Locomotive Electrician?

My career goal is to become a locomotive electrician after finishing school.

Currently I'm learning electrical engineering and installation in my high school. I was thinking of trying to apply to MIT, and if not either wentworth or Temple university to major in electrical engineering. I was wondering what else do I need to do to get this job after all my schooling is finishged, and some experience from current locomotive electricians if possible

Thanks

Also being in NY, are NS & CSX my best bets?

My signal supervisor had a degree in electrical engineering. In my opinion a locomotive electrician would be aiming to low.

Freddy wrote:My signal supervisor had a degree in electrical engineering. In my opinion a locomotive electrician would be aiming to low.

I can't agree more, you can probably get a much better job and paying job on the railroad than Locomotive electrician. I'm sure railroads employ electrical engineers themselves.

matawanaberdeen wrote:

Freddy wrote:My signal supervisor had a degree in electrical engineering. In my opinion a locomotive electrician would be aiming to low.

I can't agree more, you can probably get a much better job and paying job on the railroad than Locomotive electrician. I'm sure railroads employ electrical engineers themselves.

What would be a higher paying position then on a railroad in the engineering/electrician field?

Locomotive electrician is different than electrical engineer. Shoot for electrical engineer at a railroad. Locomotive electrician is more what I can get with my education for Electronics technician. Electrical engineer is a big time job, good luck to you and you went into the right area of education. If I could go to every school in the country I'd scream at the top of my lungs for kids to become some type of engineer, mechanical engineer, electronics engineer and of course electrical engineer. These careers will continue to grow and employers in this economy can't find the people they need. This is the reason I am taking an electronics technician vocational course. I am the grunt that does what the electronics/electrical engineer needs done with their plans. Its a good career that pays anywhere from 20 to 35 an hour but an electrical engineer starts at 80 grand fresh out of school. If I could go back in time I would have become an electronics/electrical engineer, not a doubt in my mind. I am perfectly OK with being an electronics technician. I am looking to hopefully get into NJ Transit as a ET, or signal maintainer or Locomotive technician. Again good luck to you, keep up on your studies and you are smart studying in this area.

I am a licensed electrician that's works for the railway, not going to be specific but one of the big ones. I graduated school as an electrical engineer but couldn't find a job so I got an apprenticeship and became an industrial electrician. I got a job immediately once I was licensed. I started off working with the signals department for 2 years and transferred to locomotive electrician once an opening came up, I will tell you this, my background in engineering is way more important now then when I was in signals, these new units are so technically advanced that you need to be an engineer to work on them. If you want to be in school for the next 7 years, you might have enough education to stand out and get a job, a P.eng just doesn't cut it anymore, you need a masters at a minimum. So the choice is yours, I make 75k a year with a little overtime but don't need to be oncall or chained to a beeper, unlike signals where you can get called out on a moments notice, and get paid less. Go to school, but be in it for the long haul or your wasting your time. hope this helps your problem

Hmm... not sure which railway ^ that guy works for... but the railway I work for hires apprentices right off the street to work as electricians, and they seem to be able to fix the newest breeds of locomotives. The manufacturing companies (EMD, GE) are good with support...

I've worked on locomotives for a while now.. as long as you're not dumb as post, and know how to read an electrical schematic, and can use a screwdriver to remove bolts without stripping them out (to replace components), you'd go a long way. Longer than some. You don't need a masters' degree, that's sort of a waste unless you plan on going and working for the companies that build them.

CN Sparky wrote:Hmm... not sure which railway ^ that guy works for... but the railway I work for hires apprentices right off the street to work as electricians, and they seem to be able to fix the newest breeds of locomotives. The manufacturing companies (EMD, GE) are good with support...

I've worked on locomotives for a while now.. as long as you're not dumb as post, and know how to read an electrical schematic, and can use a screwdriver to remove bolts without stripping them out (to replace components), you'd go a long way. Longer than some. You don't need a masters' degree, that's sort of a waste unless you plan on going and working for the companies that build them.

That is exactly what I thought which is why I stated he could probably get a much better job with a degree in Electrical engineering. My course is more suited for a Locomotive electrician which is why I am taking it.