Working for the Railroad

[creationode]

Although I have a steady and stress free job ATM, I want to make more money, and learn more.<br><br>I applied to the UnionPacific railroad back in 2010, but answered some questions wrong and shot my chance at that time.<br><br>I have put in applications for the train crew position, in three cities, as of Tuesday.<br><br>I have been reading lots of...'horror stories' about railroad work.&nbsp; I am confident these are from people that desire families, local life scenes, and non-physical jobs.<br><br>All of my 12 jobs have been nearly pure physical labor in nasty conditions, with strange hours.&nbsp; I have a feeling I would be very happy to work the 'lifestyle' of a train crew member.<br><br>Has anybody here retired, or worked for, a large Class I railroad in the last ten years?

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

Vantrekker worked for a subcontractor for the railroad, driving the crews.&nbsp; He mentioned on his blog that he just quit after a major cut in hours and a change in management though.

 

[Zil]

Modern railroad job is like a Modern Utility job. Good job with good retirement. Must start young.

 

[RAILROADGREEN]

hey now creationode, i work for&nbsp;union pacific railroad as a conductor; for twenty five long years. twenty&nbsp; of those years&nbsp;i was on 24 hour call !!! i had eight friends kill while on duty as trainmen. it's a dangers job!!! i was almost kill in a train derailment, that&nbsp;end in my retirement. good luck my good man you are going to need it.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;fellow traveler gary

 

[user 423]

My former BIL worked as a waiter for Amtrak after college as he wanted to travel. He hooked up with a co-worker whose family owned a restaurant and learned a lot about the biz. It also was a good way for an ambitious young person to network and he ended up selling real estate in Palm Springs.<br><br>

 

[MisterB]

hey now creationode, i work for&nbsp;union pacific railroad as a conductor; for twenty five long years. twenty&nbsp; of those years&nbsp;i was on 24 hour call !!! i had eight friends kill while on duty as trainmen. it's a dangers job!!! i was almost kill in a train derailment, that&nbsp;end in my retirement. good luck my good man you are going to need it.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;fellow traveler gary

Did you or anyone you know live in an RV while working for the railroad? I was thinking living in an RV would make it easy to transfer to different cities during furlough or other opportunities. That way, one would not need to worry about apartment leases and other long term things when you have a regular apartment or house.

 

[bullfrog]

Be sure you understand the retirement and how it affects Social Security benefits you may have already earned.

 

[steamjam1]

I really hated I.T. Even though it paid well, I left that job, went back to college and on a whim, got a summer job on a short-line as a brass-hat. I remember thinking it's only real attraction to me was it wasn't flipping burgers, or wiping tables. As a child I was too busy watching Dr. Who and Star Trek to have any interest in railroads so I didn't think I'd last long because of how "green" I was. It was just for that summer. After this I thought, Ill graduate college, go join the Peace Corp or something, then I'll come back, and go to art school. Who knows after that......

Well that summer was 11 years ago. I did go back to college, but I never joined the Peace Corp, or go to Art school. Instead I never left that short-line. I'll tell ya: Yes railroading is dangerous, and I've scared myself sh*tless more then a few times. It can be nerve wracking, and really stressful. But it gets into your blood, and these last 11 years have been the best years of my life.

 

[djkeev]

 

[steamjam1]

haha actually when we all party out here we always end up singing this:
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