Anyone work at Norfolk Southern Railroad?

Question

If so, how long did it take you to get hired on?

Answer 1

I don't work for them, but I did go to hiring seminar once. Those people don't like hiring train buffs and railfans. So if you're a train buff and you get a job offer from NS, run the other way. I kid you not!

Penhead72 does bring up a valid point. Some people may come off as punks when they most likely really done't mean to. And this is something NS sometimes fails to reconize. I myself have had some friends who have since retired after so many years of service to the company, and they were VERY happy to get out of there.

Answer 2

From application to hire date it took me about 6 weeks.

The reason most of us don't care for "buffs" is we see this stuff every day, the engines, the cars, the signals... it's a job! Think how it would be if a stranger came up to you at least 2 or 3 times a week and just started gushing about how great your job is. This when I am into my 65th hour on the job for the week. I have slept at home with my wife, twice in the past 9 days. I have missed the last 3 Christmas' and last 4 4th of July cookouts because I was layed over in a flea-bag motel out of state waiting for a return trip. What if I had to go see the terminal Supr. because I marked off to be in my daughters wedding. Then I have some guy I have never met before come up and tell me how great my job is. By the way, if I am not paying him much attention he has to tell me twice because of my hearing loss due to the noise level of the engine and horn. At one point we were not allowed to wear earplugs, we needed to be able to hear if there was movement on adjacent tracks.

The railroad is like a drug dealer. The drug is money. They get you hooked on the pay and then they have you. That is why the credit union just about comes to you to offer loans, they know we cannot afford to quit.

Yes, I am very well paid for what I do, but there is a significant trade off.

Answer 3

this might be something to check up on. It helps.

What it might have taken someone else is rather irrelevant, not trying to sound smart but RR requirements change from year to year, sometimes they are despearte and hire anyone and other times, as you may be discovering it is a difficult job market,

Hang in there, and good luck

Answer 4

Not I !! I'm on the wrong side of the country... but I like their paint-scheme.

I've applied to work as a Communications Engineer with a local commuter line... application went in last month, first interview 3 weeks later, now waiting on final interview and their offer.

Answer 5

I don't work for NS but, I have known guys on more than railroad that took over 1 year from the time they applied to the time they were on the payroll.  

Mike:  It's not "railfans" that just enjoy railroading who are disliked.  It's smart mouth punks that think they know everything about the railroad before they come to work, keep shooting off their mouth about how they'd do this work  for free, think they are on an excursion instead of working and try to make engineers out to be some type of superhero just because of their job.   Who needs all that from a trainee when they are trying to concentrate on their job?