For the most part, going to stay out of this. Railroad life is much harder than many think. It's more of a life style. I started from a grandfather who put in 47 yrs. I could only muster 40 yrs. So he bested me. The hours haven't changed much, at least for officers, 30 yrs of mine was supervisor. Changes have occurred, although, from many many different causes. Lots that you would not want to hear. It would start a fire fight. Bill Jackson
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Pete People used to ask me, " As much as you know about railroads and as much as you like them, why don't or why didn't you go to work on one"? I would tell them that was the answer! Being in a railroad family and otherwise, I knew about railroads and thought if I went to work for one, I wouldn't like them anymore. Studying them has been my lifes work and I still love railroads, railroading and railroaders. I have had people say, "You like trains?". But I would answer, "No, I like RAILROADS"! John
Well said Dr. S....whoever you are
I often think of exactly those things which you reiterated....In my own case, even though I had completed my active duty military service...(6 months in the Transportation Corps...no combat or "troop duty"...but enuf to know what military life was like). At age 24 I was an Assistant Traimmaster at El REno OK on the Rock Island...subject to the Militaristic attitude of most "old head" railroad officers at that time and subject to being "chewed out" at the drop of a hat for anything and everything that had gone one. It was n'tnew to me since I had been around railroads from back to as early as I can remember and knew what I was getting into...
However out of the numerous young men...no women at that time...who started the "Training Program"..;.by the time a couple of years had gone by most had departed for greener pastures...The Miliary like atmosphere plus the wierd...not to say very very long hours were more than what had been bargained for......
As far as "giving the railroads a shot"....I quote here someone whose name I have long since forgotten..."You don't TRY the railroad business....It TRIES YOU".
Today's railroaders don't have a clue as to how the railroad business was 50 years ago...You think it's hard now....and indeed the hours are still wierd and long. But the officers work under a "relaxed dress code" and have time off similar to what most industries have...In the "old days"..railroad officers functioned with no scheduled "time off"...At the RI it wasn't until D.B. Jenks came along in the late fifties that officers got 2 days a month OFF. Shortly after I arrived in 1959 that was extended to 3 days off a month. That's not 3 days a month AND WEEKENDS...It was 3 days period..The rest of the grind was 24/7 every day of the month...including Sundays, Holidays, Birthdays.
I'm really surprised that any member of the present generation would even consider the railroad business (operating dept).
Pete.....living in the past and loving it.
-----Original Message-----
From: dr strangelove < kaiserwillieii0815@yahoo.com>
To: CBQ < CBQ@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Mon, Aug 27, 2012 4:45 am
Subject: Re: Fwd: [CBQ] Fwd: Away from home accomodations/was Fire Insurance
I know I am an outsider, and I probably have no right to post anything about anything in here, but there was a mention of the Raiilroads becoming militaristic.
I have been going through a LOT of job fairs, ect set up for veterans. There is a magazine out there called GI JOBS and it is set up for employers to meet up with potential employees, that are veterans.
All the major railroads and Amtrack advertise in this magazine. Big full page ads. The reasons for wanting veterans are many. We are used to working weird hours, we work around heavy machinery and equipment, that we have to do our own preventive maintenance on. We are used to following rules. We have to shoulder a lot of responsibility that people our age wound never even dream of. We are used to traveling. All this at a fairly early age.
The biggest attraction, so I have been told over and over by people who recruit for companies, is that we can pass drug testing. How many 20-30 year old civilians could bring that to the table? IF I was 20 years younger, I would give the railroads a shot.
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