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General Site Info => General Discussion => Topic started by: thirsty on February 13, 2012, 10:11:56 am
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Today I was contacted by the shop foreman from one of NH's most unique tourist attractions. The Cog Railway. I personally know this man and they are looking ahead at this upcoming season. He has said for a while that I would be a perfect fit for his shop and asked me a while ago if I would be interested if there was ever an opportunity. I never thought about working at a facility like that before, but now I am...seriously. Being self employed in this area during this economy is taking a toll to be truthful.
The Cog Railway is located about 20 miles from my location. If you never heard of it before it is worth taking a look at the website to see what it is all about.
http://thecog.com/index.php (http://thecog.com/index.php)
Whether or not this works out, it is still great to be considered. In my eyes anyway.
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That looks pretty neat actually.
Have to remember that in case of any future road trips! Would totally be worth checking out I think.
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I work because I have bills to pay, and things I want, not because its my favorite pass time. Gotta do what is best for you.
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Being self employed is great...... when there is work to be done. If there's no work, there's no money coming in.
That's a bit scary and nerve racking when you have a family.
I've been self employed before and there is certainly pros and cons to it.
It's certainly worth taking a look at thirsty. I hope things work out the way you want them to.
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This is one of those questions that no one can answer for you. It's too personal. Nonetheless, having W-2 income can be reassuring in a poor economy. If benefits are included in the offer, even better. But, if the job is seasonal, it becomes short-term relief. Perhaps you could retain your self-employed income on a limited basis while working for The Cog Railway until demand for your services improve. Or, perhaps, the new job will evolve into a lucrative, permanent position. Best wishes for your decision.
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This would be 12 months a year and minimum 40 hrs a week. The wife is a teacher with the benefits that go along with her job. That's why I was able to work for myself. So benefits aren't too important to me. I don't think I will ever give up working for myself but lately I would rather just do side work and have a day job. I do whatever, whenever. Mostly I work around customers schedules to get jobs.
For me the job depends on pay, guarantee of hours, and of course the conditions at the facility.
You got to admit that train and the mountain are impressive.
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Do you know what exactly you would be doing ? A change is always nice, it really boils down to wether you want/can work for someone else after being your own boss for so long.
Good luck, and think of it this way, more money to spend on the stuff you want. If it does not work out at least you gave it a shot.
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Do you know what exactly you would be doing ?
It would be a maintenance job. Working on the trains and support equipment. Pretty much anything mechanical that they have. In the off season they refurbish equipment and do major overhauls on stuff.
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What a great, fun job! How could you go wrong?
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Do you know what exactly you would be doing ?
It would be a maintenance job. Working on the trains and support equipment. Pretty much anything mechanical that they have. In the off season they refurbish equipment and do major overhauls on stuff.
That does sound interesting. Especially the off season refurbish part.
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Take it and run. You will be an asset to the company, because without you they won't make money if somethin brakes, or they will spend $$$$$ to get it fixed. A stable job is what every family man needs, even if he is self employed as long as the funds don't stop coming all is well
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Sounds like it would be a great job. Give it a year, and see what happens. By then if the economy hasn't got better then try another year.
Oh by the way I will try and not hit you up for some tickets!! ::)
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I say go for it . I took a maintenance job a few years back and love it . I don't miss the layoffs ,working in the cold , the busy season ,the stress . Construction is young man's work .
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I say go for it at least you know every week or every other week you will have a paycheck coming in.
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I contacted him last night and told him I was interested for sure.
I gotta get a resume put together and officially apply for employment there to get the ball rolling then wait for something to happen around their shop. Sounds to me like the newly appointed shop foreman is looking to make some changes around there.
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good luck
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that is quite a climb, up Mt. Washington. Must have a 383 stroker in that train engine. 8)
I agree w/ the majority here, sounds like a lot of fun refurbishing in the off season. The off-season will be cold, cold and windy. I study the happenings of the Appalachian Trail all the time and will be walking across the mountain (5 yrs, 260 +- days to retirement) that has measured the most powerful wind force on the planet, until last year's dethroning from the land down under, in midst of my 2,100 mile trek to Maine.
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Steady money is good money. Good luck!
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Well this job never happened for me last winter. They were shot down by upper level management about creating another position in their shop.
Tonight I was contacted by them again with another offer different from the first one. This time somebody has left his position for health reasons and they need a replacement. Through out the winter the job would be the same as last years offer but the kicker is that in the summer months I would be on the trains.
The wife and I discussed this over dinner and for a while afterwards. Times are still tough for us. The Cog Railway would still be a job that most have never done and I was excited to do it last year. I didn't think running the trains would be my cup of tea. Figured the novelty would wear off quick and then it would be just another job in the tourist industry. Then on the other hand, financially I had a less than stellar year (as you can see from my lack of truck progress). We both agreed that I should talk to them again. I called the guy back and told him to set up a meeting with the appropriate people and more than likely I would take the job if we can agree on money.
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It still sounds like a great opportunity. Sometimes we are presented with opportunities that we don't think are the best fit and then end up being very happy.
I work in the IT sector and thought I was in good shape but then the layoffs came and I got tagged. Being the sole supporter for a family of five I was more than nervous. I got really lucky and found a job but it was not what I really wanted and it was almost a 50% pay cut but it was a job. That was back in 2004. I'm still there and now I have a Director title and I still love what I do.
I say give it a go. You never know what it could turn in to!!
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You could always transfer to a different job once your in after a couple years if it turns out to be not the best thing.
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As my momma used to say, " you will never know until you try ", if you don't try, you will not know wether you like it or not.
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Looks like on Monday I will be getting intimate with trains.
Here is the funny part. No interview. All the negotiating was done via text message. :o I thought the guy I knew was just texting me questions so he could talk to his management with the correct information on what I would need and when I could start. Then next thing I know I get a text message saying "Done deal if your still in: $xx.xx to start, bump up to $xx.xx in the spring if it works out. Start Monday." So I asked him if I needed to go out there and fill out some paperwork, meet people or whatever. His reply was "Nope, like I said, done deal. We can take care of paperwork Monday."
I thought about what just happened for a few minutes and laughed.
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Wow, I'm super stoked for you buddy !!!
Times are tough all over my friend thirsty. We sometimes have to deviate from the things we really like to do, and go do things that are "a job". We have the need to so what's best for us, and our families.
Who knows, there may be a big shift in a couple years and you leave the trains and go back to doing what you'd truly like to be doing. I just feel good that you have the opportunity and skill to land the job you did. They'll be lucky to have you.
Congrats Mr. Thirsty !!!
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...I thought about what just happened for a few minutes and laughed.
Your reputation preceded you! Congrats!! Well done!!!! :D
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Two huge customers of ours buying literally tons of powder paint one just announced they were going to close the doors and the other filed chapter 11. I am happy for you, sounds like a fun job...
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I think it is going to be an awesome job right out of the gate. It will have a steep learning curve for sure. Not many diesel locomotives stop by the garage...lol Maybe by the time summer rolls around I might have a new outlook on going up and down the mountain. I know that I would be more comfortable in a workshop but it is just how they do things there. The fellow I replaced was just the opposite. He enjoyed the mountain but the shop was too much for him in the winter months. I fully understand that anybody that runs the trains should know how they work and anybody that works on the trains should know how they run.
For now it will beat doing construction jobs at just over cost just to have some income. And another bonus will be that I won't have to use my garage to supliment my income, I can do so if I want or use it just to finish the old chevy. 8)
I am actually pretty excited to get started doing this.
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Congratulations Thirsty. By trade I am a truck driver but I work at a factory shuttling trailers all night. That job was just to be an in between job while I was lookin to get back on the big road again. I have been there almost 5 years now and have no intention of leaving. I like the home time a lot better and the pay is decent. Who knows maybe you will like this job and stay awhile.
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No interview. All the negotiating was done via text message.
You have got to put that on your résumé, that right there is a conversation starter for sure.
It will have a steep learning curve for sure. Not many diesel locomotives stop by the garage...lol I fully understand that anybody that runs the trains should know how they work and anybody that works on the trains should know how they run.
Does this mean in the winter time you will be working on the Diesel engines of the trains ?
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Does this mean in the winter time you will be working on the Diesel engines of the trains ?
Yes. During the winter I will be in the locomotive shop. Summer time I will have a position doing something on the trains as they make their runs up and down the mountain. I'm fairly certain they won't expect me to be an engineer. :o We never really discussed what that part of the job was because for me it was all about working in the shop. The way that outfit works is that you have to pay your dues on the train and wait for an opening in the shop. Not everybody that works on the trains works in the shop during the winter either. So in order for me to go directly into the shop I had to agree to do the trains in the summer.
No interview. All the negotiating was done via text message.
You have got to put that on your résumé, that right there is a conversation starter for sure.
Funny isn't it? Job offer to start date.
In their defense: I do know the shop foreman well. I also know that he has poor phone reception at that shop but can text.
But in my defense: I wouldn't know the man that actually hired me if he walked into my garage tonight. ;D lol
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Congrads Thirsty. When you get a little ahead, buy the shop foreman a gift certificate to a restaurant in the area to show your appreciation for the opportunity. He won't forget your gratitude and you never know where it can lead to later on.
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Congrats... I'm betting you will have a blast ! !
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Well it's only been 3 days there so far and it has lived up to being a unique job.
The people there are great. The shop is a blend of new technology with old school ways. History just oozes out of the buildings. Thoroughness and safety of the passengers is the name of the game and hard work with quality is the playbook. That's ok with me.
I'm still like a fish out of water finding my way there but we are almost finished assembling a locomotive that was torn down before I got there. Once that is out of there we will start another immediately for a transmission service. It will be much easier understanding things being there from the start of a tear down. We have two more to get done before the middle of April among other projects. Plenty of work! Then they have plans to build another locomotive for next year.
One a side note: I will never say that changing a wheel bearing on a passenger car is a lot of work ever again. ;D
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One a side note: I will never say that changing a wheel bearing on a passenger car is a lot of work ever again. ;D
Are they much larger or just harder ?
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Every thing is just stupid heavy on those things :o
To get the wheel out the train has to be lifted so the wheel can be rolled out on the track. It's pretty time consuming.
I'm going to try and get some good pictures of the locomotive that we are tearing down now.
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Thats like when I worked on trucks every day. Then my buddies would whine about working on their cars! I told them to come back, and see me after they have swapped ten tires on a log truck!
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Thought I should update this old thread. Also it will explain where I have been.
So after taking the job I realized that I was a good fit for what they needed. The shop foreman was right. It didn't take long to feel at home there. I was pretty happy to have steady pay instead of working for myself. I learned a lot in a short period of time. With only two of us actually turning wrenches on the trains during the winter tear downs we were real busy (my truck just sat waiting). Then we started to build another new locomotive while still learning the job for the operating season and also being an engineer when needed. I never did any work to my truck that first year. I also had made commitments to people for work during that summer that I needed to honor from being self employed.
Fast forward to last winter...I found myself doing the majority of the wrenching on everything and taking on more and more. I was ok with that though. I was still the new guy learning after all. So another winter goes by and I still haven't done anything worthwhile with my '86.
That winter we also found out about some changes in management at the railway. All the core employees are like family there and everybody was nervous about loosing the general manager that was responsible for making the railway what it is today. My boss threw his hat in for the general managers position but didn't get chosen. He was not happy with their choice and left to pursue another career. :o
That left quite a hole in our shop with only me turning wrenches on the diesels. I was offered the shop foreman job and took it along with being the head wrench and the only wrench. Not that there is nobody else there but they all do other things (machinest, millwright, equipment operator, etc...) which the shop foreman is in charge of also.
Everything is working out so far. We had a record setting year in 2014 and have moved on to winter tear downs with a new passenger coach being built and another locomotive in the works for this summer.
Seems like it was not that long ago that I was sharing with everyone here about being contacted by The Mount Washington Cog Railway. I feel fortunate to have the job this has turned into. The place is home to me now and the men that work for me are all top notch workers. Even though it was a tough season for me this year I can honestly say that I never woke up saying "ughh...I don't want to go to work today".
Hoping to get something done on the '86 this winter.
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Thirsty,
Glad to hear that everything is going well for you.
Hopefully we will get some updates on the 86 soon.
It's good to hear from you.
Fitz.
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Sounds like it turned out really well, congrats. Anxiously awaiting truck updates pending free time.
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Great to hear that. I would love to find something in NW Arizona like that...
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Yup, he has been busy. Lots of his reply texts to me are that he has been busy, & didn't have time to reply to the last few. I understand, no worries.
This past spring I was in his neighborhood one night. Stopped & had a couple wobbly pops, did some bench racing, etc in Suitors Garage.
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It was great seeing Blazin at Suitor's Garage! Trying to get him to go check out the Cog. Pretty sure though that he is worried that he would end up on the payroll. ;D