NARS - National Academy of Railroad Sciences

[Great Northern]

as a national academy of railroad sciences conductor training program graduate, would I get an advantage of getting on with a shortline or regional railroad, also which railroad would you recommend working for in the midwest, hopefully kansas or illinois.
and after about 2 years of employment, would i get an advantage on a class one railroad, not that i am going to do this, but just in case i want a railroad change from shortline to class 1?

[gp80mac]

http://railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=69721

Read my reply in that thread.

[slchub]

Well, it's been over 6 weeks since our Buddy started class with the promise of an update back in January. With him having had enough time to complete the course and have the possibility of an interview with a carrier, you would think he would have gotten back with us and provided the details so that others may learn from his experience as he asked of us.

I wonder if we'll ever get an update?

[Great Northern]

I was looking into the national academy of railroad sciences and the johnson county community college, in which NARS offers a certificate and JCCC offers a degree, and I was looking into the degree program(CONDUCTOR) and was wondering which you would recommend, degree or certificate.
by the way, I want real answers this time, I dont want answers saying NARS is a waste of time, I want a real honest opinion rather than a bad answer telling me the same thing over and over again that its a waste of time, since no matter what you say, I am still going to go there!

[wmaburnett]

I have a certificate from a different community college in railroad conductor and currently work for BNSF as a conductor, if all you want to do is be a conductor or engineer with a railroad then just get the certificate. I asked after I was hired if it had any effect on my employment and they said that my rairoad training had no effect on me getting a job with the railroad it was my past expirience, BUT what I did find helpful about the school and happy I did go to it is it made the railroad paid training very easy, I had more time to focus on the acual job then the bookwork.

[FinalDestination]

Hey guys, I am sorry I havn't got back to you in quite some time. I ended up leaving on the 3rd day as I was offered interviews with two different railroads back at home for conductor. The school was very reluctant giving any money back but did end up recieving an 85% refund. So Iost about $1000. All well. Let me get back to you guys tomorrow as I am very buisy tonight. And I promise to get back to you this time.

Great Northern, were you in the last class? we prob met lol.

[Great Northern]

I am currrently in high school and I am not doing so well, since I really only have 1 F and all the rest are C's and D's, Maybe B's and it would be rare if I were to get an A, and was wondering if anyone knows whether or not the national academy of railroad sciences really cares about your grades or not since they are a trade school (i think) and by the way i plan on taking the conductor training program(certificate)

[Gilbert B Norman]

Gredes DO matter, Mr. Great Northern.

Even if the "Vo-Tech" school you desire to attend, or any road on which you choose to seek employment, cannot put to use knowledge you gained from reading "Pride and Prejudice', good grades in English Lit represent a measurement of "sticktoitedness'. This means an applicant can demonstrate "when the going gets tough, the tough get going'.

You seek employment in an industry not exactly known, outside of the railfan community, for its glamour. Too much of railroading is being out there on the ground in the Yard on Third Trick with a 0dg temp. A railfan can say, "chuck this - lets get a "pic" (that seems to be newspeak for a photo) of the Zephyr", but when you are doing this stuff for a living, that is not an option.

So best advice - get those grades up!

[KCRailRoader]

I don't know too much about NARS. I was hired out of Lincoln, NE in 2007 without going to NARS. I have been on furlough since 12/08 and took a truck driving job where I go to JC Penneys everyday. JC Pennys is located right next to the NARS field training area. I have seen over these last 15 months of furlough about 5 or 6 classes out there training and can tell you at this point with fair certainty that not one of them have a job in the rail industry. Unless they went to a short line like Watco Ind. or something like that. I am currently 60 on the furlough list and that changes between 55 and 80. Doesn't look like i'll be going back to work anytime soon. I live in KC but had to go back to Lincoln those last few weeks just to keep working. In my opinion, if you have the money and the time to do it now and can hold out for a job, then go for it. But if you are expecting to get a job shortly after you finish NARS, that's not going to happen.

[Komachi]

More expert advice to be had in the Employment Forum...

[gp80mac]

I was looking into the national academy of railroad sciences and the johnson county community college, in which NARS offers a certificate and JCCC offers a degree, and I was looking into the degree program(CONDUCTOR) and was wondering which you would recommend, degree or certificate.
by the way, I want real answers this time, I dont want answers saying NARS is a waste of time, I want a real honest opinion rather than a bad answer telling me the same thing over and over again that its a waste of time, since no matter what you say, I am still going to go there!

Why would anyone waste money on a program when you can hire DIRECTLY with a class-1 and get paid to train?

Makes no sense to me.

[matawanaberdeen]

I'd have agree with gp80mac. I have been trying to get any type of RR job known to mankind for over a year now but this talk of going to school or NARS just makes no sense to me. All the big RR,at least [Amtrak,NJT,SEPTA,MTA,CSX,UP,NS,BNSF and many more I'm missing] #1 have there own training programs and #2 do not care if you went to NARS,they are still going to make you go through their own training program fully. Why would anyone waste their time with this stuff? I simply don't get all the discussion about these RR schools. JC

[jz441]

I have been trying to get any type of RR job known to mankind for over a year now but this talk of going to school or NARS just makes no sense to me. All the big RR,at least [Amtrak,NJT,SEPTA,MTA,CSX,UP,NS,BNSF and many more I'm missing] #1 have there own training programs and #2 do not care if you went to NARS

JC,

I have to correct you on this... NARS is ran by BNSF and they do hire students who excel and score high on their finals. I didn't attend NARS, but I do work with a handful of folks who got hired by BNSF through NARS.

[SooLineRob]

Regarding NARS...

See their website at:

http://www.railroadtraining.com/about.html

JC,

I have to correct you on this... NARS is ran by BNSF and they do hire students who excel and score high on their finals. I didn't attend NARS, but I do work with a handful of folks who got hired by BNSF through NARS.

Jz441,

While BNSF (and BN prior) has a strong presence at NARS (JCCC), I'm curious to know one thing:

Who employs the classroom instructors at NARS?

NARS's website implies all instructors are railroad employees; which begs the question who pays them, BNSF of JCCC?

[rwallace2fan1]

While BNSF (and BN prior) has a strong presence at NARS (JCCC), I'm curious to know one thing:

Who employs the classroom instructors at NARS?

NARS's website implies all instructors are railroad employees; which begs the question who pays them, BNSF of JCCC?

Back in 2006, all of my instructors were employees of BNSF. They were engineers or conductors.