railroad jobs

ok, i have been reading the forums here and i have a question. Where would i get a railraod degree? from the school ADMG? Right now i am at UMASS Dartmouth and i plan on getting a major in something, not sure right now, i am here as a back up plan if the railroad fails for me in the future. so the question i still have is :


Where would i get a railraod degree? from the school ADMG?

Son, I don't hardly think there IS a degree in railroadin'.....I been studyin' it since I was a young 'un, took courses in spike-poundin', power assembly changin', computer in-puttin, power braking, switch-throwing, grade crossing signal monthly inspectin', trainmaster-irritating, certified-letter-inviting-me-to-the-investigation hearing opening, handbrake winding, brake shoe changing, number grabbing, waybill making, and a whole bunch of other courses. I've been yelled at, cussed out, argued with, threatened with death by a drunken conductor, written up, taken out of service, investigated and even fired. Hell, my first job we got little stamps like what you'd put on a letter, to stick in our books to show we'd paid that month's union dues.

After all that I still consider myself a student because I learn something each day I go to work. Each place you work there's a different way of doing something, some new thing you say "Wow, never thought of THAT!" Years ago International Correspondence Schools offered courses in everything from signal maintainer to locomotive fireman (never did that, I'm not THAT old) but I think they're long gone by now.

I don't know if anybody actually offers degrees, but remember about them degrees anyway:

You start with a BS, and you know what that is!
Then you get a MS, and that's "More of the Same"
Finally you get a PhD, and that's "Piled Higher and Deeper"

Lesson one - stay safe!

Unless you're planning on a fast track to a management job, don't worry about school. The railroads will teach you what you need to know. If having a degree is important to you, some RRs will give you assistance, provided your new knowledge is useful to them. Other than that, I agree with Aji-tater...the class times are a b*tch and you never know what kind of mood your instructor will be in, but you'll be a certified (and certifiable) railroader before you know it.

Here's where you can get your degree.

http://www.uprr.com/employment/rrdegree.shtml

A Partial Listing of Educational Institutions Offering or Intending to Offer the Degree

California Sacramento City College, Sacramento
Georgia Clayton State College, Morrow
Kansas Johnson County Community College, Overland Park*
Nebraska Western Nebraska Community College, Alliance*
Pennsylvania Community College of Philadelphia, Philadelphia

Quebec, Canada Cegep Andre-Laurendeau, Lasalle
La Commission Scolaire, 8700 Boulevard Champlain, Lasalle

Tennessee Pellissippi State Technical College, Knoxville*
Texas St. Philip's College – Southwest Campus, San Antonio
Tarrant County College, Fort Worth

*has obtained preliminary certification

A Brief Overview
The railroad industry, recognizing the need to begin training at the college level to prepare employees for the challenging careers available in railroading, has worked with a number of community colleges to develop an associate's degree in railroad operations. This two-year degree is intended to give the student a general knowledge of the railroad industry and its history, and prepare the participant to apply for an entry-level postion in the field. Several of the sites listed above give a more detailed description of the degree and the specific courses involved.

I think you only need the RR degree (Associates) if you lack the 1 year minimum job experience (in any career) to apply for a RR like UP.

I don't think UPRR typically hires 18 year olds without work experience. So the Assoc. Degree would be one alternative to meeting the 1 year work experience requirement.

and the longer you wait to hire-out, the more you may need another career to fall back on because many others will get ahead of you seniority wise.

I agree with basicly everything that has been said above.
I would like to add:
While having an applicable degree is one good way of launching a railroad career, it is NOT the ONLY way.
Over thirty years ago, my parents insisted that I do college BEFORE beginning my RR career, stating that it would give me more options and also make me more promotable int management positions.
I think their motive was that going to college would give me four years to grow out of my urge to become a railroader, and that I would fianlly get a respectable clean fingernailed office job!
I obediently entered college (HATED IT) and turned 18 a few weeks later and soon declared independence.
Nine months later, the powers that be on PENN CENTRAL took mercy upon me and hired this experienceless 18 year old. That was 32 1/2 years ago and I have never regretted it.
Many of my co-workers WITH college degrees and scant seniority will attest that when you're getting bumped out of your terminal and having to mark up at some point 150 miles away, that degree yo have in abstract theories about dead langauges (or whatever) doesn't do you, or the hungry mouths you're trying to support, any good.

jesus, lol, this is what i tired to tell my mother, that a degree wouldn't help, but then she kept giving me the scenario that "WHAT IF in 30 years you want a diff. job and you can't get it because it doesn't say college on it? I WANT to go to the RR, but then i think about the future, and she is right is some way, cause i wouldn't want to be stcuk there, but i kept saying that i will be in the RR for the rest of my life and that it would work out for me. Iwant to start work for CSX, but im goin to see how this year of college goes for me thanks for the advice everyone

The way things are going, you could own a local in your area within a few years.

MBTA F-40 1050:
I attempted to respond to your next to last post, but accidentally hit the wrong button posted it as a new thread. Please look under the thread:
"RR JOB vs, COLLEGE", or something of that sort.
Sorry

MBTA F-40 1050:
Here's the post I referred to just above, it's for you:
You sound EXACTLY like me 33 years ago !
It seems like EVERY mother wants their precious son to be a Supreme Court Justice, or "my son, the Doctor".
Very few know how to brag about "My son, the Conductor on a Beacon Park to Selkirk job"!
When you find yourself heading up Charlton Hill in the left hand (or right hand) seat of a brace of SD-70MACS, with your unused college degree dancing around in your mind, REMEMBER that your co-worker may be in the same position as you!
My guess is that if you are on the railroad 30 years (let alone 10) you will probably NOT want to find yourself a job as a yuppie.
There are less than one half million of US, there are more that 249 1/2 million of THEM in this country. The nation doesn't need any MORE of THEM !

That was very well stated their---buddie!


Nashvillie Newbie

MBTA 1050 - If it's "in your blood", don't let anybody steer you away. Not everybody loves railroad work, and some guys hate it. But if you DO want to do this more than any other career, why not do it? The world is full of people in every occupation who can't stand their jobs - why take 4 years to get a degree, take a job you hate, and wonder every time you see a train what might have been.

I'd probably rather be a retired billionaire, but as long as I have to work at something I'll stay in railroading. Naturally there are days I wish I didn't have to work that particular day, but overall I would not be happy doing anything else.

You can always turn your parents' logic around - if you work for the railroad 4 years and don't like it, you can always quit, take a "paper or plastic?" job, and go to college then. You'd probably be more focused in that case anyway because you would not be spending your time wishing you were on the railroad.

Follow your dream - don't live your life for someone else's sake. You can read here about some of the negative things - if you still want it, go for it.

BR&P:
WELL PUT !
My sentiments exactly.
I could not have put it any better.
MBTA F-40 1050:
Pay heed to the above post written by BR&P.
Truer and more applicable words were never spoken!