Signaller job in USA

[Welsh1]

Hi all,

As the title suggests, I’m looking for any info people have or experiences of going from being a signaller here in the UK to a signaller (train dispatcher) in the USA.

What sort of hurdles would someone need to jump to a achieve this or is it simply a non starter...

Anything would be great

 

[tiptoptaff]

Hi all,

As the title suggests, I’m looking for any info people have or experiences of going from being a signaller here in the UK to a signaller (train dispatcher) in the USA.

What sort of hurdles would someone need to jump to a achieve this or is it simply a non starter...

Anything would be great

US citizenship is the biggest hurdle to overcome. Also, dispatchers are usually promoted from Yard staff and not directly recruited for.

 

[godfreycomplex]

US citizenship is the biggest hurdle to overcome. Also, dispatchers are usually promoted from Yard staff and not directly recruited for.

Indeed. Most of the major urban railways do seem to hire directly into dispatcher - (METRA & Metro North spring to mind)
As has been said, US citizenship (or at the very least a green card) is required (and is quite tricky to get)
Pick up a language and try somewhere in Europe perhaps?

 

[tiptoptaff]

Indeed. Most of the major urban railways do seem to hire directly into dispatcher - (METRA & Metro North spring to mind)
As has been said, US citizenship (or at the very least a green card) is required (and is quite tricky to get)
Pick up a language and try somewhere in Europe perhaps?

Ahh yes - I was immediately thinking of the freight side. I thought a lot of the local stuff that runs on the freight lines is controlled by the relevant Class1? Ie METRA being on the BNSF Racetrack is controlled by them?

 

[godfreycomplex]

Ahh yes - I was immediately thinking of the freight side. I thought a lot of the local stuff that runs on the freight lines is controlled by the relevant Class1? Ie METRA being on the BNSF Racetrack is controlled by them?

That’s true - racetrack is indeed controlled from Fort Worth
I believe METRA control (or “dispatch”) Milwaukee North/West, Electric/South Shore, Rock Island district; South West; North Central & Heritage.

 

[tiptoptaff]

That’s true - racetrack is indeed controlled from Fort Worth
I believe METRA control (or “dispatch”) Milwaukee North/West, Electric/South Shore, Rock Island district; South West; North Central & Heritage.

Thanks for the info!

 

[Welsh1]

Ah I think it might be a non starter then, I was looking more at the Florida east coast railway as they do cure have a dispatcher job advertised.

I think that hurdle with the green card is too big to get over though. Just wondered if anyone out there had managed it.

Thanks for all the replies guys

 

[tiptoptaff]

It's a non-starter without the right to reside and work. They will not sponsor. Getting the green card is notoriously difficult