Dear Truen,

While your intentions may be good, the railroad industry does not need any more pay check grabbing hop heads, drunks or substance abusers. Maybe you are trying to live vicariously though your students? Please steer them away from the railroad industry. All the previous posters have furnished you with many good reasons why your students, who have abused drugs or alcohol, should not consider railroad work. The railroad is not a place for someone who "might be interested" or someone who "needs a job." If they have a tendency toward drug and alcohol abuse they will not be welcomed, they will get tested, and even IF they get in, they will find it difficult to get proper training, or even minimal cooperation. Unless of course they hook up with some of our screw-ups, then it will only be a question of time before they cause someone to be hurt or killed, maybe even themselves.

Enough happens when everyone is rested, clean and sober without adding any more risks. Now with reduced crews, vigilance and abstinence are even more important, as there a no longer four or five men in a crew to cover for someone who came to work impaired. Do everyone a public service and do not encourage railroad employment, unless the applicant is ready and willing to work very long hours, and do their best. Drugs and alcohol, even in the past, is one or two strikes against them. Yes, there have been many incidents with longtime, old head railroad employees and alcohol. Some of the old heads worked better when they were buzzed. But look around, lots of them are not working anymore, were forced to dry out, or bad things happened to them. Many of them contributed to injuries and deaths on the railroad.

As previous posters have suggested, fast food is likely in their future. Encourage them to join the military. I prefer the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Army for turning out good recruits. In the military they will learn to take abuse, how to deal with long periods away from home and erratic hours. In the Marine Corps and Army they will acquire self discipline, maybe even job skills that we could put into practice. Employers also get a tax break for hiring those who have served their country.



Road Foreman of Engines
Rulebook, radar gun, banner, fusees
and packset radio at the ready...