Home and Auto ***Does anybody work for the railroad?***

jet62 · 02-02-2012, 01:39 PM

I worked as a Locomotive Electrician at BNSF for 3 1/2 years in between getting laid off as an A & P (Airframe and Powerplant) Mechanic at the airlines. You will not be able to hire in off the street as an Electrician or Diesel Mechanic unless you have similar technical experience somewhere else. They did take a lot of laid off aircraft mechanics because of their technical background. Also the Diesel Mechanics came from jobs such as heavy equipment and truck mechanics.

If you don’t have the experience you should try to hire in as a Laborer and get into their apprenticeship program for Electrician or Diesel Mechanic. I think it was a three year apprenticeship if I remember correctly. They would rotate those guys around the shop to learn all the jobs. Plus they would send them to schools too. If you have a choice, try to get an Electricians job. It’s a lot cleaner. Those damn Locomotives are filthy, nasty and everything on them is heavy. I myself was glad to leave but then again I have worked on airplanes for 27 years and enjoy it more.

02-02-2012, 01:39 PM	#35
jet62 Still looking for my car keys Join Date: Jul 2006 Casino cash: $-429084	I worked as a Locomotive Electrician at BNSF for 3 1/2 years in between getting laid off as an A & P (Airframe and Powerplant) Mechanic at the airlines. You will not be able to hire in off the street as an Electrician or Diesel Mechanic unless you have similar technical experience somewhere else. They did take a lot of laid off aircraft mechanics because of their technical background. Also the Diesel Mechanics came from jobs such as heavy equipment and truck mechanics. If you don’t have the experience you should try to hire in as a Laborer and get into their apprenticeship program for Electrician or Diesel Mechanic. I think it was a three year apprenticeship if I remember correctly. They would rotate those guys around the shop to learn all the jobs. Plus they would send them to schools too. If you have a choice, try to get an Electricians job. It’s a lot cleaner. Those damn Locomotives are filthy, nasty and everything on them is heavy. I myself was glad to leave but then again I have worked on airplanes for 27 years and enjoy it more.
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