I'm one of those who have had five or six career changes. Started out driving ten wheel trucks delivering cement blocks, later ready mix in Kankakee, IL (60 miles south of Chicago on the IC main. Next was an audio engineer, ran studios and reel and cassette duplication. When they got into trouble, became Audio Visual manager for a contract furnisher, later ran their warehouse and became a project manager. Then sold residential insulation and HVAC until they banned urea-formaldehyde foam. Worked in downtown Chicago for a year running a cassette duplication facility until their closing. Nice part about this was that in spite of a two hour one way commute, 90 minutes of it was on the IC electric lines and I could go from the train to work without going outside! Managed a video rental store and installed early satellite systems until a former vendor put me in touch with a company who needed to start cassette duplication in Chicago. This meant a move, to the northern suburbs, and a house with room in the basement that would suit a layout. Fifteen years later, after building one of the finest facilities of its kind, they dumped me. I'm now the IS (Information Services) manager and purchasing manager for a tool and die shop/metal stamping company. I'm happy as a clam, decent bucks, no politics, I'm needed and respected. About five years to retirement, when we'll be looking for a basement with house on top somewhere south of here. Well, you DID ask.....
Interesting reading. I am a senior administrator at a university in Chicago, in charge of computers and publications in their adult college. I also teach a few courses, mostly computer-related. In fact, I'm proctoring the final exam in one of my courses right now. I am fortunate to commute by rail most days. We have two young children, one of whom is interested in trains, hence the Thomas the Tank focus on the layout, and are in the process of adopting a third.
Hired on as a fireman on the fallen SCL, promoted three years later to the right side and have been in that seat now for 31 years. Have operated everything from 1st gen. units(F-7,E`s, baldwins,alco`s) to today`s 6000 hp ge units. Has been a very interesting job to say the least. Railroading is not the same as it use to be, heads running the mega-companies now are for the most part all business managers pushing paper and don`t have a clue as how to really operate.As quoted above, if this is your choice, get hired early and be prepared for occasional periods of being layed off. This will usually last about two to four years based on the crew demands. Just make sure that you get a job you`ll be happy in for the rest of your life. TO THE REST OF THE GANG. HAVE A G` DAY.
Craig, if you are a straight A High School student I would definitely continue your education and at least do your best to earn a Bachelor's Degree in College. Since you are here in California, you can attend a CSU for a very affordable price (as far as College cost goes), and as stated by another poster, you can probably find some scholarships to make it even cheaper. With a College degree, you will be able to find a good non-railroad job/career that will allow you to have spare time to keep railroading as a hobby (if you work for the Railroad, it will probably take away some of the "fun" and will definitely leave you little spare time). Now that I'm done giving the parent's speech....I'll answer your question: I have worked for Local County Government here in Bakersfield, CA for around 12 years in the Accounting/Clerical field. I have recently received a promotion and changed jobs and departments. I now work for Kern County Child Support Services as an Accounting Supervisor. I supervise a staff of about eight that is responsible for receiving and processing around $250,000 in Child Support payments daily, as well as being responsible for balancing accounts and making daily deposits. The pay of the job isn't the greatest, but the benefits are great and the schedule is M-F 7:30-4:30 which is nice. If you e-mail me, I'll give you details about a little secret that is right over the hill from you where the cost of living is low and you are within 4-5 hours of almost any kind of entertainment and recreation (both railfan and non-railfan) that you will ever need. The only real negative is horrible air quality, but since you live in the LA area, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. It may be somewhere you might think about looking to find work and live on a lot less money than trying to survive in the LA Basin where it requires a $75,000 a year job in order to afford the rent payment, but still be close to home and family. Also, for College, we even have a CSU campus here, in case you wanted to go to school away from home. Good luck with the future, and remember to aim high...
Well I'm currently an IS business analyst, but that could change any day. Welcome to the wonderful world of corporate buyouts and layoffs. Good thing I have my trains to take my mind of it all when I get home.
Craig, Great topic, it's interesting to read what we all do. What a great variety. For me, after 11 years as a junior high (6-8th grade) History teacher, I went to the Seminary and am now a full-time pastor in the Lutheran Church. I serve a medium sized congregation in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. To me this is a lot more than just a "job" or "what I do," it really is a calling. hmm.....think I hear my trains calling.... Jeff Augsburg & Concord R.R. (a fictional shortline in Central Illinois) http://www.pegnsean.net/~revnjeff http://www.newnorth.net/~stmark
Emergency Medical Technician for the last 11 years. Im the Operations Supervisor for a local private ambulance service that operates in the county seat. Volunteer firefighter for the villiage that I live in
I've been in the computer field for 25 years. Currently a computer support tech. Worked for a psychiatric hospital for 19 years until last Sept when they downsized and I lost my job. Been out of work for 5 months and monday will start a new job for a federal loan company as a support tech! I wanted to change careers, but don't know anything else! So, buddy I suggest, as others did, stay in school and continue your education.
Water pump station operator for a small Texas town. Plenty of time to surf the net at work because I work my shifts all by myself. This job has been a dream come true. Before this it was architectural woodwork, then architectural metal work, and everything that had to be done yesterday. I'm hoping to cruise into retirement with this one. Heck I feel semi retired now anyway. About the only stress I get these days, is deciding which new Locomotive will be next on my roster .
This year is my 40th year in a career that began as a 'Electronic Accounting Machine' operator in 1962. Now called "Computer". I could write a book covering the number of computers and program lanquages I've learned and then forgotten. Currently a Senior Systems Analyst for a local Newspaper. Spend most of my working hours 'putting out fires' in computer related problems. Looking forward (few years) to retirement and full time work on my train layout. ....Eddie
I have been a Police Officer for 12 years. Partially thanks to that jerk Osama, I will begin a new job in a week as a Special Agent for a large federal law enforcement agency. I badly wanted this job before 9/11, but now I can't wait to get started. I am just sorry 9/11 had to happen for the hiring process to "speed up." Unfortunately, they are making me leave my railroad-rich St. Louis area for another, umm..., "more vulnerable" location. Will I be able to find "BNSF" stuff on the east coast? Ski
I have been a OVER THE ROAD, EQUIPMENT RELOCATION TECNICIAN specicalizing in 18 wheel, high horsepower, high speed service for the past 25 years. When that white line fever gets into your blood, you never get over it. Sort of like my trains pastime. I have been all over and am now working for a company where I am home every night. Keeps wife VERY happy and I get a lot more train time. If I had it to do all over again I would have hired out on the railroads back in the early '70s. They say that the secret of life is to find something that you really like to do and do it! You will never have to work again. This is very true. Be true to oneself, look out for #1, and by all means have FUN. You want it where? You want WHEN? LOGBOOK?!? What's that officer? MARK
In what seems like only a few years since I graduated from high school (I have my 20-year reunion this summer ) I've been able to enjoy a few careers: I worked four summers (mostly through high school) cutting hay on my father's cattle ranch. Then I worked at Costco Wholesale for six years, with one summer break. Then, after college, I worked as a technical writer for a software company in Portland, OR for two years. One year as a television weathercaster on a small cable station in the Portland area. Nearly four years owning a small hobby store in Central Oregon, in addition to two years operating a layout construction business. Then five years as a weather observer in Southeast Alaska, including 3-1/2 years running another hobby store at the same time. Sounds like I did keep busy! I enjoy my paying job (weather observer) because it allows a lot of time to read, build railroad models, play guitar, or do whatever I want to do. I don't have internet access in my office, because I have to pay for the extra phone line. Still, it's a good job, except when it starts snowing like crazy. Then I actually have to work! I'm hoping that one of these days the hobby and music store will take off, and I can simply work there. It's a lot easier to raise children in a store than it is in a plain office. Pat
I myself worked as a pizza delivery driver to truck driver to grain handler to bomb assebley to the last 8 years as a machine operator in cabinet factory. Stay in school get some collage don't rush the job thing till you have a good education cause I quit in the 11 grade and now wished I'd went and finished high school and did the collage thing.Work will always be out there and with a good education you can get a real good job in the railroad.
I'm a materials and scheduling mamager for a 600 employee manufacturing company. I miss the days in the plant where I could watch trains running outside all day. We're located on a Frisco/BN/BNSF main line through Carrollton TX. A mile from work the same Frisco track crosses an ex-MKT track and an ex-SSW track (now both UP leased to DG&NO), making for some interesting train watching. There's a rip track at this junction with all types of cars and loco's regularly being repaired. It was better in the 70's before all the mergers. On my 50 mile commute home I can stop and watch trains on a KCS line, another UP mainline through Denton TX, and my favorite, the ex-ATSF (now BNSF-Big New Santa Fe) line from Ft.Worth to Gainsville.
My first job was a cannery worker (seasonal)where I earned some money for college. For three summers, when I wasn't attending summer school, I toured with the Continental Singers as a singer in the choir. After getting my BS degree in elementary eduction and my Master's Degree attending summer school over three summers, I taught school for 22 years. After my school was consolidated with another district and an unhappy few months in the new district I resigned. I am happy to say that I never taught another day of school! I now am a package car driver for United Parcel Service where I have worked for 10 years. I have a great job in a largely rural area, so the deliveries are not bad for an old man in BROWN. A few months ago I became eligible for retirement as a former teacher, so I have that income as well as my UPS pay. My model railroad now has the funds to expand big time! In another eight years I will be able to retire again (from UPS) at which time I expect to have a lot of time to spend with my family and railroad.
I also drive one of those "Brown Trucks" that bring you your "Trains". Before that it was 5 1/2 years with the Milwaukee Road as a "Extra Board Agent/Operator". Previous to that , 17 years in the retail Grocery World.
