I may change careers, need opinions

JeepRR wrote:Get yourself a management trainee position with the bnsf. Stay in the office. Better hours. And you won't have to slave to make a living.

Slave? I find that offensive. Anyone can get a job in management. It takes dedication to work a railroad job in T&E, track dept, signal dept ect..... I was never a slave. If that's the way you look at it I'd hate to work under you if you're BNSF management. I retired from CSX most of those in local management that hired off the street were dealing with ulcers, depression ect...from having to be nothing more than "go-fers" for division HQ & JAX. Actually those of us working railroad jobs you consider "slaves" make more than management hired off the street. Sounds like you're not railroad material. It's not a job it's a lifestyle.

I agree with COEN77.

I've worked "both sides of the desk."

There is no excuse for either management or labor to feel like they are being treated as slaves.

I have always been guided by the adage "This ain't the ole plantation."

Les

Even if management is your goal, make sure you hire into a craft first. You will have more control over your destiny with the company than if you hire from the street directly into management.

You need to think about the fact that guy's who were hired in 74,76 and a few years after, like me, are the one's who hold most jobs close to home. Not all, but most. Unless you get
extremely lucky you'll be on a traveling track gang that stays gone 4 days with 3 off or 8 on with a set amount of days off. Probably for about 5 to 7 years would be my guess depending
on where you're at. Just my take on it.