| You decided to pursue the railroad classes at your | | | | to be an engineer. |
| community college. You found a major that was not | | | | It is a lot of responsibility to be an engineer. It takes a |
| impacted, a job market with open arms. You now sit in | | | | special person to step up to that responsibility. The |
| an Evolution Series locomotive. You were young, but | | | | railroads need that type of employee, and they are |
| now you have the world upon your shoulders. | | | | willing to pay and pay well. Railroad wages and |
| At your hand is the throttle; it controls four | | | | benefits aren't going away. |
| synchronized 4400 horsepower locomotives. You are | | | | In 2005, US railroads employed over 181,000 people. |
| responsible for containing these horses behind the red | | | | That number was up to 186,000 in 2006. The average |
| signal that a Fort Worth dispatcher has given you. It is | | | | railroad employee made $65,618 in wages, and $90,716 |
| not yet safe to proceed towards Barstow. | | | | after benefits in 2005. |
| Behind eager horses, your manifest- 1500 automobiles | | | | Railroad jobs are needed in America. The |
| bound for Richmond, California. Two years ago you | | | | infrastructure of transportation is bound in the country. |
| were tossing a football around, and now you are | | | | Transportation, by its nature, cannot be outsourced. |
| responsible for $30 million in cargo. | | | | Whether America buys foreign or domestic goods, |
| Safety comes first. Work Safely, prevent accidents, | | | | these goods move over the United States |
| and the railroad will operate smoothly. Freight will move | | | | transportation infrastructure. America's transportation |
| on time, on schedule if you work safely. Always sound | | | | employees handle this movement. They do now and |
| the highball before rolling the train from a stop. | | | | always will. |
| Operation Lifesaver classes taught you that | | | | Source: |
| automobiles often cannot see the train at a crossing. | | | | Class 1 Railroad Statistics: Association of American |
| An auto's safety is your safety. This is what it means | | | | Railroads: Policy & Economics Department P. |