Calling all railroad men!

[RustyRelics]

I don't know who put that idea in your head but that is totally messed up. There are forces at work who's aim is to keep people uneducated by propagating this kind of nonsense. Because an uneducated population is easer to control. If that's your reason for not continuing your education, you're making a big mistake.

Ha ha ha!

It's just not school anymore, it's brainwashing.

By the way guys, if y'all ain't going to answer railroad related questions, please don't start college debates here. Do that in the political forum.

 

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[RustyRelics]

CSX is free now as well. They stopped charging not long after I started there. Charging weeded out a lot of the bad apples that can’t figure out the rules or aren’t serious about the job.

I have the older rulebooks, signal guides, etc, but no way in heck at our income could we have afforded that. I'm glad they changed it.

 

[RustyRelics]

Stupid question, but lets say the railroad calls me, saying they need a conductor for this train that's leaving (I'd already be a hired and trained conductor), and I had 90 minutes max to get there. What would I need to bring? I'm guessing lunch would be a good idea...

 

[SanMan]

Hello,

A close friend of mine asked me nearly the same question some years ago.

He had worked for the gas company for 16 years, but wanted to change.
I told him, if possible, take a rail transportation course at a university before applying.
The only one available at the time was in Overland Kansas. So that was a no go.

He kept going in and freshing up his application with the railroad.
He was seen so often there that one day someone handed him a stack of paperwork
and told him to take it upstairs and give it to, MR.__________.
He kinda laughed and told the guy, "I don't work here".
The guy said, "I have seen you here so often I figured you worked here"

He was offered the job.
As luck would have it shortly afterward the gas company offered him an
early retirement with a buy out.

He slid from the gas company to the railroad.
His first job at the railroad was as a "Safety Man".
But, he took the training, and has been a conductor for some years now.

His route is from Long Beach to Barstow.
Back and forth, back and forth, over and over.

He keeps a little Toyota pick up in Barstow so he can get around during the lay over.

The advise,...... Be relentless, fill out the application, stay on top of it, keep it up to
date. Make your face familiar over there. Talk to people, learn the lingo.
Stay on top of it, stay on top of it, keep showing up,............

You will get the job because you are taking things so seriously.
When you go in for the interview, the guy conducting it will already recognize you.

Do the above, and you "will" get the job.

I saw it work with my own eyes.

Be "Relentless"


Best of luck!

 

[Escape]

People are competing from all over the world for a chance to attend our universities. There is nothing wrong with any work, trade or to choose it over a higher education. It is wrong to denounce higher education for political reasons. That was done in the first post of this thread. The posting was political from the start.

 

[Escape]

Funny how when the media pushes this anti education garbage. All of the people in the broadest station went to collage and are sending their kids as well. Even the media people who spread it went to collage. And they're sending their kids as well. Should make you wonder.

 

[RustyRelics]

People are competing from all over the world for a chance to attend our universities. There is nothing wrong with any work, trade or to choose it over a higher education. It is wrong to denounce higher education for political reasons. That was done in the first post of this thread. The posting was political from the start.

It is also wrong to use a higher education system to push political agendas on students, just sayin'.

I was more annoyed at the fact that folks latched on to what I said in the first post and went with that, instead of what I wanted to know. If you want to start a thread about education, do it in the political forums by all means, before we get nabbed for political discussion outside of a political forum.

 

[controlfreq]

Funny how when the media pushes this anti education garbage. All of the people in the broadest station went to collage and are sending their kids as well. Even the media people who spread it went to collage. And they're sending their kids as well. Should make you wonder.

Call it what you want but most media have no clue what they're writing g about. Next time you read an article in main stream media on a subject you're expert on, note the number of mistakes and misinformation. You can figure all the articles have about the same accuracy. IMHO

 

[Escape]

It is also wrong to use a higher education system to push political agendas on students, just sayin'.

I was more annoyed at the fact that folks latched on to what I said in the first post and went with that, instead of what I wanted to know. If you want to start a thread about education, do it in the political forums by all means, before we get nabbed for political discussion outside of a political forum.

Fair enough.

 

[Escape]

I have been working around trains for a number of years. From Emergency Response to overhauling trains.

 

[Escape]

 

[Escape]

In the north east you can get jobs if you're qualified. You always need to have some skills or education. Jobs like train conductor are operator are very competitive because they train you. . NJ transit couldn't put trains into service because they didn't have enough train operators. You also have Amtrack, Metro North and the NYC Subways. All these jobs pay very well and have great benefits. So you can apply locally for a train job. If you want to be a conductor look for a job where you have to deal with the public. That will definitely qualify you. Good speaking and the ability to work with the public are the skills they are looking for. Besides a history of steady employment for dependability. Good luck you you.

 

[RustyRelics]

In the north east you can get jobs if you're qualified. You always need to have some skills or education. Jobs like train conductor are operator are very competitive because they train you. . NJ transit couldn't put trains into service because they didn't have enough train operators. You also have Amtrack, Metro North and the NYC Subways. All these jobs pay very well and have great benefits. So you can apply locally for a train job. If you want to be a conductor look for a job where you have to deal with the public. That will definitely qualify you. Good speaking and the ability to work with the public are the skills they are looking for. Besides a history of steady employment for dependability. Good luck you you.

Something to consider. I'm not good with a lot of people, so I don't think passenger is the way for me to go, but who knows, I might change.

 

[Escape]

Train mechanic, signal maintainer, track worker...just need some basic skills to get you in the door. You will change. Thats guaranteed. Time and life does that. Just live your life so that its always for the better. ( If your worried about being brainwashed you can always try online courses.)

 

[RustyRelics]

Train mechanic, signal maintainer, track worker...just need some basic skills to get you in the door. You will change. Thats guaranteed. Time and life does that. Just live your life so that its always for the better. ( If your worried about being brainwashed you can always try online courses.)

Track maintenance, track inspector and signal worker are other rail-related jobs I have in mind.

If that doesn't work out, heavy machinery driving.

If that doesn't work out, Army it is.

 

[Escape]

Lol.. Hey Rusty, with all those options Im sure something good will work out. You're the man with a plan.

 

[Jbabycsx]

As far as what you would bring, that depends on what type of job you’re on. If you’re on a local job or switcher, you would go on duty at the same time every day. These jobs leave the yard and go switch out cars at local industries. For those types of jobs you would take a lunch and maybe a change of clothes or rain suit if the weather gets bad.

If you’re on a yard job you would bring the same. Yard jobs go on duty at the same time every day. Usually there are three shifts per day.

If you’re on the road you would take however many changes of clothes you would need. Some people will bring a small cooler with sandwich making stuff in it so they don’t have to eat out when they get off. Either job will require a good rain suit. You’re expected to work no matter the weather. Invest in good luggage as it takes a beating being thrown around. It’s tax deductible, same for your work boots.

If it’s possible, get remote control qualified to work in the yard. I heard years ago that NS was doing away with remotes but I’m not sure if they did or not. It’s actually a locomotive that is remote controlled. CSX uses them in pretty much all their yards.

Railroads hire in groups, not on a per person basis. If you have a resource that works there now, tell them to let you know when they are hiring. That’s your best bet to get on. When I started you had to have a family member already working there in order to get hired. They don’t require it now but having someone there that can give you a heads up is a big plus.

 

[RustyRelics]

As far as what you would bring, that depends on what type of job you’re on. If you’re on a local job or switcher, you would go on duty at the same time every day. These jobs leave the yard and go switch out cars at local industries. For those types of jobs you would take a lunch and maybe a change of clothes or rain suit if the weather gets bad.

If you’re on a yard job you would bring the same. Yard jobs go on duty at the same time every day. Usually there are three shifts per day.

If you’re on the road you would take however many changes of clothes you would need. Some people will bring a small cooler with sandwich making stuff in it so they don’t have to eat out when they get off. Either job will require a good rain suit. You’re expected to work no matter the weather. Invest in good luggage as it takes a beating being thrown around. It’s tax deductible, same for your work boots.

If it’s possible, get remote control qualified to work in the yard. I heard years ago that NS was doing away with remotes but I’m not sure if they did or not. It’s actually a locomotive that is remote controlled. CSX uses them in pretty much all their yards.

Railroads hire in groups, not on a per person basis. If you have a resource that works there now, tell them to let you know when they are hiring. That’s your best bet to get on. When I started you had to have a family member already working there in order to get hired. They don’t require it now but having someone there that can give you a heads up is a big plus.

That's good to know, and you've been a great help.

Now do you get to choose yard job vs. road job, or do they do the choosin' for you?

 

[Jbabycsx]

It depends on your seniority. If you have enough seniority to claim a road job that’s where you want to be as far as money goes. I’m most cases you will have to work in the yard until you have the seniority to go to the road. Some people decide that the yard schedule fits them better so they go there and stay. Others choose to work the road.

 

[RustyRelics]

It depends on your seniority. If you have enough seniority to claim a road job that’s where you want to be as far as money goes. I’m most cases you will have to work in the yard until you have the seniority to go to the road. Some people decide that the yard schedule fits them better so they go there and stay. Others choose to work the road.

I'll work my way up to road position then.