Future Railroad Employees

I am graduating from the Univ. of MN here in civil engineering this year and with the upcoming transit projects hope to get involved in them [both commuter rail and LRT expansion projects are in the works].

I already have done work for Metro Transit Rail Division and if the future rail projects get funding there is expected to be a pretty good need for CE's to get in on the beginning of the Twin Cities rail transit revolution. Some have said if we get hired now we could end up working in rail the rest of our career, that is how much rail transit potential there is here... As both an engineer and a bus commuter and railfan you won't hear me complaining about that!

I think college is something of a tossup. It won't really be beneficial to a RR career such as a switchman, brakeman, conductor, locomotive engineer, carman, signal maintainer, etc. Seniority tends to be everything in these types of jobs, so if one is planning to make a career in one of them the sooner you get a date the better off you'll be in the long run. I'd rather have an extra 4 years of seniority than a an expensive piece of paper hanging uselessly on the wall.

But if you are planning on a career in RR management or technical fields, a college degree is almost mandatory anymore. It would also be nice just to have the degree to fall back on if working in an operating department didn't work out, although I'm not sure how usefull it would actually be if a significant amount of time had passed between the time it was earned and the time you attempted to use it.

It doesn't matter how long it has been since you were in college, a degree will get you more - they look at that resume and see the degree and it won't matter if you've been railroading for 10 years between then. It is easier to get a job with one [and it will pay better], even with a technical school degree, after you give it up railroading or when your body finally revolts after the endless nights in blizzards wrestling brake lines!

M630 wrote:It doesn't matter how long it has been since you were in college, a degree will get you more - they look at that resume and see the degree and it won't matter if you've been railroading for 10 years between then. It is easier to get a job with one [and it will pay better], even with a technical school degree, after you give it up railroading or when your body finally revolts after the endless nights in blizzards wrestling brake lines!

Just out of curiosity, have you put this theory to the test in the real world yet? Because I do know people with virtually useless college degrees. And if you've let 10-15 years lapse between earning that degree and trying use it, you will likely find yourself sorely outdated and non-competitive without some intensive re-education/brushing up. I guess it all depends on what kind of job you are applying for as well, however. But yes, a college degree would be better than nothing for those concerned about their ability to withstand the rigors or railroading.

Delta: M630 is correct, as long as you have that expensive piece of paper as you put it, companies will look at that and respect it. And yes I have known people who have done this, not all with railroading, but went into another industry then after some years have went for the field of their degree. What they usually did was take a class or two (a total of two to four months) just to brush up and that was it. Some even went as far as going back to school completely, got a Masters, then went to their field.

Yes Delta there are some useless degrees (no offense to anyone but a four year degree in music or art history won't get much 99% of the time). That's why in my initial post I stressed that if one were to go to college before going railroading, get something worthwhile.

Remember guys, the railroad is great and fun as a railfan; but as a job, after a while the novelty wears off like anything else, then it becomes what it is: a job. That's the time that the test will come on whether it’s really for you or not. I know guys who are utterly fed up with the job/lifestyle and others that still love it after over 30 years. It’s all a matter of your personal perception.

If all else, if there are any colleges in downtown Boston itself, you MBTA hopefuls might be able to go to college between runs after you hold a steady job Hey don't laugh, its been done (in the midwest) too.

Yes, he is correct to an extent. Just as I am. Like I said it depends on a what kind of job you are trying for and other variables (what that degree is in, where it is from, how long ago it was earned, etc). There are obviously some jobs where a college degree is a virtual necessity just to even be considered. And a college degree rarely looks bad on a job application or resume, but as a railroader I'd still rather have that extra four years of seniority. That alone could make the difference between being forced to work an extra board and being able to hold a regular assignment that would allow you to say, attend college.

And it's certainly not like there are no college degree holders fed up and miserable with their cubicle and office jobs. So that has no bearing on the subject.

I agree that if you are going to go to college you had better be going for something worthwhile. I've told my own kids this and in fact have chosen not to subsidize what were in effect their social experiments. Sorry, no degrees in recreational therapy or social work degrees on my dime.

I plan on working in Mangement.

John

AmtrakFan wrote:I plan on working in Mangement.

John

If for the BNSF then you'll need that degree. All so you can start out earning less than a newhire switchman.

I was like a lot of people in this forum.......... I loved trains growing up and I was fasinated with all Railroad operations!! I turned my whole room into a Train!!! ?I have and still have train sets all over!! My main railroad that I model is NJT for those who dont live in new jersey NJT= New Jersey Transit! I was born into Railroading! Every man in my family has been a locomotive engineer........... it started in 1900 with my great great grand father........ My father took me on his run one day in a P.R.R E-8 I will always remember that!! When I was 21 after 4 years of college I was hired on NJT!! when I was 25 I went to become my lifelong dream....... A locomotive engineer!! Now I work on the ACL( atlantic city line ) and the NJCL!!
I have been with NJT for 17 years now........ I wish everyone the best of luck becoming a Railroad employee

OK I want to get a Degree in Business then my MBA then go work for Amtrak, UP or CN in Mangement. Then hopefully become Amtrak's President. Yes Delta that is my Degree.

John

I've applied at a few colleges (Umass Amherst, Western New England, and Westfield State) and after I graduate I will probably try to hire on CSX.

Hopefull become an Intern here At CP. They have an intern program for High School students.

[quote="MBTA F40PH-2C 1050"]i want to get a degree in civil engineering and then after that hire out with the MBTA or Amtrak[/quote]

hey! thats pretty much what i want to do!! i was also thinking that as soon as i turn 18, in like 2 months, ill apply for a job with Guilford, they have facilities and a sizeable yard here in Nashua.

I want to get on Metro-North as a conductor. I went to college for a year, but for a completely different area of study. I went to John Jay College of Criminal Justice for Police Science. I oriignally wanted to go into the police here, but my schooling got screwed up, and I worked in another area of transportation, and am putting in resumes and applications into Metro-North.
I want to either go up to Conductor or Engineer, either one would be a sweet job

Maybe i'll work for the T...amtrak...move to NY and work for the MTA...there are a lot of job opurtunities in railroading i might consider...