Question for people working for railroads

[CShaveRR]

By the time I started working for a railroad, I already had a lifetime subscription to Trains. I had always been a railfan, and--thanks to friendly crews and individuals on my hometown railroads--knew a bit about operations and what I would be getting into.

I didn't really know that I was going to be a railroader for life, but when it came time to alter my college-major plans, I decided to take a break and restore some self-confidence by working for a railroad. GTW had the "can't work if you wear glasses" restriction back then; they would have been my first choice. Thanks to C&O trains entering North Western Station in Chicago for a very brief time, I found out that CNW was hiring, and the rest is history...or MYstory. I never did go back to school.

And I'm still a railfan, sitting on the best job possible for satisfying my own interests. I've turned down promotions, and have stopped wondering whether the grass is greener on other railroad jobs. For me, it isn't. I used to think that I'd quit rather than let the job interfere with me being a railfan, but one has to face reality now. In six or seven years, when I reach retirement age, that will become an option again. But if I feel up to it, and body and mind hold out (I don't remember being this absent-minded!), I'd like to be able to stay around a little longer.

[wabash1]

I never wake up mad that i haft to go to work. In fact i look forward to it. i work the road and every now and then work the yards but love my job. i always wanted to work for the railroad . Like Ed says its hard to remeber what i did prior to this. and yes even though i love my job i also like to have a day off from time to time. It makes you respect and enjoy your job when you are rested. I do see a part of the usa and i dont have the traffic jams to commute to work like others do. for me its a win win . nobody in my family ever worked for the railroad im the first .

[wabash1]

I never wake up mad that i haft to go to work. In fact i look forward to it. i work the road and every now and then work the yards but love my job. i always wanted to work for the railroad . Like Ed says its hard to remeber what i did prior to this. and yes even though i love my job i also like to have a day off from time to time. It makes you respect and enjoy your job when you are rested. I do see a part of the usa and i dont have the traffic jams to commute to work like others do. for me its a win win . nobody in my family ever worked for the railroad im the first .

[Anonymous]

As always - your quick to reply! Thanks, Ed!!

That is kind of funny how you thought it would be a great way to see the US and your railroad never leaves the county. Although it wasn't railroading, I can relate. I joined the Army thinking it would be a great way to get to see some other part of the world. Six and a half years later -- saw a lot of the US (stationed at CA & FL, trained in KY & SC) but never once made it out of the US.

Having read some of your stuff and others, it sounds like many of you love doing what you're doing. I think that's very important and it's great that you can do something you like!

[Anonymous]

As always - your quick to reply! Thanks, Ed!!

That is kind of funny how you thought it would be a great way to see the US and your railroad never leaves the county. Although it wasn't railroading, I can relate. I joined the Army thinking it would be a great way to get to see some other part of the world. Six and a half years later -- saw a lot of the US (stationed at CA & FL, trained in KY & SC) but never once made it out of the US.

Having read some of your stuff and others, it sounds like many of you love doing what you're doing. I think that's very important and it's great that you can do something you like!

[edblysard]

Hard question, really. No one thing sparked my interest, except when I was a young man, I enjoyed watching the trains go past our house, it was a joint Rock Island Santa Fe line from Houston to Fort Worth, Tx. Always wondered where they ended up, and though it would be a great way to see the USA. Funny, I ended up working for a railroad that never leaves the county I live in. Did get to ride several trains overseas, England, Japan, Germany, France and a Russian subway. But never though I would get the chance to do that for a living, and when oppertunity knocked, I took a shot at it. Railroading is a odd, demanding, dirty and sometimes boreing job, but if you try it, and like it, you never want to quit. As the years go past, I find it more difficult to remember the other things I have done for a living, seems railroading has become so much of who I am, that I cant imagine ever doing anything else.
Stay Frosty,
Ed

[edblysard]

Hard question, really. No one thing sparked my interest, except when I was a young man, I enjoyed watching the trains go past our house, it was a joint Rock Island Santa Fe line from Houston to Fort Worth, Tx. Always wondered where they ended up, and though it would be a great way to see the USA. Funny, I ended up working for a railroad that never leaves the county I live in. Did get to ride several trains overseas, England, Japan, Germany, France and a Russian subway. But never though I would get the chance to do that for a living, and when oppertunity knocked, I took a shot at it. Railroading is a odd, demanding, dirty and sometimes boreing job, but if you try it, and like it, you never want to quit. As the years go past, I find it more difficult to remember the other things I have done for a living, seems railroading has become so much of who I am, that I cant imagine ever doing anything else.
Stay Frosty,
Ed

[Anonymous]

For those of you working for the railroads, what made you decide you wanted to work for one? Was it something that your father or grandfather did before you and that's why you did the same? Was it a childhood dream?

[Anonymous]

For those of you working for the railroads, what made you decide you wanted to work for one? Was it something that your father or grandfather did before you and that's why you did the same? Was it a childhood dream?