I am going to take a test and possible interview tomorrow for train service on a class 111 railroad and have a question. I am 56 years young and in your honest opinion, what are my chances--am I wasting my time? I know there is no age discrimination but lets be real! Any info. would be appreciated. I want some feed back from others on this situation. I am very fit and exercise often. Being away from home will not be a problem for me. Am I biting off more than I can chew? Thanks.
I was 52 y/o when I entered student conductor training on the BNSF, I celebrated my 53rd BD while still in class. If you are in good physical condition as you state, you shouldn't have any problem. You will most likely have to brush-up on your study habits and skills for your classroom work. When I wuz in conductor training at N.A.R.S. our instructors told us that they had a guy who wuz 62 y/o in one class. Go for it! CT
My friend I have worked with guys much older than you on the rails.Like everyone says brush up on your studies.Its a great gig and youll love it. Eyes open,ears open and youll do just fine.
Thanks for all the support-- I have been applying to the railroads "especially NS" for a couple of years now and never here from them. I was about to give up when I saw the ad for this class 111 railroad and thought maybe I would have a better shot and they approved my application the same day they received it. I'm just hoping they are not making some kind of quota for interviewing older canadates without any intention on hiring me! Paranoid? maybe a little but thats what happens when you get old.
Hey in this tuff economy take what you can the next guy is worried just as much as you cause you just don't know how companies think these days (do I wanna downsize or do I wanna hire more people). So just like the rest of the guys if you think you can due it then go for it my hats off to you. Remember age is just a number as long as you take care of yourself you should not have any problems that how I see it.
Well, passed my test last week and phone interview. Going to have a face to face interview this Friday. Wish me luck---I just don't under stand the job boards thing. Am I going to have 40 hours of work? This is a small connecting railroad with few employees. Any thoughts?
If your talking about an extra board then you may get more than 40 or less. You are however ( check local listings) getting paid if your not working. The way ours works is you are guaranteed so much per half ( two week period) if you go over the amount then so much the better! Extra boards are all kinds of fun.Youll get called out 15 minutes after going to bed and being 4 times out with nothing showing till the next day ( what happened? Oh the guys in front of you laid off to go drinking or whatever)So off to work you go!Its not bad in this day and age though.If I get 6 starts I get 2 days off, 7 starts gives me 3. 10 hours off now sure beats the old days of 12 on 8 off 12 on again! Good luck with the interview.BTW we jsut hired a 56 year old guy here at my terminal.
Dont try to understand extra boards or train lineups right away. The crew desk has a hard enough time trying to understand them. As Fireball sez on his post you can be 4X out and the next thing you know you get a phone call. One time in Galesburg I tied up and was 11X out. There were no jobs being advertised on the job board. I called crew desk and asked them if what I was hearing was true. I mentioned that I wanted to buzz home for a while. The caller told me "go ahead, go home", that things were slow and no jobs advertised. When I got home I was still 11X out. A few hours later, at bedtime, I decided to call again. I was 2X out!!!!! I had to call in and lay off. There was no way I could possibly get back to Galesburg quick enough to be able to answer a 1 1/2 hr call. That is how quick things can change. On the other hand I have been next out for 48 hours! Go figger! CT
LOL Charlie oh you bring back memories!I was on the hostler extra board 2 months out of class. 5 times out and here is how it went 1800 1801 1802 1803 for the layof times of the guys in front of me! 2359 was my on duty time adn thats cause that gy laid off at 1804! Sighs what a way to learn. You dolearn it as it goes. Just wrap your head around the rules most of all.ask people who know whats going on.Sometimes its old heads, other times it can be the new guys. Like 3rd shift hostlers who have nothing to do but play around on the computer and figure out the work rules:tb-biggrin:
Thanks all for the replies. I can't under stand being beat up on a phone interview for 30 minutes-- now you have to go through the whole thing in person! Hope they ask the same questions as the phone interview. They also e-mailed a lot of forms to fill out and bring a long. Background check and financial release forms. Guess I'm ready!@!
Got a job offer pending drug and background check. Once every thing gets back to them they will give me a start date. The physical was very thorough and thanks again for all the support.
Great Frank! Work Safely and remember you're out there to make money, not friends. You can't and dont have to be buddies with everybody, just be able to work with them. They all want to go home from work in one piece just like you do. CT
Congratulations, Frank ! Though most of the anecdotes here seem to be based on working for bigger companies (I'm guessing SWP or AVRR or their parent co.). You won't likely have "away-from-home" issues, and such benefits as "Guarantee" $ and minimum weekly earnings may or may not be in effect for a non-union local outfit. Mostly , you should be OK - small companies don't usually hire unless they expect to use you - that means plenty of time to gain knowledge, learn the railroad way of doing things, and get paid for what most of us spend big $$$ to do. All the best. Bob C.
