Taking the leap...

I'm considering a career change, and just applied online for a position as a conductor trainee for a Class I railroad. I've lurked on this forum and therefore have a general idea of what to expect as far as the lifestyle goes, but I have a couple questions.

First of all, what are my chances of being invited to an interview session?

Stuff in my favor:
- Clean criminal history, no drugs, no DUI's, etc.
- I have some college (although no degree) and can read and write well.
- I have a little railroad experience from volunteering at a couple railroad museums.
- I have experience with being on construction sites, with the same focus on safety you'd find on the rails.

Stuff not in my favor:
- Not a very stable employment history over the past few years, due to a number of factors.
- Bad credit history, also due to a number of factors.
- I'm a railfan, and probably "outed" myself as such when I mentioned my museum experience on the application.
- I also mistakenly copied and pasted the wrong version of my resume (geared towards architecture firms) on my application. Oops.

Of course, it's hard to speculate, but I'd be curious to know what my chances are.

I'm also curious to know why it's verboten to mention you're a railfan during the hiring process? I can probably guess why (due to the behavior of some of the foamers out there), but I'd like to hear the POV of the people who actually work for the railroads.

Any other advice greatly appreciated, and of course, wish me luck!

David Cole,
If you've been lurking around you certainly are aware that most of us would say it's a lifestyle not a job. Be prepared for the impact this career will have your family and social life. Nobody could warn you enough.

As for being a railfan in the rail industry, it's a lot easier to switch out cars on a Lionel set than it is the real deal, and nobody really cares about the differences between EMD's and GE's on the job. Heh, all we're worried about is if it has AC. Haven't experienced a lot of it myself, but have heard others say and seen on this forum that it seems like railfans tend to let their fascination with the field clouds their judgement when it comes to facing the reality of what this job means.

Take a step back and deep breath and forget everything you think you know about railroading before you decide you want a position with a class 1. If you can do that and still decide you want to do it, you've made a very good career choice if you and your family can handle the sacrifices to be made.

Thanks for the reply... I'm single and live alone (and most of my family lives several states away), so the impact on my family life would be minimal. Social life? What's that?

My primary interests as a railfan revolve around subways and high-speed trains anyway, so I probably wouldn't even know an EMD if I got run over by one.

David,
The railroad is a great choice, particularly if you have no life

It's okay to be a railfan, but the railroads are more interested in your ability to be responsible and show up for work. Emphasize your work outdoors, your desire to have a decent career and your willingness to work for what you want.

I'd say your chances are marginal. A resume emphasizing your leadership skills and reliability would probably increase your chances.

Good luck!

-r