Is a career worth it?

[Thad09]

Good day y'all! This thread is directed to those who work/have worked on the American railroads. I am going into my senior year in high school and I am wanting to be a conductor for tourist lines. The school that I am looking at is the NARS school up in Overland Park , Kansas. For those of you who work on any American railroad, either tourist or not, is working on a railroad a good career?

 

[bl4882]

You might want to read this essay by Al Krug at his site, if you haven't already.

http://www.alkrug.vcn.com/rrfacts/engr_req.htm

He's a BNSF engineer.

Bernie

 

[Thad09]

Ok thanks. Reading it now.

 

[289v8]

Working on the Class 1 Railroad

Post Deleted.

 

[Thad09]

I worked for a Class 1 Railroad for 7 years and this is what you need to know. Can you live without being around family? You work all the time(on your rest), unless you get laid off. Once laid off the Railroad and Union forget all about you, so you better find another job. The rules have changed now, if laid off longer than 90 days, no call back! When you get called back you have to quit your new job and hope you don't get laid off 2 weeks later. Bad crew callers that can't count or keep a crew board in order. Drive 300 miles to go to work and live out of a suitcase? Have transportation in three different places or enjoy walking miles to get something to eat at 3 a.m. (if there is anything open). All of this was 30 years ago and the crews that I talk to today say nothing has changed!

I was mainly planning on applying to tourist lines for the steady hours and such. When I feel like it, I will go off to college and get a degree in enginering and try to start desgining new locomotives. Thanks for your word on this.