Hey everyone, I'm Andrew. New to the boards.......got some questions I was wondering if I could get some help with. I'm 23, almost 24, been welding for 5 years. Filled out an app. for a 'Welder - Track Maintenance' position about three weeks ago and got an e-mail today saying BNSF would like me to go to Fresno, CA(I live in Bakersfield, CA) for testing and interviewing on Thursday of next week. I love trains, been trying to get on with BNSF since I got out of welding school and now I have a chance to. Can anyone tell me about the testing they're going to give me? Specifics would be great. Also, does anyone have any good interviewing tips for me? This is by far the biggest company I've ever applied with so I'm really nervous and anxious. It would be amazing to work for the railroad. I'm looking to get on with them and stay til I retire when I'm 65...hopefully. Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks.
Not sure what kind of testing they will give you but most likely it is just basic logic and problem solving and a basic math knowledge. They like what they saw on your resume, that is why you were invited to interview. Be straight forward in your interview,dont come across like a foamer.Dont stretch the truth or color your qualifications with a color they are not. Be prepared to substantiate anything you put on your resume,ie if you were in the military, be prepared to show your DD214, if you have a Masters degree in Ancient Sumerian basket weaving be prepared to show your sheepskin and your grade transcripts. Be dressed neatly and cleanly DO NOT wear a T-shirt as your outer garment or any clothing that advertises "Old Tiger Tears Whiskey" or "Gay ninja turtles eat *&^%" nor any torn or "revealing" garments. Be "clean & sober", groomed and shaven. If a beard and/or "stache" is part of your facial appearance make sure they are trimmed and groomed. As I mentioned, be "clean & sober" . Recreational drugs & booze have no place on the railroad and that will be checked as part of your "physical" testing(hearing,eyesight,walking,lifting and pee test). Charlie (retired loco.engineer-BNSF Aurora IL) P.S. Break a leg! and keep us posted!
Well their hiring 12 positions....6 in NorCal and 6 in SoCal. Thursday started off with 50 guys stuffed into one room and after they got done explaining all the travel required and one guy getting into an arguement with the guy from BNSF, ten of them dropped out of the class....the another 5............then another 5......and by the time we got our test results back only 20 of us were left. I had to go back Friday morning because they were gonna run out of time for the interviews. In the interview they asked mostly about safety related issues, and a couple about what kind of equipment I've been around in my past working experience. Overall I feel really good about all the testing and how the interview went so now I have to play the hurry up and wait game. They said they'll e-mail a response saying yes or no in ten days so I got my fingers crossed. He said they do thermite welding and the also run .068 inner-shield wire, can anyone elaborate on that for me? I've ran inner-shield wire before doing structural steel but what does the railroad weld with it?
Sorry, but I can't help you with the welding questions but your recent experiences with the BNSF sound like you are "on track"(pun intended) to get hired. You may have one or two more contacts with them as it sounds like you are in the final vetting process now and they will want to "nail down" everything you claimed on your resume or C.V. I had several contacts with the BNSF after my interview. I had to provide them with written proof of my claims on my resume(ie my DD-214 for my military service and grade transcripts from college). Dunno if you are religious,if you are, say a prayer or two to God as you understand Him. The biggest concern I had with that vetting process is that we suffered a very damaging fire in our house in 1980 and many of our personal records and documents were lost to it. I mentioned to my wife that I dont know what I would do if I couldn't provide hard evidence to the railroad. Fortunately my military records were in a location safe from the fire and I was able to get an overnite grade transcript,sealed, to provide to the railroad. Once again, have faith,be patient, this is probably the most deliberate the railroad will be with you before you are hired. Once you are accepted,things will happen quite quickly. I got a phone call on a SUNDAY from the personnel rep asking me if I wanted to drive or fly to Kansas City(I flew Southworst), on Wed.of that week I received a certified letter with an airline confirmation number and telling me that I was to report to N.A.R.S on the coming Sunday! Break a leg!! Charlie
Thermite welding is the process/material used to weld 2 pieces of rail together in the field. The rail ends are heated, and a crucible with a thermite charge is mounted above and around the gap. Once the rail temp is sufficiently raised, the charge is ignited and the molten thermite flows into the gap. Once it solidifies, the crucible and mold are removed and the excess weld material is ground away. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR6K90cR8Lg Rail ends and frogs can get "battered" and fall out of spec. The point areas are built up with weld material and then ground down to meet spec.
Well this last Friday was two weeks and still no word. I'm thinkin that with the holiday it's kinda slowing things down. Just out of curiosity how long does it usually take them to send out an email with a "I'm sorry but we can't offer you...." or a "Congratulations, this is a conditional job offer..."? Nerves are setting in and all I keep telling myself is good things come to those that wait so who knows. I thought the interview went really well, in fact, I don't think I've had an interview ever go that well. I hate the not knowing feeling lol I'm gonna go weld something lol
I am leaning toward "no news is good news". I think you would have got a rejection by now. I went thru the same thing, waiting and waiting. As I mentioned earlier, they may still be vetting you out. They do check everything. They called my travel agency employer while I was still employed by them. My manager asked me if she should reply to them, I told her "by all means, do so"! In my case, I had been told that there would be a class starting July 15th for sure and I may or may not be in it. Well July 15th came and went and I wound up in a class starting on August 12th. As I mentioned, I received less than a week's notice for that class. But that is how the railroad works, they call you when they want you to work, not a minute sooner! LOL Charlie
Same here. When I started with BNSF I got a rejection letter, a go to NARS letter and then the Your hired letter in 3 months time! I was miffed, then really miffed, then it was woo hoo hired. They take forever, they give you nerves,but like Charlie says"No news i good news!"Good luck.
I think I've told this story before, but a friend I met on the internet had been with the CSX when he was single. They wanted to force him to Jacksonville, but he said "no thanks" and quit. I met him & his fiance at a local Boy Scout outing that I was attending and talked with his wife-to-be about railroading. She saw a check that he got from the CSX in settlement of a time claim and asked him that if he made that kind of money working for the RR, why was he not still with them. That was the opening he was looking for. At any rate he tried the BNSF and the UP. The UP sent him an invite just prior to his marriage which he declined cuz he knew the RR would not give him the time off while still on probation. They sent him another invite while he was on his honeymoon so he couldn't reply. I was in the engineer program and I was telling my mentor about my friend's plight. A short time later on one of our turns, my mentor said, "Oh, I forgot, I have a telephone # for you. Give this to your buddy and tell him to call ASAP!" I gave the number to my friend, he called the BNSF, was told to report a day or two later, he was tested, interviewed, given his physical exam and told to report for training ALL within one week!!! It all depends on how desperate they are for people. Charlie
Man, it's been over a month and haven't heard anything......still patiently waiting lol how's everyone else doing?
Strange you have not heard anything, not sure if the norcal/socal openings have different start dates? My stepdad was at the same interview you were and starts at the end of the month. Not sure if he got norcal or socal.
Oh really? Yeah I haven't heard yes or no since that interview over a month ago. I wish there was some way I could check on it. The HR lady's name was Carmen Turner I think, a real nice lady. How long ago did your step-dad find out?
He got the conditional offer about mid-February, had all his medical stuff and background check done and a final offer about a week ago. Carmen was in HR when I hired out 10 years ago as well. If all else fails, give her a call.
Yeah. If I don't hear anything by next Friday then I'll shoot her an e-mail. Does your stepdad happen to work in Wasco?
Yeah I remember him...forgot his name right off hand but we talked for quite awhile. Pretty funny guy.
His name's Keith, great guy. If you're not busy tomorrow (Sat) there's a train show at the fairgrounds from 10-5 and 10-4 on Sun. I'll be around till about 1 or so, Keith plans on stopping by at some point. If you decide to go, look for the red beard, flannel shirt and green hat:tb-biggrin: Full beard now and height comparison with an Atlantic's driver:tb-confused:
Thanks for the invite bro, sorry I didn't see the message in time. I took my fiance to Cayucos that weekend. Was is it a good show? And I sent Carmen an e-mail last Monday, got one of those automated response's she had set up saying she would be in the field all last week away from email. I was really hoping to hear something this week but still patiently waiting lol
