Anyone here work for the railroad?

[SimmerinLightning]

My best friend's husband works for NS, and he said they are hiring in the area. They both think I am all but guaranteed a job, because I am a veteran and not a moron, felon nor druggie. I think I am unlikely to be hired because I have no related experience, and especially because of my age: I will be 48 soon. I know that no company would ever admit to passing over a candidate because of age, but if anyone here could help with some insight I will be eternally grateful. I will apply anyway but don't want to spend hours sitting by the phone waiting for a call that will never come, so to speak.

I don't think I am too old to WORK for the railroad, just perhaps too old to be HIRED.

[Kent Shootwell]

I did, hired for a pipe fitter job in the round house. I knew how to weld and never needed that on the job. I'm a vet and was 23 years old. In the service I was a air traffic controller. Go for it!

[SimmerinLightning]

I was an electronics technician in the navy and a truck driver in the Army. I would be applying to be a conductor, which according to their little recruiting video involves alot of walking and climbing, and some heavy lifting, all of which I can do. There is, if I correctly recall, a two-month training program.

[Coffinmaker]

I been Working on the Railroad ..... All the live long Day ...... I been Working ...........  no. 

I just wanted to sing.  BUT

I have several friends and acquaintances who worked for and retired from ...... a/the/some Railroad.  All agreed.  When they were hired on, they didn't know squat about the railroad.  The railroads don't expect you to know anything about the railroad.  In today's market, if
you'll just show up regular and stay all day, your a leg up.

What's the worst that can happen??  GO FOR IT!!

Coffinmaker

[Trailrider]

Not sure what kind of conductor they are looking for. Since Amtrak handles all the passenger trains, it must be a freight conductor.  In the old days, before knuckle couplers became mandatory on all the railroads (as last as the 1910's, even though they'd been invented earlier), railroads connected freight cars by link-and-pin coupling.  To lift the free end of the link, a brakeman had to step between the cars and lift the free end of the link so it would line up with the clevis while the engineer backed the train up. Many brakemen lost fingers, hands and even their lives trying to make the connection.    When a man came in for an interview for the brakeman's job, and claimed to have experience, the interviewer would ask to see his hands.  If he had all his fingers, the interviewer knew the prospect was lying about having "experience"!       Just FYI....

[Baltimore Ed]

I worked for Texasgulf Sulfer which became Elf Aquitane which became PCS Phosphate in eastern NC for 40 years. I drove trackmobiles at first and then yard engines, threw switches too. Always enjoyed it, except when the track fell apart and we derailed.

[Chev. William]

I spent a few Years Volunteering at a Operating Rail Museum here in Southern California.  My Work experience was as an Electronics Technician and Associate Electronics Engineer.
I was TRAINED by the Museum in Railroad Operating Rules and Regulations, THEN in actual RR and Street Car operating Techniques and basic Safety Inspections.  I eventually Qualified a s Conductor, Motorman on Street Cars and Brakeman and Hostler on Freight Engines.
My Recommendation is "Go for The Job", You WILL be Trained Before You are allowed To work "on the Job" because of Safety Requirements.
The Days of "On The Job" only Training are Long Gone.  First You classroom Training now!

Best Regards,
Chev. William
   

[Major 2]

I never did ...but I knew a gent that did

He told me of the time he was a Gandy Dancer ....he had a little cadence song , the crew would shove on the... ''huh" aligning the rails.
this was before WW2 .... Mr. Silk  served in the Pacific.... came home to no job or prospects  .... worked as janitor in a movie theatre in his final years.
 

Up and down these rails we'd go
Skipping and dodging the 44's
Hey man won't you line 'um...huh
Hey won't you line 'um...huh
Hey won't you line 'um...huh
Hey won't you line 'um...huh

[Trader Dan]

I think that unless you are not in good health, they cannot discriminate against you because of your age. I got a job as a maintenance tech at age 57. Railroads are tough to get on with but once you are hired, it is tough to get fired.