Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway | Manager, Mechanical - Locomotive; WLE

Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway | Manager, Mechanical - Locomotive (WLE-0060)

Brewster, OH, USA

Posted Wednesday, February 11, 2026 at 5:00 AM

Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway (W&LE) is one of the largest regional railroads in the United States and the largest in Ohio, operating 840 miles of track across Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. W&LE runs 98 locomotives, moves more than 140,000 carloads annually, and supports operations through seven major rail yards and a 120,000 square foot locomotive and car repair facility.

The railroad serves over 110 customers through a diverse fleet of 1,400 owned or leased railcars and hauls a wide range of commodities including steel, petroleum products, aggregates, chemicals, coal, lumber, paper, and plastics. With connections to three Class I railroads, Canadian National, CSX, and Norfolk Southern, and fourteen regional and short line partners, W&LE offers flexible routing and competitive service options.

Founded in 1871 and headquartered in Brewster, Ohio since 1913, the company continues its long legacy with seven day a week interchange operations and 24/7 customer support, delivering dependable, efficient service rooted in both regional heritage and modern capability.

The Manager of Locomotive Shop position is an experienced, full-time, exempt salaried leadership role of Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway (W&LE). This position is responsible for the safe, compliant, and efficient maintenance, inspection, repair, and overhaul of the company’s locomotive fleet in accordance with W&LE standards and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) regulations, including FRA Part 229.

The Manager of Locomotive Shop provides direct leadership and oversight of locomotive supervisors, general foremen, and locomotive technicians. This role is accountable for locomotive reliability, availability, regulatory compliance, and shop performance. The position emphasizes safety leadership, mechanical excellence, workforce development, budget management, vendor coordination, and continuous improvement of maintenance practices to support safe and efficient railroad operations. Managers work in a shop and field environment with variable and irregular hours, including after-hours response as required.

• Manage safe and efficient locomotive maintenance operations at all times.
• Provide leadership and direct supervision to locomotive supervisors, general foremen, and technicians.
• Ensure compliance with FRA regulations, including Part 229, company mechanical standards, and safety policies.
• Oversee daily locomotive inspections, servicing, maintenance, repair, and overhaul activities.
• Manage the engine overhaul program and major component replacement initiatives.
• Ensure proper completion and certification of required inspections and blue card documentation.
• Manage Positive Train Control (PTC) installations, validations, and software upgrades.
• Oversee camera system downloads, verification, and software upgrades.
• Provide technical guidance on complex electrical and mechanical troubleshooting issues.
• Coordinate locomotive availability and power requirements with Operations.
• Develop and monitor key performance metrics related to reliability, availability, and shop productivity.
• Manage shop and service track operations to ensure efficient workflow and safe work practices.
• Assist in maintaining appropriate inventory levels and oversee materials management.
• Work with vendors and contractors to ensure quality work and cost control.
• Develop, coach, and mentor employees to improve technical knowledge, safety awareness, and performance.
• Prepare and manage departmental budgets, capital projects, and cost controls.
• Ensure accurate completion of reports, maintenance records, regulatory documentation, and internal reporting requirements.
• Respond to service interruptions, mechanical failures, and emergencies as required.
• Ensure accurate completion of reports, investigations, and regulatory documentation.

• Work safely at all times in compliance with all safety and operating rules.
• Outdoors in all types of weather for extended periods of time.
• Walk on uneven and…