# will Amtrak ever employ me i am trying to get into this industry



## Bryant (Jan 3, 2013)

Howdy yall i don't know if this is the right thread for this but since this is ask anything of Amtrak i need help.

I need to know because i keep on applying to Amtrak for Employment and they haven't called and emailed me yet about interviews because now i am getting worried. You see this is an industry i want to be in does anybody that currently works for Amtrak knows how long does it take for applying to an interview to employment?

and also i been applying so much for Train Attendants and Railroad Conductors i want to get in the foot of the door with Amtrak but nobody is responding to me about employment i keep waiting and waiting.

i have posted a great resume and a great cover letter and i said positive things about it but still no call or email, i had one interview and that was in april of 2012 and i thought i passed it but it turns out i wasn't accepted which made me upset for it was for a train attendant position from Miami which i currently live in Miami, Florida.

i don't mind where the position is i can relocate where the position is at i am well prepared for it please is there anybody that can help me with this i am an honest hard worker that needs a future i know this was in my introduction post but i really want to work for Amtrak? please anybody outthere help me i am currently 26 years old.


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## Brystar41 (Jan 3, 2013)

by the way Bryant is Brylove7, Bryant happens to be my real name i forgot i wasn't signed on and i used it as a guest my apalougises.


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## Devil's Advocate (Jan 3, 2013)

If this thread is any indication you might want to work on your grammar before filling out another application.


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## greatcats (Jan 3, 2013)

Bryant- I am not being snide, but you really need to work on your writing skills. You seem like an earnest person, but I think the railroad these days is looking for people who are articulate. Good luck.


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## cirdan (Jan 3, 2013)

Brylove7, don't let the others here discourage you.

Most people on this forum are not Amtrak employees but just railfans or people taking a broader interest in Amtrak. I guess that none here know anthing about hiring decisons.

If you think Amtrak owes you a response, try calling them up. But don't pester them too much as you don't want to make yourself a bad name there.

Also, ask people who might have some experience with these things to look at your cover letter and CV and possibly make suggestions. It's not always about what you say but also how you say it. Maybe a slightly different choice of words, saying essentially the same thing, can have a totally different impact. Try to put yourself in the position of the person who will open your letter. That person may have 200 similar letters on their desk, and it may be a split-second decison which will be binned and which will be considered further. So make sure the important things stand out the most. You should really taylor both CV and cover letter to the specific job you're interested in to show why you are ideally focussed and suited to that particular job. The attitude "I'll do anything as long as I can work for you" might actually be counter-productive as it doesn't show any special attunement to any particular job. So work on that.

Just because your friends say your CV is good doesn't mean you can't make it better. Ask them to be more critical. Ask more people. Ask people with experience. Remember that some people will be polite and say its good even if it isn't. Press them to be honest.

More than anything, don't be discouraged. Don't give up or give in because you fail the first time, or the second or the third. Keep your eyes on your goal and keep a positive attitude and you will get there. Believe in yourself. Don't let any naysayers tell you anything else.

Good Luck and All the best.


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## VentureForth (Jan 3, 2013)

Hi Bryant,

I'm not trying to be a naysayer, but please receive this advice in the helpful spirit in which it is given.

First, I agree with Cirdan. Invest in peer review of your cover letter and resume. They can always be improved. You certainly have a passion. That is good. And I am not really concerned about your cover letter or resume. After all, you did get an interview once.

So that leaves me with that interview. If you were not offered a position after an interview, you need to start reviewing what happened.

You only get one chance to make a first impression. That's exactly what happened with the first couple of responses to your original post. I'm afraid that could have been an issue in the interview. Let's assume that you went into the interview like you started this thread. Full of energy and hope but missing experience and not bring mindful of your presence - in other words not thinking about how others perceive you. That can be a deal breaker. Unfortunately, you have been rejected once - for whatever reason. Posture? Clothing? Body odor? Non stop talking in run on sentences?

The reality is that there are more people competing for fewer jobs these days. You must be impeccable in your application, your cover letter AND in your appearance and behavior at your interview. Know what you want and CLAIM IT.

I recommend waiting a year before re-applying. Not only may this be a requirement, but it will give the HR folks time to forget why they refused you. Take the time to ride the train and get to know some of the attendants. Maybe one could be a reference for you in the future.

Finally, perhaps try getting on at CSX, FEC or Tri Rail to begin building RR experience.

Don't give up. But take a little time out and try to determine what you didn't have going for you at the last interview.

Good Luck!


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## greatcats (Jan 3, 2013)

Well put, Cirdan. I wish this young man well. A new SCA I met on the Capitol recently was what appeared to be the type of individual to which I referred.


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## SarahZ (Jan 3, 2013)

I second the suggestion to have a professional review your cover letter and resume. I say this as a former hiring professional, not as just another forum junkie. 

You sound like an earnest, intelligent young man, and enthusiasm is a definite plus. So, without any judgement, I simply recommend having someone help polish your resume and cover letter. I have a BA in English, and I _still_ have 1-2 people review my cover letters and resumes before submission. Everyone should do this, period. Even the best writers omit the occasional word or misuse a comma, and sometimes my friend or former supervisor comes up with a better way to phrase something.

If you don't get a call, please don't take it personally. Sometimes, a business is inundated with applications and simply cannot call everyone in for an interview. Often, they will start filtering by education, experience, and how well the cover letter is written. I would often receive over 75 applications for one position, and even though 30 of those people would have been perfect, I could only interview 10. It was a tough line to draw, and I had empathy for those who didn't make the cut. I also didn't have time to contact each and every person who applied to let them know we wouldn't be calling for an interview, even though I wanted to. Eventually, I started sending form letters as a compromise, but not every company does this.


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## Devil's Advocate (Jan 3, 2013)

Enough with the kid gloves. Brylove7’s writing is absolutely atrocious . If all it takes to discourage an applicant is to point out the blindly obvious then they are quite simply not ready for the job. I've been on both sides of the hiring desk and since I can't learn everything there is to know about you in the short time I have to interview you I'm going to judge your abilities on whatever you give me. If your writing or your speech is haphazard and sloppy I'm going to assume that your education level is low and your work ethic is questionable. It's as simple as that.


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## Guest (Jan 3, 2013)

We don't know that the OP's cover letters haven't been given more preparation than a quick couple of questions posted on this forum. Obviously the posting here was not well composed. However, that doesn't mean we can't give some encouragement and constructive criticism.

There's nothing wrong with asking an experienced friend or relative for help and there are also many resume/career coaches out there available for a fee. Taking an English composition course at a local college can also be of great benefit since once you get an interview, you will be asked to speak as well as your cover letter.

The job market is not good these days and there are many people applying for every job. The advice I'd give is to make sure you have all of the requirements and education stated in the job description. If you don't have it, get it through experience with another job or college coursework.	Remember that many applicants for these jobs will have college degrees. Look at jobs with your local transportation authorities or another job which will give you customer service and/or cash handling experience such as with other travel companies -- rental cars, hotels, etc.

I wouldn't waste your time applying for a job outside of the area where you live, especially for a TA or Conductor position. They will be getting plenty of local applications and won't need to contact you and arrange for your travel for an interview.

I also advise against trying to contact HR by phone. They are flooded with applications and if you don't hear anything, it's safe to assume that they are looking at other candidates. All they will tell you is that "we are pursuing other candidates that more closely fit our needs at this time" and won't be thrilled to take the time to do this.

Increase your networking if you can. Things are so competitive in this very poor job market. Knowing someone on the inside always helps.


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## SarahZ (Jan 3, 2013)

Texas Sunset said:


> Enough with the kid gloves. Brylove7’s writing is absolutely atrocious . If all it takes to discourage an applicant is to point out the blindly obvious then they are quite simply not ready for the job. I've been on both sides of the hiring desk and since I can't learn everything there is to know about you in the short time I have to interview you I'm going to judge your abilities on whatever you give me. If your writing or your speech is haphazard and sloppy I'm going to assume that your education level is low and your work ethic is questionable. It's as simple as that.


Many people tend to be more lax on the internet compared to professional situations. Sure, they should still use capitalization, punctuation, and proper grammar, but I don't expect the level of writing I'd expect in a CV. As long as I don't have to decipher it and my eyes aren't bleeding from lack of paragraphs, I tend to be a lot more forgiving when I read forum posts. *I* make sure to write properly, since I'd be embarrassed if I didn't, but I'm still a lot more relaxed than I am when writing something professionally.

My point is: this may not be the way he writes professionally.


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## VentureForth (Jan 3, 2013)

Bryant said:


> i have posted a great resume and a great cover letter and i said positive things about it but still no call or email, *i had one interview and that was in april of 2012 and i thought i passed it* but it turns out i wasn't accepted which made me upset for it was for a train attendant position from Miami which i currently live in Miami, Florida.


Folks - are you missing this line? The cover letter and the resume don't seem to be the issue as the OP was granted an interview. Once passed over after an interview, it is VERY difficult to get that opportunity again.

Again, my advise stands. Wait a year. Try to get on another rail job in the Miami area - there should be several opportunities between Tri-Rail, CSX and FEC - perhaps even the new train to Orlando. Ride the train. Get to know other attendants. Maybe get them to offer you advise or, even better, a referral.

One point about your enthusiasm. I have heard this over and over again. If you go into an interview as a foamer, you will be dismissed. High energy as a foamer is NOT a desired quality for getting a job with Amtrak. They can perceive that as being an overzealous train nut who wants to run their full-scale model trainset. However, KNOWLEDGE is something entirely different. Explain and understand the need for customer service, revenue management, passenger needs (ie: medical, disabilities, etc), the need for punctuality, operations, etc. That will impress an interviewer. Not, "I love trains so much and want to ride them every day!"


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## cirdan (Jan 3, 2013)

Texas Sunset said:


> Enough with the kid gloves. Brylove7’s writing is absolutely atrocious . If all it takes to discourage an applicant is to point out the blindly obvious then they are quite simply not ready for the job. I've been on both sides of the hiring desk and since I can't learn everything there is to know about you in the short time I have to interview you I'm going to judge your abilities on whatever you give me. If your writing or your speech is haphazard and sloppy I'm going to assume that your education level is low and your work ethic is questionable. It's as simple as that.


The OP came here seeking advice and support, and to shoe him (or her) away with a sneering "you haven't got a chance, you'll never get anywhere" is both being extremely discouraging and simply untrue. We are an internet community, not the interviewing panel. Therefore we shouldn't act on their behalf, or pretend to be one. We have been asked to help and that means we should build on what is good rather than to seize on what is bad. I have also been on both sides of the interviewing table and I have hired people who were far from perfect in their self-presentation but who were obviously making a huge effort and had potential and were willing to learn and be mentored. I never regretted hiring them. In fact the only person who I ever regretted hiring was also the only one who had a really perfect CV, but it turned out he was so good at presenting himself that he was no good at anything else.

But let that not be an omen here.


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## Guest (Jan 3, 2013)

Bryant said:


> I need to know because i keep on applying to Amtrak for Employment and they haven't called and emailed me yet about interviews because now i am getting worried. You see this is an industry i want to be in does anybody that currently works for Amtrak knows how long does it take for applying to an interview to employment?


I am sure that Amtrak, like most major employers, don't bother to respond to most unsolicited job applications they receive. They get just too many.

It might be upsetting to accept, but no response means you have been rejected. There will be no interview.


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## pennyk (Jan 3, 2013)

Texas Sunset said:


> Enough with the kid gloves. Brylove7’s writing is absolutely atrocious . If all it takes to discourage an applicant is to point out the blindly obvious then they are quite simply not ready for the job. I've been on both sides of the hiring desk and since I can't learn everything there is to know about you in the short time I have to interview you I'm going to judge your abilities on whatever you give me. If your writing or your speech is haphazard and sloppy I'm going to assume that your education level is low and your work ethic is questionable. It's as simple as that.


WOW


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## the_traveler (Jan 3, 2013)

[AU member speaking]

I fully agree with other member's advice have been to the OP. I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors.

[Moderator speaking]

Texas Sunset - Please be civil and do not discourage this applicant. I'm sure that you have even wrote something like "B4" on the Internet or while texting (I know I have) instead of "before", but would never do so on a résumé or in a cover letter.


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## Shanghai (Jan 3, 2013)

Good Luck, Bryant. Keep Charging!!


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## pennyk (Jan 3, 2013)

Shanghai said:


> Good Luck, Bryant. Keep Charging!!


Ditto.


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## jsreeves (Jan 3, 2013)

If you are on Facebook, you might try Amtrak's page.

Also, I know there are several Amtrak employees on the "Amtrak's Empire Builder" Facebook group...you might ask them for some pointers.

If it's what you really want to do, you'll find a way!


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## Brystar41 (Jan 3, 2013)

thank you everybody yeah i am trying my best i was in the art institute before and i was in a community college before as well.

Currently right now i am working as a Asset Protection in a Retail store named BJ's and also i am a volunteer at a Railroad Museum called the Gold Coast Railroad Museum i am hoping that these will give me more of a push for me to get hired.

i know what yall mean that i have to come in as a professional and thats what i did or at least i think, i mentioned positive things i mentioned that to be able to serve passengers better, anyways would it be better if i send my CV and resume here?

also i am thinking that if i have to attend a Railroad Academy there is one i been thinking of attending is called Modoc Railroad Academy and its being relocated to Marion Illinois and i been thinking maybe attending the Railroad Academy will get more more of a headsup to be accepted for Amtrak?


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## Brystar41 (Jan 3, 2013)

so what i have to do is make my resume and cover letter better, also be more professional ok i get it i understand what you mean about the whole crazy about trains thing yeah safety is number one and thats what i can focus on saying as well as passenger needs like someone from this thread has pointed out.

i am going to make these improvements and i am not giving up i am going after my goals, like the phoenix i will rise again.


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## RRrich (Jan 3, 2013)

Someone here accuses most of us of being Foamers who act as if all AM things are wonderful. Maybe that is why Amtrak does not want to hire foamers.

Recently I met a fine youngster via some writing samples. Granted in the High School I retired from I was not supposed to teach English but neither was anyone else - now its called Communication Arts and one can tell the difference. This youngster and his High School did not meet the mark - I can't tell who dropped the ball but someone did.

I disapprove of encouraging unreasonable aspirations but after folks here made it very clear that he was being judged by his writing skills there was no improvement. What does that indicate?


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## Brystar41 (Jan 3, 2013)

so you mean to say there is no hope for me there is no goals anymore? i will not have a future with amtrak? i am doing everything in my power to get into this industry?

heck i even applied to several freight RR's like CSX, Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern and BNSF but still i got rejected by them saying i am not qualified.

thats why i been thinking of a Railroad Academy maybe if i attend an academy maybe it can work does anybody knows if this will be possible?


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## rusty spike (Jan 3, 2013)

Not knowing your skillsets or related experience, my first suggestion would be to make sure you are really a fit for the Amtrak position(s) for which you are applying. Job search in the 21st century is a whole new ballgame. Companies usually do not have the resources to respond to applicants who have not been accepted. You said you did have an interview in April 2012. Was your interview a 'hiring" interview or a "screening" interview? More than likely, it was the latter. In the hiring process these days, applicants are sitting for 2 and sometimes 3 interviews, even for "entry-level" positions.

Rather than trying to go through the front door, try networking through professional websites like linkedin.com and others. This forum is mainly for railfans and Amtrak advocates, more than Amtrak employees. Find out where on the internet Amtrak employees hang out.

I know this has already been mentioned, but make sure your cover letter/resume are impeccable and that they address the requrements of the job opening. If they do not, then you are trying to drive a "square" peg into a "round" hole. Experience and the correct skillset are key in this job market.

Also you might look beyond Amtrak if you like customer service in the travel/transportation industry, such as cruise lines, other rail passenger services, even (God forbid) the airline industry. Once you can list related experience on your resume, you will stand out from the crowd. Remember, Amtrak is a customer service company; they really do not care about your passion for trains.

Good luck. You have the right attitude. Keep at it!


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## boxcar479 (Jan 3, 2013)

Don't give up!! Ever! As others have said if you want it bad enough, you will find a way. One way to get in and around the railroad industry is to go to work for one of the companies that transport RR employs, like when they time out, and they have to have someone pick them up and take them to the hotel where they rest until they can go back on duty. Also they need people to shuttle them around the yards to and from trains. These companies usually do not pay the best, and usually have alot of turnover(making it easy to get a job for these comp.)but if you like hanging around trains and train crews this job could work for you, until you get enough information on how to go to work for an actual RR. Around here in Ft. Worth area BNSF and UP are the main RR's. The companies they use are Renzenberger Inc. (they shuttle Amtrak crews too). and Railcrew Xpress. I am sure there are other companies in your area, but I'm not the one looking for a job. Go get 'em tiger! Good Luck


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## Brystar41 (Jan 3, 2013)

i understand i have to keep my passion as a minium thank yall for the great tips i am taking full consideration for it, it felt more like a screening interview because i was called and there were four employees high rank mind you all interviewing me.

i was wearing a suit since i thought suits are very professional and i am aware that i have to focus on customer needs and safety and i understand that my passion for the trains will not be showning i will have to hide it, i will think of it like another company i am working for will that work?

also is the airline industry that bad, i know they are going thru a rough patch but i mean in customer service wise?

so even though i go to a Railroad museum to volunteer it won't cut it?

also boxcar you bring a great idea i didn't know Amtrak provides transport for its workers i thought they would have to get a cab or the local bus transport to get to the hotels?

oh and if your talking about experience i have experience with Retail and the Resturant industry, but if i want to go into Travel and Transportation which is alot of companies Amtrak included then by all means i will do that to get my resume more points.

i am sorry if i am sounding like i am repeating myself or am i?


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## D.P. Roberts (Jan 3, 2013)

It sounds to me like you're asking whether you're qualified for the position. That's a question for which you should already know the answer if you're applying for work - for any job. You really need to find out what Amtrak's looking for - the basic qualifications necessary to do the job, and the more advanced skills that they'll _really_ be looking for in the ideal candidate.

If you've already applied for the job before and at least had a screening interview, chances are you've at least been able to look at the job description. Do you really have the basic skills? If not, there's probably no chance you'll get a second call. If you have the basic skills, then it's time to figure out how to make yourself into the ideal candidate for the position.

As others have mentioned, check out sources like LinkedIn, or local career sources (which can be great places to have your resume and career goals reviewed - most cities or counties have some kind of job department that can help you with this stuff). Talk to any Amtrak employee you can find. Offer to buy them lunch or something if they'll chat with you or e-mail you about how they got the job and what the interviewers were looking for.


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## Brystar41 (Jan 3, 2013)

i knew of one Amtrak employee i met when i was going home on the communter rail tri rail he said he works in the sleeper cars so i talked to him that how can i get into Amtrak and he gave me his phone number and email and maybe thats what worked for my interview, but i haven't seen of him again i got to get back to contact him.

although is that the only way does it also depends on the history of the reference as well someone told me about that.

also does it matter about race and ethics because i don't know if Amtrak hires anybody from any culture and background or is it very limited?

i don't know if i am asking a stupid question its just i am curious about it


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## Devil's Advocate (Jan 3, 2013)

the_traveler said:


> [Moderator speaking]
> 
> Texas Sunset - Please be civil and do not discourage this applicant. I'm sure that you have even wrote something like "B4" on the Internet or while texting (I know I have) instead of "before", but would never do so on a résumé or in a cover letter.


I'm not trying to *dis*courage the applicant from applying so much as I'm trying to *en*courage him to write proper English. If you are so certain that I have ever intentionally written anything like "B4" then by all means search it out and post a link to it.


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## the_traveler (Jan 3, 2013)

The idea of working for other railroads first is a good idea.

I worked for a commuter airline. That experience let me to apply and get interviewed by Eastern Airlines. In fact, my numerous interviews got me to the final 3 for the job.

So go after your dreams and good luck!


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## Brystar41 (Jan 4, 2013)

hmmm yeah thats what i am doing i recently applied for the MTA Long Island Railroad as an Assitant conductor which is rare that position comes up with the New York City MTA.

hmm about airlines i remember i did applied for various airlines like Delta, Virgin America but none have called me as well.

i am trying but i won't give up on this and i know most are tired of this i am sorry if i am annoying a whole mess of people.


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## rusty spike (Jan 4, 2013)

Brylove7 said:


> also is the airline industry that bad, i know they are going thru a rough patch but i mean in customer service wise?


No, it would be great customer service experience. But talking about the airline industry here is like discussing football on a baseball forum. 

edited for typo.


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## Brystar41 (Jan 4, 2013)

true your right i like that analogy anyways yall right i need to improve myself and thats what i am going to work on.


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## D.P. Roberts (Jan 4, 2013)

Texas Sunset said:


> the_traveler said:
> 
> 
> > [Moderator speaking]
> ...


I believe the moderator's point was not that you have actually posted in such a matter, but rather that this forum is not a resume. You may appreciate a certain type of writing, and being able to write in a professional manner is helpful in _some_ fields. I would echo the moderator's comment that you have made your point; to emphasize it further is to strain the limits of civility.


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## Swadian Hardcore (Jan 4, 2013)

Maybe you need to go to college, or at least improve your writing skills. You just don't seem very professional. And if they say you're unqualified you probably need to read through the requirements and find out what you need to do.


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## Brystar41 (Jan 4, 2013)

Thats why i been saying maybe i need to attend a Railroad academy maybe with that it can help me like most conductors have to be certified right and the academy when i complete it they will give me a certifcation saying i am certified to be a Railroad conductor.

is the Railroad academy one of the ways can it work?


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## Swadian Hardcore (Jan 4, 2013)

Brylove7 said:


> Thats why i been saying maybe i need to attend a Railroad academy maybe with that it can help me like most conductors have to be certified right and the academy when i complete it they will give me a certifcation saying i am certified to be a Railroad conductor.
> 
> is the Railroad academy one of the ways can it work?


Um, if you want to be a conductor, I _think _you need to go to a Technical School, not a railroad academy. And after some time as a conductor, you can get promoted to an engineer for better pay. Note that conductors and engineers are part of the operating crew, which get changed throughout the trip, compared to the service crew like train attendants who stay with the train all the way. I'm sure some others can add more information.


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## Brystar41 (Jan 4, 2013)

ohhh so conductors get changed around, i thought Railroad academies were like technical schools?

so Modoc and NARS are not Technical schools? which specilizes on Railroads, is anybody familar with Modoc and NARS?


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## Swadian Hardcore (Jan 4, 2013)

Brylove7 said:


> ohhh so conductors get changed around, i thought Railroad academies were like technical schools?
> 
> so Modoc and NARS are not Technical schools? which specilizes on Railroads, is anybody familar with Modoc and NARS?


I don't know about that, I don't work on a train.


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## Alexandria Nick (Jan 4, 2013)

the_traveler said:


> The idea of working for other railroads first is a good idea.
> 
> I worked for a commuter airline. That experience let me to apply and get interviewed by Eastern Airlines. In fact, my numerous interviews got me to the final 3 for the job.
> 
> So go after your dreams and good luck!


On the other side of the coin, starting somewhere else or even getting to know people that do the job you want can help you, but in a way you might not think.

Here's a story from my life:

Growing up, I wanted nothing more than to be a Naval Aviator. I thought it would be the coolest job ever. And I didn't want to be a fighter pilot. Specifically wanted to fly S-3 Viking. My dad, a Navy man himself, discouraged it, saying I wouldn't enjoy the lifestyle. College came and all that. Had no ambition to go to Annapolis and didn't really consider ROTC. Figured I'd do OCS when the time came. By pure chance, I befriended someone who was in NROTC (a prior enlist too) who was gunning to be an NA when she was done with school. I couldn't pass vision for being a pilot but could be a flight officer. Debated on it, but I decided to not go the NFO route and stay a civilian. I've stayed in touch with my pilot friend after college. She's been a pilot for six years now and I've learned one thing: I'm so glad I didn't join the Navy. Living vicariously through her has shown me that what I thought could be an awesome career has way more dark, lousy parts than silver linings. Yeah she gets to fly a big monster airplane and that's awesome. But you spend twp weeks stuck on some island in the middle of nowhere because you had a mechanical failure and have to wait for a crew and parts to arrive.

What I'm saying is find some way to get a taste of something that big before you commit to it and discover its not what you expected or hoped it would be.


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## Texan Eagle (Jan 4, 2013)

Brylove7 said:


> true *your* right i like that analogy


Bryant, I would have not nitpicked on this if it was one-off but I read all your responses and you have done this in at least four different places so let me point this out to you- please understand and realize that *your* and *you're* are different words with different meanings. Please use to learn them correctly. This is one mistake too many youngsters in this country are making with all the texting and chatting fad but remember things like these can easily tick off a potential recruiter from seriously considering you for the job.

Remember the difference-

*You're *looking for a job.

*Your* English needs improvement.

Now, talking from the viewpoint of someone who is almost your age and has spent months trying to secure his first job out of college, I can give you a few words of advice- jobs are not easy to find these days. Harsh truth. Accept it. Just a good resume and applying randomly to all companies is not going to cut it. I applied to no less than fifty companies of my interest through their online job sites and got *zero* interview calls. The resumes are most of the times not even seen. The way to make your resume seen is to send it across through an internal route. Find someone in Amtrak or commuter railroads who can probably put in a referral for you. If not, go to LinkedIn, make a good profile for yourself, search for HR people of the companies you are interested in, and introduce yourself to them. Don't let the first line be "I am looking for a job". Make it subtle. Talk about your interest, then ask if they'd like to see your Resume and take it from there.

One more thing- it would not be a bad idea to start small. You mentioned applying to Amtrak, CSX, Delta, Virgin America. These are huge companies that get thousands of applications. Find smaller companies and apply to them first. Maybe Miami or Orlando's local transit or Tri-Rail commuter rail, or small regional airlines. Once you are in the industry, it is much easier to jump to bigger ones rather than trying to jump directly out of college.

Good luck with your search!


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## cirdan (Jan 4, 2013)

Brylove7 said:


> so even though i go to a Railroad museum to volunteer it won't cut it?


I'd say it depends how you present that.

So maybe if you can expand on that along the lines of that you also have or developed peoples skills there (maybe you did guided tours, provided information to visitors or even staffed a working train) then that is a plus.

If you mostly hung out with other foamers and counted rivets, I'd keep that bit to myself.

But no matter what you do, good luck and don't give up.


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## tallguy (Jan 4, 2013)

Unfortunately Amtrak tends to hire people who have relatives and friends already on board first, especially now in this bad economy.


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## Ryan (Jan 4, 2013)

Texas Sunset said:


> the_traveler said:
> 
> 
> > [Moderator speaking]
> ...


Found one.


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## June the Coach Rider (Jan 4, 2013)

As with any job, Amtrak jobs are tough to obtain. Too many people, not enough jobs.

One idea I had, is there a metro area train or subway in your area, maybe take baby steps and hook up with a tour train somewhere first or a local entertainment train somewhere. Would give you the experience and people skills that are possibly what Amtrak is looking for.

I wish you good luck in your dream.


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## VentureForth (Jan 4, 2013)

Hi again, Bryant.

If you can afford a railroad academy, by all means go for it. But successful completion does not guarantee a job. In my opinion, it is too specialized, and if you don't get a job, it's expensive knowledge.

You say you are trying to improve yourself. Start here, in your writing.

When I graduated from college, I worked for a mouse for three years making less than $7/hr. A friend helped me get into engineering (aircraft design, not driving trains) and I've been doing that for over 15 years now.

As for your question about racial profiling, here is my answer. Amtrak is one of the most diverse companies I've seen. I have seen just about every ethnicity in both genders, religious beliefs, and even some with disabilities represented. Amtrak is truly America's railroad.

So let not your heart be troubled. Hang in there. Work hard. Read a lot. Forums like this, websites about hiring, websites about the industry, maybe even get a couple books on Amtrak's history from the library.

Don't give up. Times are tough for everyone. Make yourself more desirable than the rest of them.


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## jsreeves (Jan 4, 2013)

Here is a link to an older thread on the subject that may offer further enlightenment.

http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/37580-train-service-attendant/


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## Brystar41 (Jan 4, 2013)

hmm start something small, maybe Disney world they have trains that i can work with?

or maybe will a CDL help for the Railroads?

i understand times are really tough and its true but i am not giving up.


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## Trogdor (Jan 4, 2013)

I'm not familiar with railroad academies (in fact, I'd never heard of such a thing until this thread), but I really don't see going to one helping your Amtrak resume.

Amtrak employees in all jobs come from a wide variety of backgrounds, and while I can't guarantee that none have gone to a railroad academy before working in a railroad job, I don't personally know any who have.

When Amtrak hires new employees as conductors or OBS, Amtrak sends them through their own training program. For OBS, your job is customer service that just so happens to be on a train. For conductors, there are so many different rule books, equipment types, signal systems, etc. that one might have to be qualified on (not to mention the customer service side of things) that there's no way that an independent school somewhere would be able to teach it all.

Also, as a word of caution, I don't know exactly how the Amtrak HR system works, but at a previous job where I worked (not Amtrak), I had to go through applicantions to hire people on my staff. Because of the way my prior company's system worked at the time, when I received an application, it gave me a list of every job that person had applied for with the company. I actually used that to help sift out serious candidates for my job vs. those who just appeared to be desparate to get some job, any job within the company (it was obvious that some had just gone through and applied for every job on the website, from janitor all the way up to general manager positions of large departments within the company, so the likelihood that they actually wanted and were qualified for the position I was hiring was quite low).

Just based on how you titled this thread, it appears that you fall into this latter category. Sometimes, that can work against you.

Best advice I can give is to be patient, and build up a wide range of skills (including communication). Don't worry about having railroading skills. Amtrak will train you on anything they need you to know about the railroad.


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## Shortline (Jan 4, 2013)

There are several RR acadamy's and RR College Programs, you mentioned a few of them, MODOC, and NARS are probably the best known. CSX also works with a few colleges around the country that they do direct hire from, as does NS. They are essentially the initial training program for the RR's, that don't require the RR's to pay for your training, and they can select from the best of the class. Long story short, with these programs, you pay (a lot) for training that the RRs will pay YOU to go to, if hired through their normal channels, but it's definetely a way in the door. While it is expensive, it's a foot in the door, and it shows commitment. That said, it's NOT a guarntee of a job, but I hear they do have a large percentage of students placed with a RR, maybe not the Class 1 they primarily train and contract for, but with someone, maybe a regional or shortline RR. Going to the freight RR's and transitioning over to Amtrak in Train or Engine Service is always an option at some point, and seems to be hit and miss, whether they prefer to hire off the street, or from the freight RR's. When hiring in Engine service, at one point their website criteria listed a Class 1 license as a requirement to hire directly into Train Service. Now I understand that may not be the case, but I do know that Class 1 experience is a big leg up on the competition.


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## VentureForth (Jan 4, 2013)

Brylove7 said:


> hmm start something small, maybe Disney world they have trains that i can work with?
> 
> or maybe will a CDL help for the Railroads?
> 
> i understand times are really tough and its true but i am not giving up.


If you can afford a part time job at Disney (or, if you're really lucky and can land a full time job), working either in the train operations at the Magic Kingdom or working on the Monorail system will be a tremendous benefit. They will not pay much, but if Disney does anything well, it's training for customer service.

Now, the jobs that I just mentioned are "dream jobs" and they are rare to come up and lots of folks want them. It may be easier getting a full time job with Amtrak than trying to get on part time at Disney!

Again, check with FEC and All Aboard Florida. Might be a great time to get in on the ground floor of something truly revolutionary.


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## Devil's Advocate (Jan 4, 2013)

Disney customer service employees are trained through a contract with Ritz Carlton. Ritz Carlton staff are some of the best customer facing service employees I've ever encountered. They're almost universally focused on calm and attentive service with an air of understated sophistication. The Disney version is a lot more casual and upbeat, but it's still based on similar fundamentals of avoiding unnecessary confrontation and allowing the customer to request whatever they want without losing face. Like any other business there are limits to what can be provided, but the focus is on finding a compromise rather than focusing on finding a way to rule out any solution at all as we often see here. It's just about the exact opposite of my experiences with some of Amtrak's Chicago staff that actually seem to actively seek out confrontation with their own customers. I have no idea what the OP truly wants or what he's truly capable of, but I do think Amtrak customer service levels could greatly benefit from taking a page or two out of the Ritz Carlton playbook.


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## pennyk (Jan 4, 2013)

VentureForth said:


> Brylove7 said:
> 
> 
> > hmm start something small, maybe Disney world they have trains that i can work with?
> ...


What about TriRail since he lives in South Florida? All Aboard Florida might not be hiring for a while. SunRail in Central Florida is still under construction.

A caveat about grammar. I am of the age where I studied grammar in junior high school and high school. Although my grammar is far from perfect, it is much better than that of my younger sister, who was only 3 years behind me in school. At least in Florida, I think schools stopped teaching grammar in 1970. I rarely read anything written by people, including attorneys, younger than I, that does not contain grammatical errors.


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## TimePeace (Jan 4, 2013)

Brylove:

In the basic written skills department: I suggest you take course somewhere, very soon. Community college adult education classes, for example. Even in this rural area such classes are offered frequently and are not expensive.

For a start, you _must_ begin the first word of each sentence with a capital letter. This is basic. The lack of capitals stands out like a sore thumb in all your posts. Also, look up how to write in complete sentences. This is important.

Perfect grammar is rare, certainly in my case. But basic good writing skills are very important. No matter what you find for a job to apply for, better writing skills will be a big help.

I wish you well.


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## NW cannonball (Jan 5, 2013)

Maine Rider said:


> Brylove:
> 
> In the basic written skills department: I suggest you take course somewhere, very soon. Community college adult education classes, for example. Even in this rural area such classes are offered frequently and are not expensive.
> 
> ...


I also wish you well.

As it happens I am a past master of English (American) spelling and syntax. So many job applicants can't spell or write their own language. I'm working on Japanese now (There are very many railroad jobs in Japan - but I'm not going to apply for any of them.)

*If *I remember correctly a long time ago Amtrak hired temporary employees sometimes in the summertime. When the people with seniority got time off and the passenger load was at the peak.

Perhaps that doesn't happen now -- but it is a possibility to get a foot in the door so to speak.

The one person I know and remember getting hired on Amtrak as a temp worked the Texas Eagle - it was long while ago.

He decided Med school was more important and has been working that business for a couple of decades. Now he works with people (not _passengers _as such, but similar "must work with any person who can pay the fare")

*IF *you have the people skills you need to get hired, that will be totally obvious to the hiring people. *IF *you don't have those basic skills, you will not likely be an Amtrak worker nor a doctor MD either.

What happens with Amtrak employees and with MD people a decade after the qualify and are hired -- might be a problem for the customer.

But the few _total_ loser job applicants I remember were those who couldn't find their way to the interview and followed up with some sob story e-mail about how they couldn't find the inner city university parking ramp with the map we always sent them. Like "I didn't show up for the interview because I got lost on the freeway and couldn't find the exit" Doohh.

*IF *you can show your "people skills" and proven ability to learn a lot of technical skills quickly, in this job market, you may have a 1 in 5 chance of an interview -- more or less. That's how it *is *right now.


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## crescent2 (Jan 5, 2013)

As several others have suggested, I'd like to also strongly encourage you to work on improving your language skills. I have seen no improvement here despite many posts about that factor. There seem to be some language as well as grammar difficulties, and I'm wondering if English was your first language. Whether it was or not, if needed, please consider investing in an adult education or community college course. Your inability to express yourself clearly and well will likely be an impediment to getting a good job anywhere. Good communication skills are a must in any job requiring contact with the public. Habits are hard to break, and I would also encourage you to begin to practice your best language skills every time you communicate.

I say this not to discourage you, but to encourage you in your efforts. You obtained one interview, so that is a good sign. Continue to build on the strengths you obviously have as well as working to improve your weak areas.

Best wishes to you for success!


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## Swadian Hardcore (Jan 5, 2013)

Seriously, there is something getting annoying. Even though many people have pointed out that you need to improve your writing, you still aren't improving your writing. Start from basics like that. We all make mistakes, but at least pay some attention to the matter.


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## Trogdor (Jan 5, 2013)

Swadian Hardcore said:


> Seriously, there is something getting annoying. Even though many people have pointed out that you need to improve your writing, you still aren't imnmproving your writing. Start from basics like that. We all make mistakes, but at least pay some attention to the matter.


I nominate this for post of the year.


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## crescent2 (Jan 5, 2013)

The OP has difficulties in communication that go far beyond a simple typo. In all seriousness, his language skills need vast improvement, which is what many posts here are trying to get across to him. There are other helpful suggestions as well from AU friends on how to obtain needed skills and experience.

I wish him success, and I hope he's my TA someday!


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## roomette (Jan 5, 2013)

I'd nominate this entire thread as the "judgmental prigs" topic of the century.

I can not remember the last time an Amtrak employee composed a written message to me.

I think it is more important how an Amtrak employee speaks to me.

Criticism of your written communication skills will likely be more severe than your spoken words.

Brylove, let us HEAR from you! https://soundcloud.com/ Record a message for us.


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## crescent2 (Jan 5, 2013)

I for one am not trying to be judgmental, but offering what I believe to be good advice on ways to help him obtain the career of his choice. Maybe it's the teacher in me, but his language (not just simple grammar or writing) skills are lacking and likely to impede his success. It goes beyond capitals and punctuation; he does not express himself clearly or well.

Most of my posts involve asking a zillion and one questions about train travel. I rarely chime in with my opinions on this forum, but after seeing absolutely no improvement, I had to wonder if the capability of better communication was actually there. If not, he needs to work on resolving that problem. I do think it makes obtaining his goals much more difficult, fairly or not. I know other posts had addressed the issue, but honestly, they didn't seem to be "sinking in." My post was done in an effort to help the OP, not to be judgmental.


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## roomette (Jan 5, 2013)

I've understood every one of his posts.


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## crescent2 (Jan 5, 2013)

Yes, but they are not expressed as well as any of the others here. Surely you can at least consider the idea that his difficulty in expressing himself might be a hindrance to obtaining his goal of getting a job that involves communicating with the public on a regular basis. That's what matters. He will be largely competing against those with average or better communication skills. I believe improving his language skills will be a great help in obtaining his goals. That's all I'm suggesting.


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## roomette (Jan 5, 2013)

I don't disagree. But, the relentless criticism and unhappiness that there has been no improvement is tedious and unproductive.


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## jsreeves (Jan 5, 2013)

His communications skills (or lack thereof) were pointed out in the first response.

To do so repeatedly is not doing him any good.


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## crescent2 (Jan 5, 2013)

Well, I'm hoping it will be productive! That's the point.

I think you and I, and probably all the others, are trying to accomplish the same thing and all wish the OP well. I'm going to leave it at that.


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## Alexandria Nick (Jan 5, 2013)

Is Amtrak hit with the same hiring freeze that the rest of the government is dealing with?


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## the_traveler (Jan 5, 2013)

Not really. Amtrak is a quasi-Government entity, much like the US Post Office. Amtrak is actually a private corporation controlled by Congress for funding.

And to Bryant, I'm sure we all wish you well. The advice that keeps showing up (to improve your writing and communication skills and to get some additional training) is meant to help and encourage you, not to put you down. And written communication is not always the same as verbal communication. I write better online vs when I speak.

I am actually very shy and quiet, and I hardly talk much in any group above 3 people.


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## pennyk (Jan 5, 2013)

the_traveler said:


> I am actually very shy and quiet, and I hardly talk much in any group above 3 people.


....and on-line, no one can shut you up. :giggle:

Whereas, no one can shut me up in person.


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## Brystar41 (Jan 6, 2013)

I know the grammer thing is getting annoying, i am sorry i am deeply sorry for this.

I usually type when i speak but this isn't how i type for an Resume or a Cover letter, so i am working to make the revisions you guys told me to do. i have to be professional about this, i have to make it much more presentable.

Is this the better writing that yall wanted? you see i am using periods commas and such. Another thing i want to add is it ok if i post my resume and cover letter to any of you please?


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## greatcats (Jan 6, 2013)

Bryant! This is Greatcats, the #2 responder. Your original post turned into an English debate on a train forum. Quite remarkable! Please see the private message I am going to send you. Eric


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## crescent2 (Jan 6, 2013)

Yes, you are making progress!  Keep working on practicing those good habits.

I would probably do an acceptable job of catching spelling and grammar errors, but I would not be a good choice to critique your cover letter and resume. I retired last summer and had worked with the same employer for 25 years. I have no idea what constitutes a good resume and cover letter today. You could no doubt give me lessons on that. Someone here can probably help you, though.

Best wishes and hang in there!


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## roomette (Jan 6, 2013)

crescent2 said:


> I have no idea what constitutes a good resume and cover letter today.


It's not uncommon today to include a video presentation, where in you introduce yourself with a smile and your "Elevator Pitch".

Head on over to

!


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## Alexandria Nick (Jan 6, 2013)

the_traveler said:


> Not really. Amtrak is a quasi-Government entity, much like the US Post Office. Amtrak is actually a private corporation controlled by Congress for funding.


I didn't know if that, given its so heavily reliant on government money, if Amtrak had been forced to implement a de facto hiring freeze. Unlike the de jure hiring freeze elsewhere.

I'd advise anyone (ANYONE) looking for a job to read as much as you can about job searching here: askamanager.org The stuff she says is spot on. And, for someone like me, I took her advice to heart because she works in HR in Northern Virginia, which is where I was looking for work. Read everything she has to say about resumes and cover letters. Not that I'm giving 100% credit to her advice, but...I applied for something like 90 jobs over the span of a year and got exactly one interview. After getting dumped and kicked out by the girlfriend, I stepped up my game. In the process, I found that blog and studied it. I implemented changes to the resume and cover letter, based on what I read there. Applications 91 and 92 resulted two interviews. #91 was for the job I have now. I'm pretty convinced at the quality of the advice she gives.


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## Exiled in Express (Jan 6, 2013)

I applied for a non transportation position last year, notification after confirmation of submission seems to only go out if Amtrak show a further interest in you. Not really the most personal but as the application process is entirely online, I can imagine it can't be too hard for an over eager applicant or staffing company to blast hundreds or thousands of barely qualified applications at them.


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## Brystar41 (Jan 6, 2013)

Also i been thinking since someone on here said that Amtrak is customer service i been thinking doesn't my current job qualifies as that because i do help out customers when they are needed.

For example there are old people i help out to get into their electric carts to go out to shop and i always try to help, if they need it though, so case in point i do work in a job environment similar to Amtrak not in a moving train but in a retail store.

Does this help my way into Amtrak since i already serve a customer service job?


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## TimePeace (Jan 6, 2013)

Brylove please begin to use a capital "I" when you refer to yourself. I am sorry to seem nit-picky, but when you state that you are working on your writing skills and want to know if it seems any better, those small i's just jump out at me. Again, it's basic stuff anyone should know in elementary school.

If you don't write that way on resumes, why do it here? How hard can it be?

Best to you.


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## GG-1 (Jan 6, 2013)

Aloha

Have you considered what you will/want to due if for some reason Amtrak unemployment. I mean, God Forbid, the politico's kill Amtrak


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## AlanB (Jan 6, 2013)

Alexandria Nick said:


> the_traveler said:
> 
> 
> > Not really. Amtrak is a quasi-Government entity, much like the US Post Office. Amtrak is actually a private corporation controlled by Congress for funding.
> ...


Only 31% of Amtrak's funding comes from the Fed.


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## the_traveler (Jan 6, 2013)

I agree with GG-1. You also need to have a backup plan, especially in this economy. As I said previously, I had interviews with Eastern Airlines and was one of the final 3 to be considered for the position. Luckily I did not get it, because within 1 year Eastern Airlines ceased operations! If I was hired, I would have been without a job 1,500 miles from home.


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## boxcar479 (Jan 6, 2013)

The reason I suggested one of the RR transportation companies, and yes ALL major RR's use them, is because it will get you in and around the RR employees who know what entry positions are available, and as stated before having a name to drop, or having your name dropped in the right place could be insurmountable in moving your career in the RR industry forward. These jobs are fairly easy to get and will put you right next to engineers,conductors, switchtenders, car repairmen, trainmasters, and dispatchers. Then you are free to "pump" them for helpful information. If you show as much zeal to them as you have showed us, you will have a good chance of breaking in to the industry


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## Devil's Advocate (Jan 7, 2013)

Brylove7 said:


> I know the grammer thing is getting annoying, i am sorry i am deeply sorry for this. I usually type when i speak but this isn't how i type for an Resume or a Cover letter, so i am working to make the revisions you guys told me to do. i have to be professional about this, i have to make it much more presentable. Is this the better writing that yall wanted? you see i am using periods commas and such. Another thing i want to add is it ok if i post my resume and cover letter to any of you please?


It's not annoying so much as it's hilarious. The longer this thread continues the more amusing it becomes. I guess you really can fool some of the people all of the time.


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## battalion51 (Jan 7, 2013)

Thinking through this as an employer I can tell you that if you got to an interview you did something right on the front end, you got past the initial sniff test. So, it doesn't seem to me that your resume or cover letter are the issue, it was the interview. There are a countless series of things that could have gone wrong there which have been covered (appearance, smell, speech, etc.).

I think the biggest thing though is that while trains seem to be a passion for you, that isn't what you want to show in the interview, in fact don't mention it if at all possible. What you want to show is that you enjoy working with people, and want to make a difference in people's lives.

I've been in hotels for six years now, when I walk into an interview I don't talk about how much I love hotels, and that I love the decor, and all that. Do I have that geek moment in my head? Totally. But, what the employer wants to hear is that I have skills that are applicable to their operation, and that I will be a value added member of their team. You want to bring something to the table that helps the business. A passion for trains helps the business in a museum setting or historical society. A passion for safety and customer service helps in operating a passenger railroad.


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## Brystar41 (Jan 8, 2013)

Battalion51: Thank you i thought about that too i was dressed in a suit that day and i was nervous because of the fact it was my first interview with a Railroad Company, but your right i have to be more careful in what i am going to say, i know i will be getting another interview soon i recently applied to a couple of more places like Denver, Colorado, which i hear Denver has a Beautiful Union Station, it will be even more Grander and bigger with the upcoming Fastracks project, the future Xpresswest services, and the Future Frontrange High Speed Rail.

I don't mind where i apply to, i will pack my bags when they call me or give me an email i am waiting for them, and your right i will keep my passion for trains in the back mind, but the Safety and Customer service is what i will talk about more often to the employers.


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## cirdan (Jan 8, 2013)

Brylove7 said:


> Battalion51: Thank you i thought about that too i was dressed in a suit that day and i was nervous because of the fact it was my first interview with a Railroad Company, but your right i have to be more careful in what i am going to say, i know i will be getting another interview soon i recently applied to a couple of more places like Denver, Colorado, which i hear Denver has a Beautiful Union Station, it will be even more Grander and bigger with the upcoming Fastracks project, the future Xpresswest services, and the Future Frontrange High Speed Rail.
> 
> I don't mind where i apply to, i will pack my bags when they call me or give me an email i am waiting for them, and your right i will keep my passion for trains in the back mind, but the Safety and Customer service is what i will talk about more often to the employers.


Good idea, and sorry if I'm stating the obvious here, but think about some things to say that will impress them rather making it sound as though you are saying that because you think that's why they want to hear. So if for example they ask whether you can be more specific about your passion for service, you can then maybe recount some espcially good incidents that you experienced in your life and that impressed you. They don't necessarily have to be Amtrak related but if they are they might feel flattered.


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## haolerider (Jan 8, 2013)

Brylove7 said:


> Battalion51: Thank you i thought about that too i was dressed in a suit that day and i was nervous because of the fact it was my first interview with a Railroad Company, but your right i have to be more careful in what i am going to say, i know i will be getting another interview soon i recently applied to a couple of more places like Denver, Colorado, which i hear Denver has a Beautiful Union Station, it will be even more Grander and bigger with the upcoming Fastracks project, the future Xpresswest services, and the Future Frontrange High Speed Rail.
> 
> I don't mind where i apply to, i will pack my bags when they call me or give me an email i am waiting for them, and your right i will keep my passion for trains in the back mind, but the Safety and Customer service is what i will talk about more often to the employers.


I hope your verbal presentation is better than your written presentation. Having said that, be prepared to answer questions such as: "Tell me about a time you provided great customer service."......"Tell me about a time you experienced poor customer service and how did you react?". "Tell me about how you would react to observing a fellow employee doing something against the rules."

I cannot emphasize enough how much you do not want to identify yourself as a railroad fan or someone fascinated by trains. Amtrak

wants employees focused on customer service, reliability, honesty and people willing to live with the long periods of time away from

home. Good luck!


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## _Apple_For_Teacher (Jan 8, 2013)

haolerider said:


> Brylove7 said:
> 
> 
> > Battalion51: Thank you i thought about that too i was dressed in a suit that day and i was nervous because of the fact it was my first interview with a Railroad Company, but your right i have to be more careful in what i am going to say, i know i will be getting another interview soon i recently applied to a couple of more places like Denver, Colorado, which i hear Denver has a Beautiful Union Station, it will be even more Grander and bigger with the upcoming Fastracks project, the future Xpresswest services, and the Future Frontrange High Speed Rail.
> ...


Interesting spacing technique, haolerider. Makes me curious to hear YOUR verbal presentation.

Both Brylove7 and haolerider's posts appear to employ poor copy and paste skills.

Good luck to both of you!


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## AmtrakBlue (Jan 8, 2013)

_Apple_For_Teacher said:


> haolerider said:
> 
> 
> > Brylove7 said:
> ...


I suspect the spacing thing was a computer glitch, not his putting CR's in the wrong places.


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## D.P. Roberts (Jan 8, 2013)

Have any of you considered that the writing skills required for your chosen field are not necessarily required to be an attendant for Amtrak? Perhaps you're creating a benchmark for Brylove7 that doesn't need to be reached.

I, too, have done a lot of hiring in the customer service field. However, writing skills were not something we looked for. Is an Amtrak attendant or conductor going to have to write a letter to a customer, or a press release? No. At best, they probably have to fill out some forms. You guys are creating a requirement for this job that probably doesn't exist.


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## the_traveler (Jan 8, 2013)

AmtrakBlue said:


> _Apple_For_Teacher said:
> 
> 
> > Interesting spacing technique, haolerider. Makes me curious to hear YOUR verbal presentation.
> ...


Having personally met haolerider, I can attest that he has excellent verbal skills!


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## Guest (Jan 8, 2013)

Texas Sunset said:


> It's not annoying so much as it's hilarious. The longer this thread continues the more amusing it becomes. I guess you really can fool some of the people all of the time.





D.P. Roberts said:


> Have any of you considered that the writing skills required for your chosen field are not necessarily required to be an attendant for Amtrak? Perhaps you're creating a benchmark for Brylove7 that doesn't need to be reached.
> 
> I, too, have done a lot of hiring in the customer service field. However, writing skills were not something we looked for. Is an Amtrak attendant or conductor going to have to write a letter to a customer, or a press release? No. At best, they probably have to fill out some forms. You guys are creating a requirement for this job that probably doesn't exist.


IMHO, it has nothing to do with job skills, but has everything to do with making a good first impression. Grammar, spelling, style, etc, are all very important for the cover letter and resume when seeking any job.

I still remember when I was doing the interviews for a job opening in my group. Yea, most of us wear jeans at work. Its pretty informal here.	However, I was totally "turned off" by the one applicant that showed up for this interview wearing jeans. I took it as a sign he wasn't serious, and guess what, I wasn't at all serious about hiring him. Didn't care what his qualifications might be.


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## AmtrakBlue (Jan 8, 2013)

Guest said:


> Texas Sunset said:
> 
> 
> > It's not annoying so much as it's hilarious. The longer this thread continues the more amusing it becomes. I guess you really can fool some of the people all of the time.
> ...


I used to work temp jobs and always hated when I'd get an interview on a Friday knowing that the place I was interviewing at probably had casual Fridays and I had to "dress up". 

People seem to forget that Brylove7 got an interview, so his Cover Letter/Resume passed that test. He also later mentioned that he wore a suit to the interview, so again, that was in his favor. It may be he did fine on the interview, but they selected someone else.


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## shinkansen (Jan 9, 2013)

I'll apologize in advance if I have repeated anything already said, time is short for me, and reading three pages of comments for every thread of interest tonight is a no-go for me.

Amtrak is a hard mistress to get in to. Personally, I tried for them years ago, didn't make it, and am glad for that. I learned after 15 years of working for the railroad, that I like being a passenger (and subsequently, an advocate) more than being an employee.

I remember Ms. Ray, at Amtrak's HR main office in DC told me years ago. First thing, they do not want rail fans. Rail fans tend to be more distracted by operations than their own tasks and assignments. As a whole, most industry officials in other railroads have similar feelings. I even knew a couple of HR folks at RailAmerica and CSX who state they reject any applicant that even list model railroading, and railfanning as a hobby. (I know this will cheese a few rail fans off, but it's just the simple reality I have learned from HR personnel over the years in the industry)

Known quite a few railfan who have borked the interview becasue they start to foam at all the train talk, answers get in to technobabble, something the HR folks do not understand at all. Railfans tend to get overenthusiastic. In the eyes of HR personnel, and hitting managers, they come in with a preconceived notion of how the system works, how the trains run, and so forth. Again, not trying to be jerk, just speaking from direct experience.

And as for the one thing, Amtrak HR wants to see, and it should be stated in every possible way you can think of without appearing redundant, and this should be the first thing to appear on the resume is: customer service. Even at the federal level like Amtrak, customer service is everything. Granted, safety is the single most important aspect of the railroad industry and it trumps all else, HR wants to hear you place the importance of its passengers at the top.


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## BCL (Jan 9, 2013)

Guest said:


> Texas Sunset said:
> 
> 
> > It's not annoying so much as it's hilarious. The longer this thread continues the more amusing it becomes. I guess you really can fool some of the people all of the time.
> ...


I've been checking out this thread for a while, and I was left with an impression that the OP was incapable of using proper punctuation, capitalization, and grammar. While I realize that a lot of people are used to writing in text-message shorthand and can easily switch to standard business English, there is a segment of the population that just can't do it. I think most here were looking for signs that the OP could actually perform in a business setting, which is what the job entails. Being able to respond in standard American English would have been a good sign. Perhaps the written aspect may not come up that often in regular work. However, if the written habits we saw here translated to the OP's speaking style, I think we can all agree that the habits we saw (breathless sentences, excessive casual speak, etc) would still translate poorly if that's the OP's style of conversation.

As for interviews, I've heard any number of things in my industry, where business casual is typical. I've worn a suit to an interview, but now more often than not I'll wear a polo shirt and khakis. Once I interviewed in wool trousers (really nice ones I'd add), a dress shirt, my best loafers, and a tie. It was the end of summer and I didn't bring a jacket. The first person to interview me told me to take off the tie because it was making him feel uncomfortable. I got the job and worked there for years until business reality set in.


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## battalion51 (Jan 9, 2013)

As sad as it is being a railfan really is a detractor in general. You don't want to let on that you think you know what's going on. Your job is to safely move the train from point A to point B and keep the people on board happy. You may be well served to go get a job in something that involves almost exclusively dealing with people in the interim, like a restaurant or hotel. They're part of the same umbrella industry (travel/tourism/hospitality) and would probably give you some comparable experiences to share in the next interview.


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## D.P. Roberts (Jan 9, 2013)

Guest said:


> Texas Sunset said:
> 
> 
> > It's not annoying so much as it's hilarious. The longer this thread continues the more amusing it becomes. I guess you really can fool some of the people all of the time.
> ...


Again, not all fields are like that. At our company, we frequently never even get resumes or cover letters - just applications. From looking at Amtrak's website, it looks similar - "If there is information you want us to consider, be sure it is in your application. A resume is not a substitute for a thorough and complete application. List the position number and title for which you are applying on your attached resume." That sure sounds like the application is more important than the resume, and an application is just fill-in-the-blank.


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## Brystar41 (Jan 9, 2013)

So your saying i shouldn't put in the Railroad Experience that i worked in a Railroad Museum?

Shinkansen: I understand what your talking about, I understand that they want people to do their jobs assignments and such its why when i plan on my next interview i am going to do it with Safety and customer service experience in mind, the Rail technically stuff i will put it away like i don't know what a Railroad is, and put more professionalism.

Thank yall for this its been really helpful i am really glad to be a part of this community, I will accomplish my goals, i will be in the Railroad Industry, Travel the world and alot of other places, Find a wonderful Wife, Have Kids, experience different Cultures and places, learn alot of things history, science, etc, write a story, be an inspiration for others to go after their goals like some fictional characters and real life people have inspired me, and well many things.

I am sorry if i am repeating my goals alot but i need to aim for the future, its what i been thinking about alot, if not i will never be anybody successful, or an inspiration to others like kids or when i have kids.


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## battalion51 (Jan 9, 2013)

IMHO, railroad museum does not equal railroad experience. If you worked for a Class I, II, III or commuter operation, it counts. Railroad museum equals railfan. Just my two cents...


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## Brystar41 (Jan 9, 2013)

So Amtrak won't like people who volunteer in a Railroad Museum?

Someone told me in the Museum who is one of the mangers said that "some people that were in the museum work in major Railroad companies like there was one who was in the museum is working on a major Railroad in the midwest" so with that i thought if Amtrak and these Railroads want people with experience then i should Volunteer for the museum, So i decided i had to join the museum so i could get familar with my career and where would it go with.


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## D.P. Roberts (Jan 10, 2013)

Brylove7 said:


> So Amtrak won't like people who volunteer in a Railroad Museum?
> 
> Someone told me in the Museum who is one of the mangers said that "some people that were in the museum work in major Railroad companies like there was one who was in the museum is working on a major Railroad in the midwest" so with that i thought if Amtrak and these Railroads want people with experience then i should Volunteer for the museum, So i decided i had to join the museum so i could get familar with my career and where would it go with.


Let me explain it this way: I used to hire a lot of people to work in customer service for a bookstore. When we asked people "Why do you want to work here?", people often answered "Because I love books!" That's the WRONG answer. When you work in a bookstore, you don't spend ANY time reading books - you spend all your time helping customers. If you want to work in a bookstore because you love books, then you'll probably spend too much time looking at books, and not enough time helping customers. Liking books a lot is a distraction when you're supposed to be helping customers.

It's like saying you want to work in a restaurant because you love food - you're not there to eat, you're there to work!

It's undoubtedly the same thing with trains. If you really like trains, the person interviewing you will probably think that you want to spend all your time looking out the window at other trains, rather than helping the customers on the train.

So, you can talk about your volunteer work, but talk about the WORK part, not the TRAIN part. Talk about how reliable and punctual you are, and how you really get along with everyone else there, and how you love interacting with the people who come in - answering their questions, helping them find what they're looking for, etc. Talk about how you keep your work area clean, and how you go above and beyond what you're supposed to do. Sure, talk about your volunteer work, but only talk about the parts that relate to doing good work.

Look at it this way- ultimately, your new boss doesn't really care whether you're happy, he or she will only care that you're doing a good job. Being around trains makes you happy, but it doesn't mean you're doing a good job. Talk about the things that prove that you CAN and WILL do a good job.


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## Devil's Advocate (Jan 10, 2013)

Jobs that do not benefit from resumes often involve unskilled or semiskilled labor, which can be a dangerous a trap if you remain in such a job too long. It's best to learn a trade that cannot be taught in a few weeks or months. It's important to save those types of jobs for late in life when you're not as mentally sharp or physically dexterous and won't be needing as much money, assuming you've saved some up during your primary earning years. Then you can get a job where you do something rather basic in return for steep employee discounts that allow you to enjoy life and travel the world for less.

I honestly don't see the appeal of working in a sector that considers personal enthusiasm to be a substantial negative. What killed my own interest in railroading wasn't the anti-fan psychology of the hiring managers so much as the limitations of the seniority system. In the IT sector you can generally get whatever you're willing and able to negotiate on your own behalf. However, in railroad work you generally get whatever your seniority dictates, which would be somewhere between diddly and squat for the first several years of grunt work. That means you'd have little if any control over things like work schedule or vacation time. That's a bit of a deal breaker in my view. I like working normal business hours and having plenty of vacation time.


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## cirdan (Jan 10, 2013)

Texas Sunset said:


> That's a bit of a deal breaker in my view. I like working normal business hours and having plenty of vacation time.


True, but the railroad is a 24/7 business, and if you're going to work there that's something you accept. You can't shut a railroad down because its a public holiday or Sunday or past 5pm. railroaders know that and don't pretend otherwise.

Besides which, many people I know who work, not just on the railroad but also on the buses or in transit agencies, say that's the biggest plus about the job. They tell me they don't mind getting up at ungodly hours or working night shifts or holidays, and don't mind celebrating Christmas on the road (where the real camaraderie is) rather than with all the commercial hype and TV nonsense.


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## VentureForth (Jan 10, 2013)

Brylove7 said:


> So Amtrak won't like people who volunteer in a Railroad Museum?
> 
> Someone told me in the Museum who is one of the mangers said that "some people that were in the museum work in major Railroad companies like there was one who was in the museum is working on a major Railroad in the midwest" so with that i thought if Amtrak and these Railroads want people with experience then i should Volunteer for the museum, So i decided i had to join the museum so i could get familar with my career and where would it go with.


It's one thing to be a professional in an industry already and then volunteer at a museum. Quite a different story to be a volunteer trying to get into the industry - from an HR standpoint, anyway.


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## cirdan (Jan 10, 2013)

Brylove7 said:


> So Amtrak won't like people who volunteer in a Railroad Museum?
> 
> Someone told me in the Museum who is one of the mangers said that "some people that were in the museum work in major Railroad companies like there was one who was in the museum is working on a major Railroad in the midwest" so with that i thought if Amtrak and these Railroads want people with experience then i should Volunteer for the museum, So i decided i had to join the museum so i could get familar with my career and where would it go with.


It depends what you do at the museum.

If you have a customer-facing function with some aspect of service, I think that is a plus. If maybe the museum gave you some safety-related and service-related training, that is a plus.

If your role at the museum is more about handing the tools to the guy who needs them and polishing the brass, it's probably not really relevant.


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## cirdan (Jan 10, 2013)

shinkansen said:


> I remember Ms. Ray, at Amtrak's HR main office in DC told me years ago. First thing, they do not want rail fans. Rail fans tend to be more distracted by operations than their own tasks and assignments. As a whole, most industry officials in other railroads have similar feelings. I even knew a couple of HR folks at RailAmerica and CSX who state they reject any applicant that even list model railroading, and railfanning as a hobby. (I know this will cheese a few rail fans off, but it's just the simple reality I have learned from HR personnel over the years in the industry)


Many long years ago, when I was much younger and had fewer scars and wrinkles, I did an internship not with an actual railroad but with a company doing maintenance and heavy engineering on railroad equipment. Maybe internee interviews are less stringent than real job interviews, but I wasn't aware at the time that being a railfan was a disadvantage and I mentioned the fact freely. The manager told me that it wasn't necesarily a plus, and I said, I understand, but i promise not to get distracted and that i am capable of remembering at all times that the job comes first and any personal interest takes second place to that, if at all. Then the manager replied, that's not really the issue he's concerned about. He was more concerned about safety and said they'd had interns in the past who'd started foaming out on a customer site and running around looking at stuff and photographing it without asking permission or any regard for safety. He said the customer had picked on the fact afterwards and was especially concerned about what would have happened had there been an accident. Now I would never have acted so irresponsibly and I'm sure most on this forum wouldn't. But maybe there are a couple of fomers out there who are giving a bad name to the rest of us.

Well, I did actually get that position and had a wonderful time. I guess about half the employees there were railfans although a lot of them acted as if this wasn't the case. We used to laugh about such talk as "I'm not a railfan, this is just my job", but as you got to know the guy better you'd learn he had a massive model railroad in his garage. There were a lot of folks like that.


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## cirdan (Jan 10, 2013)

D.P. Roberts said:


> Brylove7 said:
> 
> 
> > So Amtrak won't like people who volunteer in a Railroad Museum?
> ...


I'm not so sure about that. If I ask the staff of a bookstore to advise me on what book might interest me, I would expect that person to be widely read themselves and to be able to give me first hand advice rather than quoting off a cribsheet that their manager gave them. If I ask the waiter in an up-market restaurant what wine goes best with the food I've ordered, again, I expect the waiter has some experience and knowledge of wines, and that can really only come from personal interest, motivation and development. If a tourist on the CZ asks the SCA what there is to see in Chicago, it might just help if the SCA has been there him or herself and is not just quoting from the Amtrak guide. If people just say what they are told in think in scripted dilagos, that shows up quite quickly and can reflect poorly on them and the company that employed them.


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## Henry Kisor (Jan 10, 2013)

I've met locomotive engineers whose pride in what they do spills over into what can almost be called railfanning. One veteran engineer admitted he had a collection of videos of trains going Over the Hill on the old SP. A VIA engineer on The Canadian told colorful stories of the trains he'd ridden as a passenger around the world. They, however, were considerably different from the familiar mouth-breathing foamers we all know. I got the strong sense that when they were working they were professionals, not fans.

They appreciated railfans, but at a considerable distance. "They get in the way all the time," both said.


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## shinkansen (Jan 10, 2013)

D.P. Roberts said:


> Guest said:
> 
> 
> > Texas Sunset said:
> ...


That is pretty much how OPM handles any federal job posting, regardless if it is for a job in a quasi-federal agency. (Amtrak, USPS) And OPM wants to see every thing you have ever done right down to the lemonaide stand when you were five yers old. Anything that strays off what OPM expects to see in a standard template, goes straight to the recycle bin.



cirdan said:


> Many long years ago, when I was much younger and had fewer scars and wrinkles, I did an internship not with an actual railroad but with a company doing maintenance and heavy engineering on railroad equipment. Maybe internee interviews are less stringent than real job interviews, but I wasn't aware at the time that being a railfan was a disadvantage and I mentioned the fact freely. The manager told me that it wasn't necesarily a plus, and I said, I understand, but i promise not to get distracted and that i am capable of remembering at all times that the job comes first and any personal interest takes second place to that, if at all. Then the manager replied, that's not really the issue he's concerned about. He was more concerned about safety and said they'd had interns in the past who'd started foaming out on a customer site and running around looking at stuff and photographing it without asking permission or any regard for safety. He said the customer had picked on the fact afterwards and was especially concerned about what would have happened had there been an accident. Now I would never have acted so irresponsibly and I'm sure most on this forum wouldn't. But maybe there are a couple of fomers out there who are giving a bad name to the rest of us.
> 
> Well, I did actually get that position and had a wonderful time. I guess about half the employees there were railfans although a lot of them acted as if this wasn't the case. We used to laugh about such talk as "I'm not a railfan, this is just my job", but as you got to know the guy better you'd learn he had a massive model railroad in his garage. There were a lot of folks like that.


I do not disagree at all with that. I've met many a career railroader who has turned railfan, or was "in the closet" so to speak before joining. I would go on to say half the members in my local model RR club worked for the B&O or WM at one point in time. Of course HR is a very different beast now, I would suffice to say compared to 25 or 50 years ago.


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## BCL (Jan 10, 2013)

shinkansen said:


> I do not disagree at all with that. I've met many a career railroader who has turned railfan, or was "in the closet" so to speak before joining. I would go on to say half the members in my local model RR club worked for the B&O or WM at one point in time. Of course HR is a very different beast now, I would suffice to say compared to 25 or 50 years ago.


We've got a local miniature steam train near where I live in the Berkeley Hills. The founder (deceased) used to be a mechanical engineer for the Western Pacific. The current chief engineer worked at Chevron for many years before retiring. I heard that several of the engineers worked for either ATSF and/or SP.


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## the_traveler (Jan 10, 2013)

cirdan said:


> Texas Sunset said:
> 
> 
> > That's a bit of a deal breaker in my view. I like working normal business hours and having plenty of vacation time.
> ...


I felt the exact same way when I worked in the hotel industry. I loved working holidays (Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, etc...) and overnights, especially New Year's Eve. I helped people being away from home for the holidays, and I found it to be more festive.

To paraphrase the MasterCard commercials, ".... Spreading joy during the holidays to travelers away from home: Priceless!"


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## Devil's Advocate (Jan 10, 2013)

IT is a 24/7 sector as well. However, it's pretty rare to get a call at 2:00AM to start an 8-hour shift as soon as you can shower and drive to work. Most of the time you work standard business hours and after hours work is usually scheduled in advance. Even when something important does break in the middle of the night on a holiday you can usually get it back online from home or from your hotel or from the nearest coffee shop in the span of an hour or two. The main limitation is that unlike a railroad worker you can't really leave an IT job at work. It follows you wherever you go. Even if you're ten thousand miles away you still need a smartphone and a laptop nearby just in case something critical blows up.


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## cirdan (Jan 10, 2013)

Texas Sunset said:


> IT is a 24/7 sector as well. However, it's pretty rare to get a call at 2:00AM to start an 8-hour shift as soon as you can shower and drive to work. Most of the time you work standard business hours and after hours work is usually scheduled in advance. Even when something important does break in the middle of the night on a holiday you can usually get it back online from home or from your hotel or from the nearest coffee shop in the span of an hour or two. The main limitation is that unlike a railroad worker you can't really leave an IT job at work. It follows you wherever you go. Even if you're ten thousand miles away you still need a smartphone and a laptop nearby just in case something critical blows up.


It depends what you do on the railroad. I know people with railroad jobs a bit like that. They have to be on standby even when they're not working because a switch or a signal might fail and they have to be prepared to jump into the car at the shortest notice to drive hundreds of miles to some totally obscure location that isn't even on the map. Those people take great pride in what they do.


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## BCL (Jan 10, 2013)

Well - I don't know if I was ever a railfan until recently. I became a father, my kid is nuts about trains, and I started working at a distance where a train commute can often work better than driving. I'd never even ridden Amtrak until last year and had very few experiences riding heavy passenger rail outside of the occasional Caltrain ride, a few amusement trips (Roaring Camp in Felton, CA, the excursion rides at the California State Railroad Museum, and of course the Disneyland Railroad), and a few instances of riding passenger rail outside of the US.

However, I used to have a summer and part-time college job in the freight moving industry. I remember doing all sorts of stuff, including checking on the status of containers and paying bills to the various services (truckers, rail, and sometimes even shipping companies). I remember calling up the automated phone numbers of ATSF, SP, BN, CSX, Conrail, BN, NS, etc to check on where a particular container was. One time I was tasked with hand-delivering a six-figure check (we negotiated a payment for hundreds of disputed invoices) to someone at Southern Pacific, which was only a few blocks away in San Francisco. It wasn't passenger rail, but I do remember I was extremely conscious every time I saw a freight train or modular container and recognized the company by the container code. I learned the lingo, including "chassis" and "stacktrain" (double-stacked containers on a single rail chassis). I also got to understand how much hazardous material was shipped on rails.


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## Michael (Dec 16, 2013)

umm so how long will it take for Amtrak to review an application


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