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Acela150

Acela150

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Jan 11, 2008
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Tonight I applied to be a Conductor on Septa's Regional Rail trains. :) Does anyone know their hiring process? :huh: I would kill to work for Septa and look as this as a start to a career at Amtrak... :D I have loved trains since the age of 2 and have wanted to work with them. :) So any tips or hints that would get me in would be greatly welcomed!

Steve
 
It's a good start toward Amtrak, as SEPTA uses NORAC and you'll have to qualify on 2 different parts of the NEC, in addition to SEPTA territory.
 
Stephen, let me give you a piece of advice given to me by several Amtrak workers who once liked trains a lot as a boy: don't do it.

When fun becomes work, it doesn't mean that work becomes fun.
 
Green Maned Lion said:
Stephen, let me give you a piece of advice given to me by several Amtrak workers who once liked trains a lot as a boy: don't do it.

When fun becomes work, it doesn't mean that work becomes fun.
Click to expand...
Sorry to disagree with you but work should be "fun". So many work in jobs they hate I believe this is the reason so many have bad health. Heck I wave worked in entertainment over 50 years and for the most part It has been a fun career.
 
The last six years i worked for NJ Transit I was a suburban ticket agent. I loved those jobs. I resigned in 2002, which is another story, which does not bear getting into here. But I loved being out on the front line dealing with passengers and trains. The accounting for the money was the least interesting part of that job. Of course, the dumb company was intent on replacing us with machines. Bbut for the most part I had a ball working at Chatham and Convent, NJ>
 
Green Maned Lion said:
Stephen, let me give you a piece of advice given to me by several Amtrak workers who once liked trains a lot as a boy: don't do it.

When fun becomes work, it doesn't mean that work becomes fun.
Click to expand...
Humans live too few years to take your advice seriously.
 
Spokker said:
Green Maned Lion said:
Stephen, let me give you a piece of advice given to me by several Amtrak workers who once liked trains a lot as a boy: don't do it.

When fun becomes work, it doesn't mean that work becomes fun.
Click to expand...
Humans live too few years to take your advice seriously.
Click to expand...
Ive looked at becoming a Conductor / Engineer but it seems after a while it becomes boring and the fun is sucked out. So i'm currently looking at Urban Rail which seems to never lose its edge. Ive been warned to stay away form the Freight Industry , i heard Amtrak is the best of the best in NA for some reason.
 
Nexis4Jersey said:
Ive looked at becoming a Conductor / Engineer but it seems after a while it becomes boring and the fun is sucked out. So i'm currently looking at Urban Rail which seems to never lose its edge. Ive been warned to stay away form the Freight Industry , i heard Amtrak is the best of the best in NA for some reason.
Click to expand...
If he feels a drive to become a conductor he should do it. If the job is terrible than he can quit and he's right back where he started.

Life is too short not to follow your dreams. As a practical matter, what else is he going to do? Maybe his only other options are menial jobs and with SEPTA, maybe he can actually make a living wage.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
GG-1 said:
Green Maned Lion said:
Stephen, let me give you a piece of advice given to me by several Amtrak workers who once liked trains a lot as a boy: don't do it.

When fun becomes work, it doesn't mean that work becomes fun.
Click to expand...
Sorry to disagree with you but work should be "fun". So many work in jobs they hate I believe this is the reason so many have bad health. Heck I wave worked in entertainment over 50 years and for the most part It has been a fun career.
Click to expand...
Of course work should be fun. I run a company selling gloves and safety equipment, and I have a ball doing it. There is a difference between having a job thats fun and taking what you consider fun and trying to make it your job. It sucks the fun out of what you enjoy doing and leaves you without a pursuit of enjoyment in life. Because when fun is the same as work, life becomes boring.

So you make your pursuit of bacon and your pursuit of fun two different things.
 
Acela150 said:
Train2104 said:
It's a good start toward Amtrak, as SEPTA uses NORAC and you'll have to qualify on 2 different parts of the NEC, in addition to SEPTA territory.
Click to expand...
This may be a little stupid but what's exactly NORAC??? I know of it. But not the details.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
It's the Amtrak rule book. They'll make you memorize it as a conductor, same for the ETT. Some things you'll be seeing if you're accepted:

NORAC 9th Ed.

AMT-2 Electrical Instructions

SEPTA Employee timetable, 2008 edition (click PDF icon)
 
Train2104 said:
Acela150 said:
Train2104 said:
It's a good start toward Amtrak, as SEPTA uses NORAC and you'll have to qualify on 2 different parts of the NEC, in addition to SEPTA territory.
Click to expand...
This may be a little stupid but what's exactly NORAC??? I know of it. But not the details.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
It's the Amtrak rule book. They'll make you memorize it as a conductor, same for the ETT. Some things you'll be seeing if you're accepted:

NORAC 9th Ed.

AMT-2 Electrical Instructions

SEPTA Employee timetable, 2008 edition (click PDF icon)
Click to expand...
Interesting stuff! Thanks for finding that!
 
I have been a conductor for Amtrak for over 30 years. I have worked for Conrail/Septa as a Conductor. I was also a lineman for the railroad. I am third generation and I really enjoy my position as a conductor. If you do not enjoy being around people then being a passenger conductor is not for you try being a freight conductor.

Yes you have to be qualified on NORAC and Air brake. It takes many years to be a good conductor I learn more and more as each day passes. The ticket part is easy but to know the railroad and the signals takes many years. The rules take many years to really learn from 261 to 251 territory and the speeds and restrictions there is so much to learn and it takes many years to accomplish this. I was very lucky that I had the opportunity to work freight first where I learned had to swing and shift and block trains from all the conductors that had hired prior to 1940.

It is the most rewarding job I have ever had and I am glad I was able to work for the railroad.
 

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