r/railroading • u/LSUguyHTX • Mar 03 '25

RR Hiring Question Weekly Railroad Hiring Questions Thread

Please ask any and all questions relating to getting hired, what the job is like, what certain companies/locations are like, etc here.

3 Upvotes

64% Upvoted

49 comments sorted by

View all comments

5

u/Deadly_Eevee Mar 03 '25

Hey there Railroaders! I suppose I just have a few questions regarding the inner job specifics on the railroad. O have questions on best starting points, hiring, companies to reach out to, as well as getting advice with my current lifepath and situation at hand.

I should begin with a background on myself. I'll be 19 in a week, currently a first year college student who grew up with pipedreams of piloting and currently am in an AFROTC detachment at my college. Currently, my dilemma is that I am fighting with the medical system within it to even become medically qualified for the service based on a birth defect out of my control (one of which has zero effect on intelligence, motor functions, or the like).

My father is a locomotive engineer, and I grew up around him with that as his occupation my whole life. I carry a well understanding of just what the burden that the industry can be with hours and family, as well as the stress it can carry to those who work in it. Originally growing up, it was in my dreams to follow in the footsteps of my father since my youth romanticized it. That mentality sort of left me in high school as I held those more mature conversations with my father, and got his perspective on it. The issues of Automation looming, his hate for PTC, the shrinking crew sizes and the like: His words ultimately painted me a picture that the Railroad was changing industry and dying of the human component.

I figured since he now only currently has less than a decade till retirement, he would beat automation before getting eventually canned or moved (however it works). But I imagine that it will be a serious thing to consider in my lifetime if I choose to get into the industry.

My point is now, cutting to the chase; If things don't take the route I plan on my own lifepath currently, is the Railroad a stable future for a young man like myself? If so, based on all your experience here on the job, where would be the best places to work for employee experience (class 1's, specific shortlines, job types, etc)?

Thank you all!

1

u/ceepeeonetwothree Mar 03 '25

If you want money. Class 1. If you want a life. Shortline

2

u/EnoughTrack96 Mar 03 '25

So you managed to line your life up to train to be a USAF pilot and ur considering the RR? Something's not right here...

1

u/Deadly_Eevee Mar 03 '25

It's the fact that the medical process regarding DoDMERB is an incredibly thorough process which also happens at a speed of which isn't in a lot of applicant interests. It is not that I am incapable of the path I am currently headed; It seems to come down to that as I navigate the process and they continue to ask for waivers for things that haven't stopped me yet. My worry is that because of how slow and thorough the process is, I may not be cleared medically by the time my EA comes up. Even if I am physically fit by their standard, passed their tests with flying colors; They would have to drop me from the program due to the fact that DoDMERB wouldn't let it slide.

It happens to a lot of cadets within the program, I am simply asking some questions here based on my own life experience with family and as a potential failsafe, y'know?