RailRoadFan.com

Does anyone know of any vocational schools that offer the training for the locomotive mechanics position? I've looked all over the net and the only thing i got was Michigan Tech (too far for me!), and I was hoping to find anything downstate wise.

You will probobly need to get into a heavy equipment repair class first (working on big front end loaders, quarry dumptrucks..etc), get certified for that, then look around some RR employment pages for mechanics. As for schools, the only one I know of that has this class is out of state (up in Minnesota), but I am sure there are ones closer. Good Luck!
Dave c

http://www.cn.ca/about/careers/candidat ... uide.shtml
http://www.amdg.ws/training-home.asp
http://www.canac.com/http://cee.uiuc.edu/railroad/http://rstrinc.com/http://www.railroadtrainingservices.com/
http://www.cee.mtu.edu/railroad/
http://www.trainweb.com/keepingtrack/
http://www.bcit.ca/transportation/and of couse the most popular one
http://www.modocrailroadacademy.com/index.asp
hope this helps PS there was one of these, cant think of the one, was a 2 week program, look um over

The University of Northwestern Ohio in Lima is all about HAVC, Agricultural Equipment Repair, Diesel Engine Repair, Truck Driving, pretty much anything mechanical.
http://www.unoh.edu/

Lansing Community College also offers Heavy Equipment Operation Classes, that are a grand a piece and focus extensively on a piece of equipment for each course.
http://www.lcc.edu I think thats there website.
Ferris State on the West Side offers Heavy Equipment Programs as well.

An aquaintance of mine went to Ferris for diesel mechanics. He then went to work for MICat in their GR shop as a mechanic. After about 6 years he gave up a chance to be a supervisor and started his own excavating business. Specializes in bobcat and mini-excavator work. Has a tandem dump truck and a small Freightliner tractor / trailer to haul all his machines in one load. His only employee is his wife who drives the truck(s) when he has to operate & drive at the same time She's probably 100 lbs soaking wet - looks really tiny behind the wheel He was doing good until the housing market took a dive

I don't think there's much of a market for loco mechanics in MI. MQT, HESR, TSBY, & LSRC are the only ones I know employe them plus Peaker.

As far as I know Peaker Services in Green Oak hasn't had a locomotive in a while, last time I saw one was a UP SD70MAC, and that was when I first discovered the Green Oak Area for shots, 3 or better years ago.

It's my understanding they do "out of frame" rebuilds on the prime movers. I know they have parts for MQT's SD-40 prime movers

They do still have a frame thing on old trucks, and a SD45 shell or what ever that thing is, it looks like a high hood, but somebody told me it wasn't just had the parts sitting there, wonder what they use to move that thing, its always moving about, but it has half a shell. Doubt a LP forklift is moving it. Oh they also have a few power box cars there I think, but they are on the backside, and my zoom is not that great.