aussie moving to america

Hi all.
I am soon to marry the girl of my dreams who originates from Columbus Ohio. It is our intention to move to the States in the next year or two. At present I am a station master with a busy passenger/freight railway in Sydney Australia. I am qualified as a signaler as well as many other forms of safe working. I am not qualified to be train crew. When I move to the States I would like to get myself into a similar paying job as I am in now. (about 90k including a bit of overtime) I don't want an office job, but I would like anything in operations. I am finding it hard to understand the American working conditions. For example I get 5 weeks annual leave per year. I get a small penalty rate for afternoon and night shift. I get time + 50% for Saturdays and double time for Sundays. Do American railways pay any of this? I would prefer to work hourly rather than salary as I don't think I could deal with working unpaid hours. Considering all of the above, what position do people think I should apply for?

I think I'm gonna move to Australia.

So is there no positions in the U.S that have similar pay and conditions. Taking into account the cost of living, I would probably be happy earning anything above 70k.
Matt

aussie matt wrote:So is there no positions in the U.S that have similar pay and conditions. Taking into account the cost of living, I would probably be happy earning anything above 70k.
Matt

Matt,

Station Masters are in the US called Trainmasters, and working conditions are not anywhere near to what you had in Australia. They are all on salary working at least 60 hrs/week and on call while on days off. Some RR's start you off with 1 week of vacation and others with 2. It takes 25 years of service to get 5 weeks of vacation.
Also, there are no extras for working nights, weekends and holidays.
Starting pay is between $60-70K.
If you have any other questions, feel free to PM me.

Good luck!

I would be great is someone could explain the purpose and pay of the following. Trainmaster, Yardmaster, Terminal manager, Train dispatcher. Do all of these jobs work on hourly rate, without unpaid overtime? Also could someone tell me if there is much activity in the Columbus, Ohio region. Would I have any chance of gaining employment there? In general is employment hard to find? Do you atleast get time and a half when working past 8 hours? What is a good company to work for? Are unions strong? Do you get paid to be on-call? Is Amtrak the only major passenger system? Is there more money in freight? Sorry for all the questions, but it seems there are major differences between our countries and I really need an idea what I am getting into.
Thanks Matt

Why not marry the gal, keep your job and live in Sydney?

Unfortunately this is not a long term option.

American railroad jobs usually start you out at the bottom and you work your way up over many years. Most likely any railroad would hire you as a new hire, and you'd have to get training on American equipment and rules and operating procedures. With your experience, it sounds like you would pick up quickly, but you'd probably find yourself at the bottom for a while as you work your way up in seniority.

I must say, the Australian arrangement sounds a lot better to me!

-otto-

Think twice before you move to the US. I would bet that workers in your country are treated with more dignity than the averge American railroader. Come over and check it out if you can. The big carriers are very demanding employers. Regional carriers pay at a much lower rate than you would expect and offer none of the benefits you would be used to. I am sure others can elaborate but I doubt you will find many that will suggest that your life would be better as an American railroader versus remaining an Australian one.

Hi, I am an Australian who plans to migrate to the States later this year or early next year. In Australia I am a Station Master/Signaller. I would like to work on a passenger network in the States but would not exclude freight. Although I have years of experience, I dont think this will carry much weight in America. My end goal is to have a position like the one I have now. Maybe a Trainmaster job or Yardmaster. My instinct in to attend a school like NARS to gain certification as a conductor so that I gain certification in the American network rules and regulations. What do people think? I am in a strange situation because I have experience but need training from the roots up. Can anybody suggest a easier way to join the railways ( preferably Amtrak) . I have applied for many positions over the last year that were advertised on the internet but have not got a single reply. I know times are tough in the States right now, but are there signs this is changing? I would also be interested in becoming a managment trainee but I don't have a degree. Does anyone know of any companies that might hire me as a trainee on previous experience without a degree? Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

Sent you a PM with info.

You don't need to attend NARS... Your experience will be much appreciated and the railroad which hires you will put you through their school for rules and on the job training.
Good luck...

uh.. stay in australia dude.. america is hurting.. and besides.. you can't come over here demanding 70k a year.. I mean are you kidding me? You're brand new to the country and you want a job most people spend a good portion of their life working for.. granted, you might be a senior overseas but I mean you're not american.. so I don't think it's realistic or respectful to come over here with such high expectations when our country is falling apart at the seams.. read through these boards and look at how many people are now jobless.. just my two cents.

jz441 wrote:You don't need to attend NARS... Your experience will be much appreciated and the railroad which hires you will put you through their school for rules and on the job training.
Good luck...

And after having lived overseas and worked for foreign companies myself, I can attest that most career minded people outside of the US have a much better work ethic and appreciation for the job at hand.

notonedime wrote:you can't come over here demanding 70k a year.

Not that it makes much difference, but $70K converts to about $56K in American dollars.