by Army4772
This is my first post on railroad.net ... I am currently an Officer in the Army with 14 years of service. Therefore I will be eligible to retire in in 6 years (Jan 2024). I have a Master's Degree in Public Administration and a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. I have also done multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. As an officer, I am a planner... So, I have been exploring careers that I can transition to upon my retirement. I am interested in a career with Amtrak as a Passenger Engineer. I am a father of 5 and will be 46 yo when I retire. I plan on retiring in the Wash DC area.
I understand that, if I were to be hired, I would start at the low end of the totem pole (seniority). I also understand that the hours are varied and the schedule is unpredictable. Lastly, I understand that with a large family I will not be able to participate in many activities (sporting events, school events, some holidays, etc) as I begin this new career. Having said that, I have the following questions:
- Is there anything I can do over the next 6 years of my career to increase the likelihood of being hired when I retire (schooling, etc)?
- Will my age be a limiting factor in getting hired?
- What do routes for new hires look like out of the DC Area? While I don't mind an unpredictable schedule, I would rather not be away overnight if possible.
- Do DC routes all initiate out of Union Station? i.e. Would that be where I would start and finish my day?
- What is a reasonable pay range that I can expect during my first 3-5 years? I understand that I will have to take a pay cut, but I am hoping my retirement income will make up the difference (with housing and allowances I currently pull in roughly 120k/yr).
- How long does it take (estimate) before I will able to have a more predictable schedule?
Well, that is probably too much. I understand this post is lengthy and contains many questions. I appreciate those of you who take the time to read it and respond. I know that there is a wealth of experience in this forum and I am hoping to soak up all of it that I can. Thanks for your time.
I understand that, if I were to be hired, I would start at the low end of the totem pole (seniority). I also understand that the hours are varied and the schedule is unpredictable. Lastly, I understand that with a large family I will not be able to participate in many activities (sporting events, school events, some holidays, etc) as I begin this new career. Having said that, I have the following questions:
- Is there anything I can do over the next 6 years of my career to increase the likelihood of being hired when I retire (schooling, etc)?
- Will my age be a limiting factor in getting hired?
- What do routes for new hires look like out of the DC Area? While I don't mind an unpredictable schedule, I would rather not be away overnight if possible.
- Do DC routes all initiate out of Union Station? i.e. Would that be where I would start and finish my day?
- What is a reasonable pay range that I can expect during my first 3-5 years? I understand that I will have to take a pay cut, but I am hoping my retirement income will make up the difference (with housing and allowances I currently pull in roughly 120k/yr).
- How long does it take (estimate) before I will able to have a more predictable schedule?
Well, that is probably too much. I understand this post is lengthy and contains many questions. I appreciate those of you who take the time to read it and respond. I know that there is a wealth of experience in this forum and I am hoping to soak up all of it that I can. Thanks for your time.
Last edited by Army4772 on Thu May 11, 2017 12:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.