All my life I have liked trains, which I have talked about on here in the past. I think it all started when my dad would take me to the end of the street, even before I could walk, so we could look down the tracks and see if there was a train coming. That was a daily ritual until I began going to school every day. Since I could talk I always said I wanted to drive trains when I grow up. I think growing up I never honestly thought I would grow up though. I still don't think I will! At any rate, now is the time when we try to figure out what we want to do with the rest of our lives. We are expected to choose a major in college or pursue some sort of technical training from which we can build a career. I have been in college for about two years now, trying to figure out which major sounds the most interesting, and which one I could have a job with for the rest of my life without being bored to tears.
When I first started college, I was a Civil Engineering Major. That was fine, and it was interesting enough, but I discovered, after two failed attempts at Calculus, that I am not very good at math! I decided that engineering was not for me, so I switched my major to Facilities Management. It seemed a bit easier, while still fairly interesting. As I continued in those classes it slowly became less interesting though. By the end of the semester, and after a mission, I was completely bored by it.
When I returned from my mission, I decided to switch my major to Construction Management. That seemed a bit more interesting. My only hesitation was that it required calculus. I figured I would give that class another chance. After all, they say that the third time is a charm! Well, I did manage to pass the class that time, although it turned out it was luck. I actually did not have any higher average than I had in the past, the way the grading ended up being curved was just enough to give me that passing grade. That was an obstacle I had overcome, even if I had barely overcome it! Construction Management did not lose its interest, however I did get thinking more about my future. I liked it, but I still wondered if it was interesting enough to do for the next 40 years.
Last summer, I took a job in Alaska, where I drove motor coaches around Anchorage and the surrounding areas. I had never planned or even wanted to be a bus driver, but it was a good opportunity that found me, so I took it. Buses had never been interesting to me. As I worked in Alaska, I learned a few things. I learned a ton about Alaska, and learned that I like that place a lot. I also learned that I really love transportation in any form, even if trains are my favorite mode. I also found that I liked work everyday. I liked being on the move all the time, and always going somewhere, even if I had been there before. That got me thinking about a career again. I really didn't and do not want to make driving a bus my career. As I mentioned, it was just a good opportunity for the summer, although it has provided me with work ever since too. I would like to work in transportation though.
As I was thinking about transportation work, I remembered a school I had seen ads for in some of my train magazines when I was about 17. It is called the Modoc Railroad Academy, and it is outside of Sacramento, CA. So I went online and got some more information about the place. It is a kind of trade school. They train people to be certified conductors and licensed locomotive engineers. The whole program is six months long. It is more than book learning though. There is quite a bit of that, complete with homework assignments, however a large amount of the time is spent actually operating trains in a railroad yard, and working on the tracks. They try to create as much of a railroad setting as possible. They set up scenarios in the yard, and you stay there for as long as it takes to complete, even if it ends up taking 15 hours. Classes are five days a week, but they are scheduled anytime during the day or night, and that time can change from day to day, just as your schedule likely would on the railroad.It sounds like a challenging program, but it sounds like something I would enjoy a lot. At the end of the six months, they help in the job search. They do not guarantee employment, although every person who has graduated from there has been offered a railroad job. There is an average of six job offers for each graduate. I have decided that I will go to Modoc, and then see where life takes me after that. I seems that my childhood dream of driving trains when I grow up is going to become a reality. I am trying to start school in September, however I will probably have to wait until May 2011 to begin. Part of this is the federal age requirement for engineers. If I do have to wait until May, I will just work and save money until then. I will no longer be attending BYU. Perhaps when I am a bit older I will decide to get a degree, but I think railroad work will be more interesting to me, and I will get paid quite a bit more to start than I would with a degree.
In short, my life plan is to get my Conductor Certification and a Class 1 license from the Federal Railroad Administration. Then I will get a railroad job, ideally as a locomotive engineer, but possible as a Conductor, and I will drive trains, just as I have been planning since I was three.
Congratulations, James! It's not easy to figure out life and the best part of your decision is that it is your choice and passion. We wish you all the luck and would love to hear about your adventures.
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