Good morning all, I live in the Charlotte, North Carolina area. Yesterday I was laid off from my job in manufacturing. I visited the unemployment office this morning, WOW! Jammed.
I have 20+ years of CNC machining experience and a fork truck license. Does anyone know if there is anything that CSX or NorfolkSouthern would have for someone like me. I am in my late forties and figure there has got to be something better. Since I like trains I would appreciate any advice you have about contacting the railroads and my best approach. I am also comfortable on a computer, not a geek by any means but I can still learn anything. I am not the type to sit around. I figure if I’m going to change career fields I better do it now.
Have you checked-out NS’ and CSX’s corporate internet sites for employment opportunities in your area? I don’t work for a RR, but one thing I have heard consistently is you don’t want to let them know you’re a model railroader - they’ll figure your railfan/modelling interest may be a distraction to your job performance.
I can only imagine that NS and CSX are like the Union Pacific and at this time is going thru massive layoffs. right now we have lost 150 jobs here in Boone, Now is not the time to hire out on any of the Railroads Larry
UP is NOT laying off MoW forces. Plenty of work is available over on our side of things. Our maintenance budget for 2009 is the same as 2008 which could be like an increase what with lower fuel costs.
I’ll echo WIAR’s advice: don’t let on that you’re a railfan, a modeler, photgrapher or collector. And the TS market is thinning down more everyday – UP has announced plans to layoff a bunch more right after the holidays.
MOW is good work to get into and not as prone to getting laid off every year for the first few years.
Good luck – let us know how your job search turns out.
Thank you all for your responses. What kind of contract work do the railroads use?
While I do model railroads I don’t believe it would be a distraction as the era I model is past and in the midwest. Besides I believe if I got hired my time would be best spent concentrating on my job and the safety of myself and those around me.
I should also add that there’s a good chance that new hires won’t be working at the end of a year for the first few years of employment. That’s because when division gangs get shut down in October and November the new guys have nowhere to go. If the new guys are working Systems they’ll probably get bumped by the displaced division guys. That’s why you should put money away every month to hedge against a possibe lay-off.