Railworks America

They have been advertising on my Net Zero home page all the sudden: http://www.csx.com/index.cfm/responsibi ... eadership/ Waiting to see some videos, but they are sure talking up a storm! Jobs, too!

arizonachris wrote:Jobs, too!

Now is a great time to start a career in railroading. Almost every Class I is hiring.
Norfolk Southern in particular has positions open in every one of their districts. Everything from conductor to signal maintainer to track gang and office management.

Is it too late to switch careers? I'm in my 50s. There have been a lot of days recently when I've seriously considered whether there aren't other careers that would be gentler on my blood pressure (and overall health) than my current one!

Never too late. Rail lines are all hiring, as Chessie said. I have an interview with Pacific Harbor Lines in January (no one hires over the holiday season) I'm 54. Kids don't want to drive a train. They seem to want a cushy office job. It's up to us "old hats" to get the job done. I'm hoping this VORA stuff might help me.

Well, good luck to you, Chris! Let us know how it goes!

arizonachris wrote:I have an interview with Pacific Harbor Lines in January (no one hires over the holiday season)

Remember the golden rule. If they ask 'do you like trains?' The answer is no.
Railroads dont hire railfans (normally).

Griphos wrote:Well, good luck to you, Chris! Let us know how it goes!

Probably gonna be a mechanic or MOW position. Yeah, for some reason, I like the smell and the mess of a diesel. Heck, at what they start at dollar wise, I'll go and get coffee for everyone. Thanks for the best wishes. Not a lot of jobs in California.

arizonachris wrote: Kids don't want to drive a train.

Not true! Both me and my friend are 16 (I'm almost 17), and we both want to be engineers some day. I have been bent on this since the "Thomas the Tank Engine days," and I have not budged from this aspiration since then. My parents are quite surprised I still want to be one. They expected I'd change my mind once I was a teen. I'm going to be starting in college in 1 3/4 years to be a conductor, and make my way up from there.
And good luck on the interview! Hope it works out!

i have applications in with NS as well for conductor, put in for 9 divisions as i can relocate on a moments notice
wife decided she doesnt want to drive anymore

make sure you have good upper body strength for the hang test

Well, good luck, Jason. Pacific Harbor called me, said I was too old. I could fight it but I won't. That's OK, because Robinson Helicopter is hiring here in Torrance, and I have an interview with them next Monday. And I see that UP is hiring like 20,000 people? Holy crap! (no, not United Parcel) My two biggest loves are trains and aircraft, so either one will do. (actually aircraft then trains) UP I'd have to relocate to Barstow probably.

Sorry to hear that, Chris. I was worried about the age thing with us geezers. :-)

Keep us posted on the other. I flew my Chief to a nearby airport a few weeks ago and there was a R22 doing patterns there. I watched for a while. Sure wish I had the moolah to get a helicopter ticket. That's flying!

R22's are gone, Phil. It's R44's and the new R66's. They have 1,000 orders waiting.

Eh, one way or another, I'm determined, I'm gonna find something. Thanks for the well wishes. "Old Guys Rule!"

It would be a little ironic if you were too old to be a train driver but not for piloting helicopters.

Chacal wrote:It would be a little ironic if you were too old to be a train driver but not for piloting helicopters.

No, not piloting, building. I have a lot of aircraft experience with Douglas on the DC9 line, and development on the B1-B, and aircraft mechanic school. Not heard from Robinson yet, gonna give them until next Monday.