Need a Career Change

I have been in the corporate world for 20 years and need a change. The brow beatings, the poor pay increases, the ego maniacs, the confining space of a cubicle, and the list goes on. I am ready for a change and have been applying for positions with the LIRR, MN, and PATH here in the New York area. I was called to take a test for an Entry Level Maintenance position with PATH this week. I am still waiting for a call with the LIRR, since I have sent about 1000 resumes in to them but will take the PATH test to see what evolves. I was just wondering if there is anyone else who has made the move from corporate life to Rail Road life and your feelings about it. I have a friend who changed from restaurant life to Rail life and loves it. I am 43 years old and ready for a change. Thanks, I really like this forum and have been reading a lot of posts in my spare time.

Well I come from that same background dude... All I will say is this, I quit my office job back in December.... Like yourself, I had just finally had enough of the bean counting office thing, so I did some checking, spoke with several buddies of mine that work on the railroad, finally decided to make a run at landing a gig on the rails. I plunked down $6K in tuition, went to the NARS program, loved it, graduated in February, got back home, applied and landed a job, as a conductor starting in May... Don't regret one thing I've done yet...

I've listened to guys on this board, and read what they've had to say about what life on the railroad is REALLY all about... I've also have the opportunity to meet a few old-heads through some friends of mine that work out on the rails and spoken to them... EVERY JOB ON THIS PLANET has some aspect that you're gonna hate... Railroading I'm told is no different...

That said, I expect at some point, as I progress down this new career path I've chosen, I'll find a thing or two that I could do without, when it comes to working on the rails.. I expect that... I did my homework though, I asked around, I spoke with my family and friends about it, and I saw first hand how buddies of mine that I'd worked with for years made that jump from a 9-5 office job lifestyle.... to life on the rails.. And let me say most of them love it, but some are wishing they'd never made the change... It's not for everyone, just take the time to make an informed decision is what I'm getting at I guess...

That's one of the reasons I went to NARS, I figured if I hated that, than chances are it wasn't gonna get any better once I got out there working... I'm not saying spend the money and go to school, you don't have to go that route to get hired out here... But for me it was just one more way (an expensive way mind you) but just one more way to make absolutely sure this was the right choice for me. Based on what I know right now, which ain't much, there's guys here on this site that have probably forgotten more than I'll ever know... But from my perspective, I can't wait for my new career to begin, and I should have done this a long time ago...

Hope that helps... and good luck to you...