We have had lots of threads for prospective conductors and engineers, but what about those who would rather work off road? What is the career path for yardmasters, trainmasters, signal maintainers, carmen, locomotive mechs and all the many other skills and management positions? Do managers come up from the ranks or do railroads look for college degreed business types, or civil engineers, electrical engineers and other academic backgrounds? Is military experience a plus? Can a young person plan a college course of study that will open doors to a railroad career?
And, just to make it personal, can an older retired guy hook up with a RR for a few years of productive work just to fulfill a lifelong dream?[:)]
No rhyme or reason why they hire some people. Lots of college-educated, ex military people in the management ranks with no real RR experience. Those are usually the managers that are considered jokes, though (with a few exceptions).
As to your last question, are there any tourist roads near you? Unless you need the money, I suspect your dream would be better realized with some outfit that might appreciate your help…
Yardmaster typically come up from the ranks of trainman. Railroads typically have an affinity for ex-military types for front line managers. Trainmasters hires are roughly 50/50 in house transportation hires, and people off the street. The guys hired right off the street generally have very little credibility with the train crews.
The non-ops people usually need related experience. If you want a “staff” job…you really don’t need any railroad experience. If you want to go into marketing…you need marketing experience. Inhuman resources…human resources experience etc.
If you just want to play at trains, Zug’s suggestion is the best…check out the local tourist line.
Thanks for the suggestions, but there are no nearby tourist lines. Western New York and Pennsylvania runs through here, but they are a serious railroad doing serious work. My dreams may be confined to the basement.
Well, particularly if it’s other thatn a Class I - study the operation, and figure out how well they’re doing - what the strong business commodities are, and what their challenges are in meeting those needs - and then whether you have anything to offer, and especially anything out of the ordinary, that would set you apart from the herd of other applicants. Look at the website, and any of the links and articles in newspapers and business magazines to get a sense for the operation. Does the property and equipment look well-maintained ?
When you’ve done that, it can’t hurt to send in a resume and a nice cover letter, esp. if you’d be OK with part-time, seasonal, or weekend work, etc. You’ll never know if you don’t try . . . and what’s at risk, anyway ? What do you have to lose other than a couple hours of doing paperwork ?
Larry-‘Tree68’ is associated with a serious railroading tourist operation in Upper New York State… You might Private Message him, since he lives in the same region as your self…
I know there are Tourist Ops down in Western Pa, and over around the Allentown area, probably Paul North could offer some time for that area.
Strasburg would be too far to go, but maybe some of the guys from the North east can offer some suggesions…Good Luck!
Something else to consider…Class Is concentrate their “staff” personnel in a few central locations. Regionals and shortlines could be more receptive to part time “staff” help and would be closer to your location.
Sorry to add a new spin, but what about dispatchers? After years of hearing them on scanners, it seems like a great position from my stand point. However, living in central Iowa doesn’t give many opportunities for such work.
BNSF has a centralized train dispatching office in Fort Worth. Union Pacific has one in Omaha. These two railroads share lesser satellite offices in north suburban Houston and southern California. NS has train dispatcher offices scattered throughout its system, and CSXT, recognizing the folly of centralized train dispatching operations, has transferred several hundred jobs from Jacksonville, Fla. to the field. I’m pretty certain that GTW, IC, WC, and DWP have centralized train dispatching near Homewood, Ill.
To be a really good crew dispatcher, the person who calls switchmen, trainmen, and engineers to work, the ones I’ve known who really enjoy their jobs were all star graduates of the Heinrich Himmler Charm School. Borrowing a phrase from the Ronald Reagan years, it helps to possess a personality with a “high s.o.b. index” to hold one of those jobs.
BNSF has a national customer service center in Fort Worth. Union Pacific has one in Omaha. Norfolk Southern has theirs either in Atlanta or Norfolk, VA. CSXT may have one in Jacksonville.
Mechanical crafts such as machinists, boilermakers, electricians, pipefitters and the like are concentrated around the big shops such as Altoona (NS) or North Little Rock, Ark. (UP), but the Class 1s also have a lot of smaller repair points as well, facilities requiring employees with those skills.
Just about any freight yard hosting three or more jobs probably has a contingent of carmen.
Carmen and the mechanical crafts responsible for diesel locomotive maintenance are usually well represented wherever a Class 1 has a hump yard opera
The single dispatcher whom I have heard working sounded as though he were tired of life. I never talked with him, but listened to the day IC Louisiana Division dispatcher’s wire from time to time; the operators always addressed him as “Mr. Riley.” I did hear the Thursday morning dispatcher once–I was taking #25 from Wesson the day after Christmas; the train was running late so I called the Brookhaven operator on the message wire (I did not identify myself because I was inside a closed station) and asked him what he had on #25; he did not know how the train was running, so he called the dispatcher and I changed over to the dispatcher’s wire to hear what information he had. The following week I explained, in person, to the operator, when he was working a more reasonable trick, why I called him.
I have had conversation with two retired dispatchers (CN & UP), and they had pleasant personalities–and both appreciated the account of the dispatcher who had to advise the conductor who was troubled by mules who kicked slats off the side of the car they were in. Perhaps they lightened up after retiring?
Just to clarify, Bob F and Deggesty are talking about two different types of dispatchers. Deggesty is talking about train dispatchers, Bob F is talking about crew dispatchers, AKA crew callers.
Crew calling on our road has become highly automated. I hardly ever talk with a caller anymore. The compute
Back when I was in college both railroads up here…CN and CP…did recruiting on campus. They had presentations, and their goal was to hire new grads who have a background in the sciences, mathematics, or engineering. In hindsight I should have pursued those opportunities more aggressively…
If I were looking for a job with a railroad today I wouldn’t be overly concerned with the process. Keep in mind that railroads are big businesses, and that they get hundreds of resumes a year. But most applicants give up after the first attempt…so…if you keep after the road you wish to work for then your chances of getting a job go way up… Apply on line…follow-up…follow-up and follow-up some more…until you get hired.
Thanks, Jeff. I missed “crew” in Bob F’s post. Years ago, some train dispatchers also had some responsibility in calling crews, but I was really thinking of their train dispatching responsibilty.
Thanks, Jeff. I missed “crew” in Bob F’s post. Years ago, some train dispatchers also had some responsibility in calling crews, but I was really thinking of their train dispatching responsibilty.
If you are Mechanically inclined there are many Railroad Contractors and sub contractors out there who will hire you if you are willing to work . We hire people who are older that dosn’t seem to ever be an issue in fact I used to work at a train yard where our clerk was in his late 70’s .So I would look at contractors as well .
Lots of changes in non-train jobs too. My Dad started with Frisco when he was barely 16. A neighbor who worked there was getting his son a job and asked Dad if he wanted one too. Dad quit high school and never looked back. He started out in the freight house, later worked in the Yards on 3rd trick. He said that could be spooky, no Yard lights, just guys moving around with lanterns. Dad had to check cars and make sure the seals for loads were intact. Later, he got enough seniority and moved into the office. His last job was working with industries wanting to ship and he’d give orders to the switchmen about how to make up the trains. But he kept his union membership in Brotherhood of Railway Clerks, he never wanted to give that up.
Mom could remember callers coming to the house to get her dad when he had to work an extra freight. She worked as keypuncher in Frisco General Office and she did finish high school, which her boss commented about, because very few people did in the late 20’s.
My Dad worked for Frisco all his life and loved it. He died before he could retire and BN took over.