After applying online, it took about three days that I got an email to take mechanical aptitude test. Pass the test it was easy, set up for interview couple of days later. Then Physical exam and medical exam. The whole process took about a month.

This job had 9 positions available in this area, and starting pay was $29 hour. But they had many positions across all their territories. The interview took place at a local community college, where the RR also teaches courses to get you up to speed on locomotives etc.. Turns out I was the only one who dressed up. I wore slacks, coat, tie and dress shoes. Also the only one who bothered to groom their face. Everybody else wore casual or work clothes. They had a doom and gloom speech from the local heads of the departments, and the SR hiring recruiter. For my department it was said I would be working for 8 years before I had any seniority and most likely would be working midnight to 8am (for 8 years). They showed a short, grainy, corny, video from company brown nosers likely made in the 80's. They answered all questions, then had roll call, as this an invitation only presentation. Then assigned interview times for the next 5 hours. Previous to this interview day I had to take a skills battery test which was a complete joke, it was proctored by prometric, where they patted you down, made you empty your pockets, and wanded you with a metal detector, to make sure you wouldn't cheat on the timed exams. In total it was 3 1/2 hours. Interview was by the Sr. Recruiter, the head of the local union and the union head of my department. All the other questions I seemed to click with the interviewers. Interview lasted about 10 minutes. About 4 hours later I got an automated response for a job offer. I then had to complete an online health questionnaire... Needless to say I spent the next 3 weeks haggling with them with their requests. Based on their health questionnaire and my responses they wanted all and any of my possible medical records, from every aspect. I begrudgingly accepted to do that except from one area of my medical records. The nurses that run this part of the medical application process said they would take a minimum of these records for the time being, but when I dug deeper, they said they would likely ask for all of it later on anyway. I just could not release this information to them, it was none of their business. So thats where I ended the job offer and new hire orientation process. During those 3 weeks, I did complete the job physical and audio gram, and urinalysis. They also wanted me to do a physical fitness test that kind of simulated my job in a gym setting. But the company they contracted with (LHI) only had 2-3 testing facilities, and it was a 900 mile plus drive one way for me to get there. I flat out refused. I'm pretty sure it is against the law for them to request my medical records, beings that I requested no formal assistance for any disabilities.

I was given a phone interview by a recruiter. The recruiter scheduled a panel interview where I met with the recruiter and various managers from the facility where I was applying for employment. We were given an in-brief that explained the job working environment and what could be expected if we decided to continue in the interview process. The managers gave us an opportunity to speak with our significant others and talk to them about the job and make sure they knew what would be expected of us as future railroad employees. Once this was completed we were randomly selected by craft and assigned an interview time to meet with the panel and go through the interview process.