Working on the railroad: conductors and yardmasters have their futures on track.

You wouldn't call Sharon Carlquist's workdays typical. She's a conductor for Metro-North Railroad, a passenger line used daily by thousands of commuters in New York and Connecticut. Some riders are regulars.

Many come and go. "Wednesday is [Broadway] matinee day," Carlquist says. "You've got many people going to New York [City]."

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Carlquist works four hours in the morning and then has four hours off. She might go to a park, see a movie, read, nap, or do whatever strikes her fancy. Then she puts in her final four hours before heading home.

Carlquist was conducting a southbound train headed to New York City on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. "My train was at 125th Street [the stop before New York's Grand Central Terminal] when we heard about it," Carlquist says. Terrorists had just flown jetliners into the World Trade Center; the towers were in flames. "Once we found out, a lot of people called [friends and family] on their cell phones. And then a lot of people just hung their heads. People prayed. A lot of people cried."

The crew absorbed the shock and then went into action, helping frightened riders escape the city. "We packed people on [trains leaving Manhattan]," says Carlquist. "There were police, doctors, and nurses at every stop to help people. We had people covered from head to toe with all that white powder," she says, her voice cracking. "I was never so proud of Metro-North [employees]. They worked so hard to get people out."

Carlquist started her rail career 30 years ago, logging 12-hour days in a card car. Soon she became a "train man"--the old name for an assistant conductor. Her career has grown from there.

The work keeps her in constant motion, which suits her. These days, in fact, the entire industry is on a roll because of an upswing in freight demand and increased ridership on public transportation. With 80,000 new jobs on the rail horizon over the next six years, the question is: Might a rail career suit you?

On the Job

On a passenger line, the conductor's job is all about passenger comfort and safety. "I do enjoy working with the public," Carlquist says. Conductors take tickets, collect fares, answer passengers' questions, and ensure that passengers are riding safely. They also coordinate the crew's activities, signal the engineer, and make sure the train is working properly, from its lighting to its doors. On a freight line, conductors review schedules and orders to facilitate the loading and unloading of cargo.

You don't have to ride the trains to make them run. Yardmasters, for instance, coordinate traffic. They figure out when to make up or break up trains. They switch flow as needed. They tell engineers where to park or run their trains and coordinate car and engine cleaning and maintenance by directing trains to the right stations.

"It's a lot of responsibility," says Lynn Langlois, a Metro-North yardmaster. "We basically do what an air traffic controller does."

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Langlois works in a tower that looks over a rail yard. One skill above all others needed on the job, she says, is "being a multitasker. You're talking on the phone. You're talking on the radio. You're throwing switches."

Langlois started in budgets and payroll but found those tasks too mundane. As a yardmaster, she says, she's not bored. "We know the basic responsibilities day to day, but we never know the circumstances ahead of time."

Opportunities to Catch

Both Carlquist and Langlois tout the variety built into their days and their retirement and health packages. Railroads pay 90 percent of employee healthcare costs. Many companies pay just 75 percent.

Compensation is good in railway work. In 2003, engineers earned an average of $75,162. Conductors and yardmasters earned an average of $67,128. The annual benefits, on top of the salaries, were worth $22,986.

As more workers approach retirement age, the ranks need filling. The current job boom was preceded by years of flat growth and limited hiring on the railroads.

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Your Signal

To catch one of these jobs, start now by taking classes in subjects related to the rail career of greatest interest: electronics, to work in the signal department; math, to take measurements and work with money. Railroad companies need many skilled tradespeople, such as heating and air-conditioning technicians and electricians.

Each line of work calls for a specific skill set and has its own challenges. Just be warned: Seniority determines who gets the best hours, so for your first year on the job, you might work on call.

Technical schools teach many applicable skills. Meanwhile, knowing someone in the business is a foot in the train door, so network with job counselors who can make introductions. Attend state and local job fairs. Keep an eye on the Railroad Retirement Board job postings (www.rrb.gov/ pands/jobs/rrjobs.asp). The site also has links to individual railroad's job postings.

When you find a lead, follow it to the end of the line. You may come to the same conclusion as Lynn Langlois.

"It's a very fun and wonderful job," says Langlois.

Help Wanted

What are some other options on the railroad?

* Maintenance of way: People with mechanical aptitude are needed in the track, signal, structure, telecommunications, welding, and work equipment departments, says AI McNulty, manager of structures training at Johnson County Community College in Kansas, which trains students for those positions. "It's good job security because the railroad takes care of its people," he says.

* Engineers: Riding in the front or back, engineers operate trains carrying cargo and passengers. They check the condition of the trains before making runs and call for adjustments as needed.

* Signal operators: These pros use their electronic know-how to take care of the signals.

* Subway operators: Like engineers, they run trains, careful to watch for signals and monitor speed. Like conductors, passenger safety is their first job.

* Switch operators: These workers are in charge of the track switches in a yard.

Where Can You Work On the Railroad?

Passenger and commuter rail jobs can be found nationwide, particularly in these busy metropolitan areas:

* Denver

* Los Angeles

* New York

* Dallas

* Houston

* Chicago

* Washington, D.C.

* Boston

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Many freight jobs are in major cities:

* Chicago

* Kansas City

* Seattle

* Los Angeles

* Memphis, Tenn.

* St. Louis

* Atlanta

Rural areas have rail jobs too. For example, you might look in these busy railroad towns:

* Galesburg, Ill.

* Springfield, Mo.

* Havre, Mont.

* Alliance, Neb.

* Clovis, N.M.

* Gillette, Wyo.

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Classroom Extension

* What does a railroad conductor do? What does a railroad yardmaster do?

* Why are opportunities with railroads growing?

* What are some advantages of working on a railroad?

Resources

* Career Voyages: Railroad www.careervoyages.gov/ transportation-railroad.cfm

* Amtrak www.amtrak.com (click Employment)

* Association of American Railroads www.aar.org

* United Transportation Union www.utu.org

* Careers at Union Pacific www.unionpacific.jobs

* National Academy of Railroad Sciences www.railroadtraining.com