Why work for a railroad?

[ericsp]

I have seen various threads about what it is like to work on the railroad, however I do not recall seeing any on why one would go to work for a railroad. So, here are a couple of questions for those of you who work for a railroad. Besides working with trains and relatively good pay, what are the reasons you went to work for a railroad? What are some reasons you have heard from coworks that do not care for trains as to why they started? Thanks for any answers.

[Anonymous]

Working for a railway is one of the few careers left where you can work for the same company all your career, have benefits and collect a pension when you retire.

Those are a few reasons.

[Anonymous]

Can't speak for anyone else, and macguy has given you the practical end of it, but here are a few other points.

I don't do well sitting at a desk. I'm much happier when I'm outdoors. Yes, I know there are plenty of outdoor jobs, but that brings me to my second point...

I have a lifelong fascination with machinery, the bigger the better. Again, there are many other kinds of machinery, but most jobs that deal with big machinery either don't offer steady work or require someone on the inside to get you through the door. I know that's not always the case, but it IS a common scenario. I have to add that I'm not really interested in being on the water or in the air. There are some fascinating pieces of equipment in both places, to be sure, but I prefer good old terra firma. Now on to my last point....

Let's get down to the nitty gritty here. The truth of the matter is, I'm a big overgrown kid at heart and always will be. I've loved trains since I was a little kid, and I never really wanted to do anything but work for the railroad. Many people out here will tell you that it's not what it used to be, working for the railroad, and they're not joking. They're telling it like it is. csx engineer will tell you, for example, about the crap you have to put up with, and how it's just just a job to him. I respect his honesty. For me, however, it's still a fun thing. Sure it's changed, but even after 36 years I have no desire to get out.

So there's your bottom line. The best reason to work at any job is because you like it. That requires taking the good with the bad, and certainly not everyone can do that. Nor does everyone get the opportunity to do something they truly enjoy. Consider, however, that the most successful people are those who are doing something that they WANT to do, not something that they HAVE to do. After all, if you're having fun, it ain't work, and that's the best reason there is.

--JD Nomad

[bobwilcox]

I just love railroads and was lucky to keep from getting cutoff after many years.

[Anonymous]

My Dad worked for the railroad for 32 years and I'm on my tenth year. I was actually inrolled in college to a radiologist..........oh well! It's ok though because I met my wife, have two wonderful kids and another on the way and like someone else said, the benifits are great. Plus you won't work yourself to death, at least not on the machanical side!

[Anonymous]

The big reason you should work for a railroad, eric, is because I will be retiring in a few years, and we can never have too many people putting their little donations into the Railroad Retirement Fund. :^O

[Anonymous]

skeets-- Amen to that one, brother! Even this big overgrown kid'll retire eventually.

--JD Nomad

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by theNomad
. After all, if you're having fun, it ain't work, and that's the best reason there is.

--JD Nomad

Nomad, The Silent Service of the U.S. Navy hs a similar saying, "IF YOU'RE NOT HAVING FUN. . . . . .YOU'RE NOT DOING IT RIGHT. Like you I enjoy my work most anywhere I have worked (Except the State DOT).

[Anonymous]

another question, what is the average pay for a starting railroad guy, I love trains, and wouldn't mind running them if the salary was right. Thanks,
Brad

[Anonymous]

Because I hate being confined between four walls all day, I had much rather be outdoors even if the weather sucks. The wages can be really nice depending on who you work for and the benifits are a plus. I also don't have to deal with people as much as I did in my previous jobs, and I get a sense of freedom(sorta) from working outdoors. The biggest and most important reason I hired on was the fact that trains drive the ladies WILD!

[Randy Stahl]

Why work for a RR ? Not qualified for adult films !
Randy

[CSXrules4eva]

I've wanted to work for the railroad all my life ever since I was 10 I knew I was going to invest my career in railroads. One inspriation in my life was my great grandpop who worked for PRR for well over 35 yrs, he was a train entheusist; he ate, slept, and breathed trians. . .. . I guess I'm like him sort of. I do not work for the railroad yet since I am 18. Unfortunitly, you have to be 21 to acheive the desired position of locomotive engneer. So, I'm in college to get my Associates degree in Automotive/ Diesel technology. I also work for a diesel servicing faciltiy. By the time I'm eleagable to aquire the position of freight railroad conductor, I'll have some diesel experience to back me up. However, the railroad might ask me (Why didn't I apply for a diesel machinest job?/).

[Anonymous]

Hey CSXrules4eva, I may be wrong but I thought 18 was the minimum age for railroad employees. if so, you should see about getting into one of CSX's training schools(i'm guessing that's who you want to work for) for conductors.

[BaltACD]

To start my Great Grandfather was a Horse Car Conductor, my Grandfather retired with 48 years 10 months of service, my father retired with 37 years of service and I am closing in on 40 years of service; so in that regard the steel wheel up the steel rail seems to have a genetic disposition.

I got started when I was looking for a temporary Summer job between sessions a College. When the College gig turned sour, I came back to work and later worked and continued College to graduation.

I find, outside the money and benefits, the most intriguing aspect of railroading is the simplicity of its complexity and the complexity of its simplicity.

The individual actions that take place in the operation of a railroad, by themselves are simple....the complexity is that the operation is made up of miriad individual actions that sometimes occur when desired, and at other times occur when not desired. The days work is always the same but never the same, Each day presents new challanges and new pitfalls with the goal being to avoid the pitfalls and conquer the challenges; the reality being you will succumb to some of the pitfalls and then have to devise a plan to overcome that pitfall and go on to the next challenge. The operations side of railroading is putting together and ever changing puzzle, where a lot of the parts involved don't have an exact fit, but close enough is good enough most of the time. Operating railroads will never achieve perfection, there are too many independent variables that are beyond the control of man and the Gods. To turn a gridlocked railroad into a fluid moving operation in your tour of duty gives one a sense of satisfaction that is tough to beat.

[Anonymous]

I have 31 years of service in, 25 of them as an Engineer.
I never considered, and still would not consider a career in any other industry.
The Country has less than a half million of "US", they have roughly 249 1/2 million of "THEM", they dont need any more of "them".LOL
Kidding aside, I do have one perplexing concern these days.
Railroading as a career does not offer the same SPIRITUAL REWARDS that it did when I was starting out. Morale in our industry has never been lower.
There was a time when you would walk down the street in your community and mothers would say to their small sons: "Look, little Johnnie, There goes Mr (x.y.z.), he works for the RAILROAD!", or something like, "HE'S an ENGINEER!"
It's all different now. These days, when somebody asks you your occupation and you reply:
RAILROAD ENGINEER or RAILROAD CONDUCTOR, even though you're in a profession that's existed for nearly 170 years, they just look at you with a blank stare, as if you just mentioned some obscure occupation that exists only on the othe side of the planet MARS! People are just not railroad aware anymore. If you wanted to be a folklore hero a generation ago, you could become a railroader, now you have to be a rock musician! LOL
That covers OFF the railroad property, what about ON the railroad property?
WELL, this negative spirit has infiltrated the ranks of us inside as well.
I blame this on the hiring practices of the Human Rescource departments. They seem to be rampant on a campaign to hire as many people who do NOT have the railroad in their blood as they can.
Railroading used to be a CHOSEN proffession, people were here because they wanted to be, and were proud to be here. I read recently that of a recently hired training class for train/loco drivers in England, many of them had bever before set foot aboard a train! HECK ! When i was a kid, railroadmen's sons used to begin their apprenticeship UNOFFICIALLY when they were still in grade or grammar school, frequently accompanying their dad (or next toor neighbor etc) to work.
It's all different now, much of thwe workforce doesn't know how it stumbled into the profession, it's almost like they were shanghaied like sailors in days of old.
MORE John Phillip Sousa
LESS Micheal Jackson

[jockellis]

G'Day, Y'all,
Do engineers still have to retire at the mandatory age of 65? Talking about children and trains, I met an elderly man whose father ran a wood-fired locomotive for a timber company line in the Florida panhandle. He said the most exciting thing he'd ever done was ride in the cab with his father who had told his wife to have the boy at a certain grade crossing where he would pick the lad up.
Jock Ellis
Cumming, GA US of A

[Anonymous]

If you can get by the first few yrs fighting your low senority, you'll have it made. Even though the hours and conditions can be miserable, the pay and benefits all make up for it. The actuall work is not very hard--90% thinking, 10% phyiscal. Where else can you make $60,000-$70,000 doing blue collar work while most of the time sitting on your keystor?

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jockellis

G'Day, Y'all,
Do engineers still have to retire at the mandatory age of 65? Talking about children and trains, I met an elderly man whose father ran a wood-fired locomotive for a timber company line in the Florida panhandle. He said the most exciting thing he'd ever done was ride in the cab with his father who had told his wife to have the boy at a certain grade crossing where he would pick the lad up.
Jock Ellis
Cumming, GA US of A

In Canada the mandatory retirement age is 65, down in the states you can work until your doctor no longer gives you medical clearance.

[Anonymous]

First...The statements by BaltACD, and Penn Central Black ring true in the most vivid sense. Railroading is now a game of Simon Says that must be played flawlessly for eight hours straight in a tour of duty.

As far back as I can remember it was the culture of railroading that intrigued me as much as the trains themselves. I used to ride the IC Electric suburban trains into Chicago's loop quite a bit. The enginemen always let me stand in the cab with them. Trainmen and Conductors, in their grandfatherly way, were the first adults to tell me dirty jokes. Their uniforms, watches, ways of doing things as if handed down to them by Moses were too much to resist. As early as my age 9, in 1959, IC trainmen would let me collect tickets with them. I developed "train legs" at an early age. I also noticed another thing. Girls rode the trains and they payed a lot of attention to younger trainmen.

I came to realize in the '60s that no railroad would hire you if you wore glasses. You could have them after 60 days but you couldn't start out with them. So I felt I would have to live life as a commercial illustrator. During the Viet Nam era, railroads became quite short of man-power and the glasses restriction was removed. It was stupid in the first place and was eventually forced out by law. After a year in art school I found out that the CNW was hiring trainmen at a ferociuos rate. I went to the CNW depot in Chicago and hired out. There I was in my Kromer Cap, and big watch chain falling off of boxcars and being laughed at. I thought I knew stuff about trains until I hired out. It was a whole new different world. There was a 3 0'clock in the morning, and people were up and eating and working. This was the hardest thing I had to get used to. But...I was a real railroader. My family didn't care for it too much but there was community respect. Once, a family friend asked me what school (read:university) I was attending. I replied, "Oh, I'm going to 2 universities. Chicago, and North Western." My father spit his drink out.
When I hired out in '69, I was working with men who had hired out in 1932. There were firemen on our jobs that had 16 years rights and still weren't regular engineers. They had worked on steam. At age 26 one of my real boyhood dreams came true when, as a promoted conductor, I was able to hold train 7, the Empire Builder, when I was on The Milwaukee. Things were "real railroad" up until the Milwaukee bouoght a lot of us out in the early eighties. Commuter operations, much like Amtrak, were being turned over to government agencies, and freight crews were being down-sized. In '69, an older CNW conductor, Howie Lippet, told me, "Some day, there won't be cabooses, and they'll figure out a way to run trains with 2 men. I won't live to see it, but you will." He was right. In the '80s, there was a TV show that starred Wilford Brimmley. He played a railroad man consigned to an office, who was formerly an engineer. He said in one episode, "Railroading just isn't fun anymore." How proffetic.
I was the art and avertising director of The South Shore Line for a while, but corporate life was not for me. I ended up back in train and then engine service there. Things changed more than I could imgine. Folks that shouldn't have been permitted as passengers became trainmen. Worse yet, they got promoted. And then fired. I left in '99, war weary and tired of my world that had disappeared. I'm happier now as a full-time artist (although the pay is some-what different.)

I wouldn't go railroading now on a bet. Of course I'm in my '50s and married with children. It's not the realm I dreamed of, and that's my problem, not that of railroading. There are economics, and the forces of real life that changed it all.

Mitch

[Anonymous]

ARTMARK:
You and I must be siamese twins, seperated at birth:
It is a shame we never worked a passenger train together.
We seem to be singing off the same sheet of music.
Actually, I was, for a time (1974), employed by C&NW.
If you have access to the C&NWRyHist Soc: NORTH WESTERN LINES, see my
lengthy autobio segment " CHICAGO DIARY - 1974", published in the C&NW PEOPLE issue about a year & a half ago.
Regards
D. F. Kydd
C&NW Ry emplyee # 120559.
p.s., your comment " those that should have never been permitted a PASSENGERS are now becoming hired as TRAINMEN" etc is right on the mark.

[jeaton]

Mitch

I don't remember a nine year old kid collecting tickets for me. Maybe I was just a mean 18 year old kid myself, and I might have told you to sit down and work on your sketch pad.

On the other hand, I don't remember a whole bunch from 1959. My memory banks probably get overwritten.

Got to run, but will probably put my take on this subject later.

Jay

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jeaton

Mitch

I don't remember a nine year old kid collecting tickets for me. Maybe I was just a mean 18 year old kid myself, and I might have told you to sit down and work on your sketch pad.

On the other hand, I don't remember a whole bunch from 1959. My memory banks probably get overwritten.

Got to run, but will probably put my take on this subject later.

Jay

Jay,
I don't remeber any 18 year old kids either. At least on the South Chicago branch. I used to ride with Jimmy Gibbs a lot up on the head end. C.D. "Hi Babe!" Lindenberg was pretty good to me. When I was in high school he would give me a ride home from the South Chicago terminal in the evening.
You may recall my hand made 10-ride tickets. they were almost perfect. I can still forge E.L. Holmes signature. The IC had the best looking suburban tickets in railroading.

Mitch

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Penn Central Black

ARTMARK:
You and I must be siamese twins, seperated at birth:
It is a shame we never worked a passenger train together.
We seem to be singing off the same sheet of music.
Actually, I was, for a time (1974), employed by C&NW.
If you have access to the C&NWRyHist Soc: NORTH WESTERN LINES, see my
lengthy autobio segment " CHICAGO DIARY - 1974", published in the C&NW PEOPLE issue about a year & a half ago.
Regards
D. F. Kydd
C&NW Ry emplyee # 120559.

p.s., your comment " those that should have never been permitted a PASSENGERS are now becoming hired as TRAINMEN" etc is right on the mark.

D.F. Yeh, I'm sorry you didn't work with me, Eddie, and the rest of the Milwaukee gang in the '70s. All our uniforms came from Grand Uniform in New York, and we dressed the part. We had a small lake boat tied up in the KK river next to the depot in Milwaukee. Upon arrival with the Turbo into Milwaukee, we'd take eligable female passengers out on the lake for a midnight cruise. But we were traditional through and through, and the safe operation of the trains always came first.
Do you remember that old brakeman Buck, who used to run the CNW brakeman's school.?
Email me off board.

Mitch
CNW employee no. 100659

[jeaton]

Mitch

Actually, there was probably dozen of us or so in an under 25 group. We hung out and partied (off duty, of course) a fair amount. Among the whole roster, I'd have to say there was almost the whole range of people, some good, some not so good. Among the engineers, Jim McCorkle was one of my favorites. He mostly worked evenings when I was there, and from time to time he would let me run a few stops.

I started in the spring of 1959, and worked there for about three years. On that job, it didn't take very long before it was same ol', same ol'. I swear, I could ride on train blindfolded, and say exactly where we were. I was trying to take some courses to continue my college education, but the randomness of the schedule was messing me up. One day, I was deadheading into Randolph Street to get my evening rush assignment and as we rolled into the station I thought, "I don't want to get up and I don't want to sit here either." It was time to move on.

Jay

PS Now I know for sure you never rode in my car. For all the tickets I handled, I would have detected a difference in the texture and thicknes of the stock.[;)][;)]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jeaton

Mitch

Actually, there was probably dozen of us or so in an under 25 group. We hung out and partied (off duty, of course) a fair amount. Among the whole roster, I'd have to say there was almost the whole range of people, some good, some not so good. Among the engineers, Jim McCorkle was one of my favorites. He mostly worked evenings when I was there, and from time to time he would let me run a few stops.

I started in the spring of 1959, and worked there for about three years. On that job, it didn't take very long before it was same ol', same ol'. I swear, I could ride on train blindfolded, and say exactly where we were. I was trying to take some courses to continue my college education, but the randomness of the schedule was messing me up. One day, I was deadheading into Randolph Street to get my evening rush assignment and as we rolled into the station I thought, "I don't want to get up and I don't want to sit here either." It was time to move on.

Jay

PS Now I know for sure you never rode in my car. For all the tickets I handled, I would have detected a difference in the texture and thicknes of the stock.[;)][;)]

I knew Jimmy McCorkle. He was one of the last suburban engineers to wear overalls and a jacket ( the complete engineers' uniform) .

You wouldn't have detected a difference in the stock. I was able to get red "china" stock to do this with. I traced the validator die impressions and used a type writer ribbon to re-create it on the back. I never tried to use them for passage. Just for show. this included the auditors' stub with the line "Void if detached" done in reverse.

I always wanted to work IC Suburban.

Mitch

[arbfbe]

The short answer?

Just 3 more years to get 30 years in.
Just 6 more years to reach 60.

It used to be a nice job. it has been going down hill for a long time. Anyone who hires out now has my best wishes and sympathies.

[Anonymous]

I might have a bit of a different perspective. I too have been an avid rail fan since I was 7 years old. Last summer, at the ripe old age of 47, I received an offer I couldn't refuse for the small business which I have owned for the last ten years. With my wife's encouragement, I decided to actually try to live that old dream of being a railroader. I went into it with the attitude that first, I am to the point agewise that it is now or never. Second, I don't want to end my tour of duty on this planet wondering what it would be like. Thirdly, I don't have anything to lose. I feel that if after a reasonable amount of time, if I don't like the job I will move on to something else. At least I tried. Right now, I am a conductor for the Canadian Pacific. Conducting is OK but my goal is to be an engineer. I look at my time as conductor as the price to pay for the end goal. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of people who prefer conducting and do not ever want to be an engineer. They are two entirely different jobs. Why work for the railroad? On the practical side, at least the class one's pay decently, the pension program is great, medical, dental, stock options and the rest are great benefits! The only downside to the work itself in my eyes is the weird schedule. Also, there is personal risk. It is very easy to get killed while on the ground! My big dislike is how the railroads treat their employees. They can be absolutely draconian in their behavior. Personel departments won't return their calls. Every trainman keeps a daily log of his or her work because payroll can't be trusted to pay out what has been earned. I will say though that comraderie is very high. Rails have to depend on each other. Of course, different people have different abilities but yet I have have not met another rail who I couldn't work with. If you have dreamed about becoming a railroader, give it a shot. Just get into it with your eyes wide open! Have an escape plan in mind because over three forths of new hires quit before they even mark up! Reality sometimes sucks! Geoff

[Anonymous]

LuckyBoy:
Hang in there,
Stick it out
(it only gets DEEPER and DEEPER into your blood)

[Anonymous]

Hi . I work as a driver/engineer for Virgin Trains here in the U.K. I drive the £11 000 000 class 390 tilting train from Manchester to London most days.My hands get nearly 500 people from A 2 B rather quickly but most of all safely and all being well on time if the guys who control the signals ( in the hands of the gods here ) are looking favourably upon me! Its the best job i will ever have.If anyone wants some pictures feel free to email me. In all my 4 years of service the only down side was a jumper ( suicide ).But there was nothing i could of done and it was his intention to do it . Would be great to here from an engineer in the U.S.A. All the best to all from the U.K.

[Anonymous]

Look no further Darrenclegg:
I'.m one of you U.S.A. counterparts and I run (that's USA speak for "drive") the ACELA EXPRESS between BOSTON and NEW YORK three afternoons a wekk ( and am in emergancy/protect status theother two days).
Pleas feel free to contact me outside the forum via e-mail if you wish.
I'm kind of curious, does the tilt mechanism ever fail enroute on your train? If so, what restrictions or other instructions come into play when that happens.
On the Acela, we basicly revert to AMFLEET speeds (generally 10-15mph slower on various curves, no particular restrictions on straitaways)