management despite revenue growth. Free cash flow margin also dropped 8.4 percentage points over five years, potentially signalling increasing capital intensity. Despite recent momentum, Norfolk Southern's trailing 12-month operating margin of 35.8% and free cash flow margin of 18.1% suggest profitability challenges. Trading at 26.3× forward price-to-earnings, the stock appears fully valued.

Yahoo Finance
Mar 5th, 2026
Norfolk Southern stock up 33% annually, outpacing rail rivals despite revenue miss

Norfolk Southern Corporation has raised $120 million in new funding, valuing the company at $1.45 billion, as it tackles AI "hallucinations" by improving reasoning capabilities. The Series C round for the pre-revenue startup was led by Ribbit Capital, with participation from Sequoia and Kleiner Perkins. Laurene Powell Jobs' Emerson Collective joined as a new backer. Co-founded by Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev in 2023, Harmonic is developing "Mathematical Superintelligence", requiring AI outputs in Lean4 programming language for verification. Its Aristotle model achieved top performance at the International Mathematical Olympiad in July. The company has raised $295 million across three rounds in 14 months. It currently offers Aristotle via free API and plans commercialisation in safety-critical sectors like aerospace and finance.

Third News
Feb 2nd, 2026
Norfolk Southern facilitates $7.7B in industrial development across 60 projects in 2025

Norfolk Southern facilitated over 60 development projects in 2025, generating $7.7 billion in investment for facilities served by its rail network across the Southeast and Midwest. The projects spanned metals, paper, aggregates and automotive sectors, including Alabama's biotech sector and a new South Carolina automotive plant. The company enhanced its industrial site portfolio, with 15 locations receiving REDI Sites designation to expedite site selection for rail-dependent businesses. Norfolk Southern adopted a strategic real estate approach, selling non-core assets whilst acquiring sites near emerging industrial clusters and port gateways. The railway has proposed merging with Union Pacific to create a coast-to-coast freight service. Norfolk Southern plans $5.6 billion in capital investment plus $2.1 billion for integration to strengthen network capacity and accelerate economic growth.

Yahoo Finance
Jan 30th, 2026
Norfolk Southern Q4 earnings drop 17% as intermodal competition with CSX-BNSF alliance cuts volume 7%

Norfolk Southern reported a 17% decline in quarterly operating income to $937 million as heightened intermodal competition drove a 7% drop in container volume. The railroad lost business to rival CSX, which launched an intermodal alliance with BNSF Railway last summer, resulting in a 4% overall traffic decline. Revenue fell 2% to $3 billion, whilst earnings per share decreased 11% to $2.87. The operating ratio rose to 68.5% from 62.6% a year earlier. However, merchandise and coal traffic each gained 1%. Chief Executive Mark George said the company would "fight like hell for quality revenue" and cited new interline services with Union Pacific and double-stack service to New England as competitive responses. Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific plan to file a revised merger application in March.