RailRoadFan.com

Do you work for a railroad and if so, which one?

Thanks for your time.

No I dont.

i kind of did for one day so i vote yes

Been on three of them and haven't been fired yet or quit! PC from 1970-1976 when it became Conrail from 1976-1999 when the hostile takeover occured and it became NS from 1999 to present. Oh, and volunteer at SRI, been with that group in it's various labels since 1980. One of the regular Engineer's there.

I already voted on one of the other boards...should I vote again?

I vote NO. I can't be railroad job because I'm hearing impaired. There have been requires using the radio scanner, radio talkie-talkie and etches.

Did Matt say he voted no?

I think he was joking. I voted for someday, after I am happy with a few years of equipment operation.

I voted "I would like to." At one time, I actually considered going to conductor school. But the more I did research on the matter, the more it appeared railroading wasn't a very social or family-friendly career choice. I'm sure there are exceptions to the rule, and I'm sure a few of the members on this board can give good and bad examples, but it would be just my luck to be stuck in a situation where I'd be working around the clock and never have much of a social life.

The one job I think I'd LOVE to have is an Amtrak engineer, specifically on runs like the Pere Marquette or Wolverine, where you've got a schedule that is closer to a "normal" job (I only came to that conclusion after chatting with an Amtrak engineer on a ride back from Chicago a few years ago. He really did make it sound like it was a decent job, and he was home alot with his family).

Anyway, I'm sure there are great railroad jobs and bad railroad jobs, just like any other line of work in life.

I'm torn between Crew Member and Signal maintainer and track maintainer, cuz they get to drive a sweet truck and go off-roading on a railroad track. Thats almost as sweet in my book as driving a bulldozer or excavator.

J T wrote:I voted "I would like to." At one time, I actually considered going to conductor school. But the more I did research on the matter, the more it appeared railroading wasn't a very social or family-friendly career choice. I'm sure there are exceptions to the rule, and I'm sure a few of the members on this board can give good and bad examples, but it would be just my luck to be stuck in a situation where I'd be working around the clock and never have much of a social life.

The one job I think I'd LOVE to have is an Amtrak engineer, specifically on runs like the Pere Marquette or Wolverine, where you've got a schedule that is closer to a "normal" job (I only came to that conclusion after chatting with an Amtrak engineer on a ride back from Chicago a few years ago. He really did make it sound like it was a decent job, and he was home alot with his family).

Anyway, I'm sure there are great railroad jobs and bad railroad jobs, just like any other line of work in life.

Agreed, JT. I'd love to be an engineer, but working on a class 1, on call around the clock doesn't really appeal to me. Amtrak or a shortline railroad, something that operates on more normal hours, would be great. The Pere Marquette would be great, I could still live here. Marquette Rail or Mid-Michigan are other attractive options, too. I know if one was to hire out on Amtrak they probably wouldn't start as an engineer that gets a regular scheduele, but I could handle that for the first few years.

I chose "I would like to".
Ultimate dream is to work for Amtrak as an engineer or conductor.

Conrail Jon wrote:I know if one was to hire out on Amtrak they probably wouldn't start as an engineer that gets a regular scheduele, but I could handle that for the first few years.

You have to "pay your dues" and work as a conductor first with Amtrak.

J T wrote:

Conrail Jon wrote:I know if one was to hire out on Amtrak they probably wouldn't start as an engineer that gets a regular scheduele, but I could handle that for the first few years.

You have to "pay your dues" and work as a conductor first with Amtrak.

That's what I meant.

I choose I would like to...my dream is to someday work for a railroad, not in train service or working on the physical plant, but working on the corporate end, preferably in marketing or as some sort of upper level management. (I'm currently studying Business Administration and one of my concentration areas is marketing). But, like I said, it's a dream and I have no idea how to get there from here but it's one of a couple industries which I have something of an understanding of how they work, and it's one I want to see remaining successful indefinitely...(that's pretty much what I tell people when they ask what I'd like to do...the career services office here got pretty much the same spiel)...

Actually, if you are in the right place at the right time, you can be hired as an engineer without being a conductor first on Amtrak; in my engineer class of 11, there were 3 hired right off the street, 2 of which had some rr experience.

leo28150 wrote:Actually, if you are in the right place at the right time, you can be hired as an engineer without being a conductor first on Amtrak; in my engineer class of 11, there were 3 hired right off the street, 2 of which had some rr experience.

Really? That's awesome. Not that I'm going to run off and apply at Amtrak, though...but I'll keep it in mind. Anyway, I was just going by what I was told at the time (summer of 2000, I think)...but it's nice to know that isn't always the case.

I voted i'd like to someday becuase im too young