I spent 25 years working in radio and TV broadcasting, on the air, so I know a lot about a job people think is glamorous. Because I had a family, I did not want to move frequently as so many young people do in that business. I ended up anchoring and producing weekend, morning, and midday newscasts for all those years. In the final years, delivering morning news on Christmas Day, for example, told me I was not wrong in thinking about retirement. I had grown to be highly bored and disgusted with the content of most TV newscasts.
The point is: the two rules mentioned above are very important. If you don’t like what you’re doing, you have to find a way to leave. Some young people think being on TV for the news would be great, and it has its rewards, as does driving a train, I’m sure. But batting out a script or recording a satellite feed of a big story only minutes before air time creates tension. If equipment balks, you’re stuck with a big window of time to fill. Getting up at 2 am for all those years was a drag. Being constantly recognized in stores, etc, is a very big headache after a while. If you’re feeling moody while you’re grocery shopping, you have to smile when someone makes a flip remark about the news, or blames you for the bad weather, even though you’re not the weather guy.
Much much more happens behind the camera than in front of it, and after a while, it is just a job. I could also go on for a long time about news media in general. I grew tired of reporting bad bad things with very few uplifting stories.
The enthusiasm of the young people amazed me, but I realized it was good, because eventually they would learn their craft and do well. I could not do that any more. I’m just glad the job lacked the danger of railroading. No lives were ever at stake when I worked, but I was tired of arrogant, pompous people who thought TV news was the most important thing on earth.
To sum up: every job can be a headache. None is glamorous. All involve much more work and daily grind than outside
Well, like everyone said, railroading has its ups and downs. It can be interesting at times, and boring at others. My having been a tower operator for a road back here in the Chicago area, had its ups and downs. The days when I was busy were great, and the weekends and holidays were something else. Midnights too were often slow. Some of the old things that happened I remember today, and wish I could turn the clock back, but, that can’t be done.
Like everyone said, put your application in and keep pushing at it with whoever you put it in with. If nothing else, put an application in with every railroad around, maybe one is sure to come through for you. And now in this day and age, when most of the people my age are either dying or retiring, they are going to need more people. I am of the “babyboom era” so that means most of us are done working. Me, well that is another story. If you like trains and want to work for a railroad, do like everyone has said: put in your application, but make no mention of being a railbuff. You can tell them down the road, when you have been there for awhile. Good luck and happy hunting for whatever road you go with! ralph zimmer n9kym@aol.com