.

"... Railroad Retirement in place of Social Security..."

For those of you who may question this, I can assure you that Railroad Retirement can be MUCH better than SS? How do I know this?

That question is answered for me every month when the Railroad Retirement deposit hits my checking account.

Decades ago, after several years of high school machine shop, I worked part-time at less-than-minimum wage as an apprentice in a machine shop. In those days, in my high-school, four years of machine shop was mandatory. I'm not sure what is available in the Strassburg area. I learned a lot and the company got an inexpensive needed extra hand. I wonder whether there are youths in Strassburg who would benefit greatly from such an experience, working at the shop, perhaps in cooperation with a local community college? Probably union rules would pose a problem. A series of apprentice weeks at the shops, paid for by a student, might be worthwhile for the railroad and the student.

Too bad it's 600 miles away! 

Kelly Anderson posted:

Tommy posted:

Probably union rules would pose a problem.

Strasburg Rail Road isn't a union operation.

But surely you would desire a certified, experienced, "Card Carrying" IAM Machinist, right?

Sounds like a dream job to me! Hmmm.

How did I miss this post?

IAM = International Association of Machinists and Aero Space Workers. 

I agree about certifications, however it is usually helpful if the individual DID graduate from a top quality Trade School and maybe served an apprenticeship program under a REAL Machinist, i.e. NOT a current railroad "mechanic", or parts changer.

It's a shame trade schools are no longer in vogue. In my high school the engine lathes and millers and shapers and welding facilities and foundary have all been removed. And scrapped. No more courses in drafting, pattern making, blueprint reading and how to read a vernier. The courses no longer exist. Replaced by computer labs. The teachers have retired for a changing of the guard. They represent a new breed of "intellectuals" who believe there is a stigma to working with the hands, and high school should concern itself with Global warming and social justice propaganda. At 3 p.m. when school closed the machine shop teachers would kindly let us come back to use the equipment to work on person projects if we brought in the stock. Blackpowder pistols and very simple one-cylinder miniature steam engines were popular. Every kid wanted his own small lathe for xmas. I wonder if under modern "protective" law kids would even be allowed to work with the machines.

Tommy, I read your post and think back to my high school days where the exact thing you mentioned did indeed happen.....from 9th grade on I never got home from school till 6pm. I learned to use every piece of machinery I could get my paws on....took every mechanical drawing class, math class, and science class they offered.....and physics. (loved physics!....we would break a part in machine shop and go find the physics teacher to figure out why) Those lessons learned paved a way for a 35 year career in diesel machinery......too bad I'm towards the end of my career......10-15 years ago...Id be moving to Pa....I hope they find someone good!....the days you mention I think are long gone.....I hope I'm wrong as I type this.....

I agree with both Hot and Tommy above statement's.   After my USAF stint,  I went to work sweeping the floors at the USS Homestead Works "Big Shop".   Our shop did all the major/heavy repairs for all the US Steel's mills in the Mon Valley.   When the machinist apprenticeship opened up,  I applied and got accepted into the program.   Well,  8,500 hours of both OJT(on the job training) and classroom studies and 5 years later,  I received my papers certifying me as "journeyman status".    I can't even begin to tell you the wide range of work/jobs that I learned during my apprenticeship.   (as a machinist you're never done learning).  The apprentices were always paired with an experienced machinist(grizzlies we called them). until after a couple of years you could be trusted to get a job done right the first time.   Those old timers knew all the little tricks to save us grief-especially when it was better to take a few minutes to think a particular job the whole way through and do things in the correct sequence.   I was fortunate in that I was in the last class of apprentices to receive  journeyman papers.   Back then,  all the major companies had various trade apprentice programs that for the most part are now long gone.    I stuck with my trade through the years and retired almost 5 years ago from the US Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District.   About 15 years ago at the Corps,  it took us almost 2 years to find a qualified individual to replace one of our retiring machinists.   Some of the candidates couldn't even read a blueprint  let alone operate all the various machinery to complete a job from start to finish.    I'll get off my soapbox now.   Ah,  if I were only 20-25 years younger

Nick

Kelly Anderson posted:

Hot Water posted:

Kelly Anderson posted:

Tommy posted:

Probably union rules would pose a problem.

Strasburg Rail Road isn't a union operation.

But surely you would desire a certified, experienced, "Card Carrying" IAM Machinist, right?

Not sure what "IAM" stands for, but we desire a person who can make parts to the drawings or instructions, right the first time, and in a reasonable amount of time.  The application includes questions, and the interview includes practical tests which serve to give us a pretty good idea whether the applicant will work out.  Even so, we cant tell for sure until the person has been working several weeks.

Certifications often aren't worth the paper they are printed on.

you hit the nail on the head Kelly....too many times I'd get a "certified" guy that didn't know what end of a 3/8th-16 tap to put in a hole...

Greetings Everyone,

 Before I entered law enforcement, I was a machinist (the tool room variety) for a few years as well.   That career started back in high school, as some of the replies have stated, which included Vocational Machine Shop (the hands-on classes) Shop Math, Mechanical Drafting and Welding.   Served my apprenticeship in a small machine shop which ultimately landed me a position at Republic Steel (we all know how that turned out).   After being unable to find a job in "The Trades" I started taking test with police departments that were hiring and the rest, as they say, is history.   I never forgot my machinist skills and I still have a small shop, (Lathe, Bridgeport, Drill Press etc) in a building behind my residence where I still "tinker"  from time to time.

 Chief Bob (Retired)

 Take care of a good machinist, and they might turn here and there, but likely will be true and won't runout!

   That RR retirement would be worth the move imo. Looks cleaner than many shops I've been in...and way cleaner than two other RR shops I did some hvac work for too.

Sounds like a dream job for someone with the right skillset.  

play with trains all day......then go home and play with trains........Oh wait there's overtime??....more trains??? Get paid to play with trains ??? So you can buy more trains???.....A never ending cycle!!!.....MAN!! wish I was younger!!!

harmonyards posted:

play with trains all day......then go home and play with trains........Oh wait there's overtime??....more trains??? Get paid to play with trains ??? So you can buy more trains???.....A never ending cycle!!!.....MAN!! wish I was younger!!!

Lets be totally clear here, being a full time Machinist at the Strasburg Rail Road Steam Shop is NOT "playing with trains"!!!! 

Same here with High School Industrial Arts Class. Junior & Senior years it was a 2 hour class and I was heavy into the advanced machine shop class. Us advanced seniors was handed a pile of prints and told we had to make 6 or 8 items of our choice and that was it for the year...our classroom time was over and if we passed we became apprentices.

But our cleanroom with gauge blocks, comparetors etc. was also the room where all the industrial arts teachers hung out and drank coffee as all those advanced classes were 2 hours long at the same time and the students didn't need babysitting...but those of us with a car would be called upon to run out and get those teachers some donuts...we had an open campus. A great bunch those teachers/instructors were as most were WWII Vets and we respected them...and they trusted us kids.  

I have always envied machinists for their skills and the neat things they could make. We had shop class but I couldn't even get in o woodworking, had to take mechanical drawing(9th grade)  which served me well  over the years.

Hot Water posted:

harmonyards posted:

play with trains all day......then go home and play with trains........Oh wait there's overtime??....more trains??? Get paid to play with trains ??? So you can buy more trains???.....A never ending cycle!!!.....MAN!! wish I was younger!!!

Lets be totally clear here, being a full time Machinist at the Strasburg Rail Road Steam Shop is NOT "playing with trains"!!!! 

thanks for clearing that up for me.....my bad!

As a Mechanical Engineer for 31 years, to me this would be the opportunity of a life time! But alas I live too far away and I won't be free until I retire....

In my early HR days (1969-1973) worked in a company with a tool room, composed of 20 tool & die makers and machinists. This was in Chicago. In the NW suburbs was the Tool & Die Institute, which trained die makers for the entire Chicago market.  All gone now.  We're not laying a foundation for future wealth creation.