Railroads to invest $25B, hire thousands in '13

WASHINGTON – The Association of American Railroads (AAR) announced the nation’s major freight railroads plan to invest an estimated $24.5 billion in 2013 to build, maintain and upgrade America’s rail network to ensure freight railroads can continue to deliver for the nation’s economy.

With approximately 22 percent of the industry’s workforce eligible to retire in the next five years, railroads are dedicated to recruiting highly skilled people interested in making railroading a career, according to an AAR release.

Freight railroads also estimate they will hire more than 11,000 employees this year, primarily in response to retirements and attrition for positions that can be found across the U.S.

“We are looking for employees who want a true potential life-long career and will want to help make the railroads safer and more reliable than they have ever been,” said AAR President and CEO Edward R. Hamberger. “The success of our industry – from our importance to the economy to our continually improving safety record – can be attributed to the hard working men and women who make their careers with the railroads.”

Rail employee compensation, including benefits, averages roughly $107,000 per year, according to the AAR, with jobs ranging from engineers and dispatchers, to law enforcement, to information technology and industrial development.

In the first five months of the year, railroads are participating in more than 70 career fairs across the country. For more information visit www.aar.org/jobs.

“While most other transportation modes rely on government funds, America’s freight railroads operate on infrastructure they own, maintain and upgrade to serve their customers and power our economy,” said Hamberger. “This year, freight railroads plan to continue to focus on investments that maintain and enhance our physical infrastructure and safety systems, including cutting edge technology that ensures we are ready to deliver for the future.”

With hundreds of transportation infrastructure projects underway nationwide, railroads are investing in projects such as intermodal terminals that facilitate truck to train freight transport; new track; bridges and tunnels; modernized safety equipment; new locomotives and rail cars, and other components that ensure the U.S. freight rail network remains the most reliable and efficient in the world.