Starting at $22/hour, based on experience | Full-Time
Do you like working with your hands, solving problems, and seeing the results of your work? Do you think working around historic trains sounds like a pretty great way to spend your day?
The Lake Superior Railroad Museum and North Shore Scenic Railroad are looking for a Coach Specialist to join our maintenance team at the Lenard Draper Maintenance Shop in Duluth.
This is more than a traditional maintenance job. Our shop cares for a collection of historic locomotives and railcars of the Lake Superior Railroad Museum, as well as the equipment used to operate the North Shore Scenic Railroad’s passenger trains. Every day can bring something different: from routine maintenance and inspections to troubleshooting a mechanical problem, helping volunteers with a project, or getting a passenger car ready for its next trip.
If you’re someone who enjoys figuring out how things work, isn’t afraid to get dirty, and takes pride in keeping equipment safe, reliable, and looking its best, we’d like to hear from you.
What You’ll Do
The Coach Specialist helps keep our fleet and maintenance facilities in top shape. You’ll work alongside our shop team, volunteers, and railroad staff to maintain, repair, inspect, and improve historic and operating rail equipment.
Your days may include:
- Performing routine maintenance and inspections on passenger railcars
- Helping prepare North Shore Scenic Railroad trains for operation
- Troubleshooting and repairing mechanical, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and other systems
- Working on projects in our maintenance shop and rail yard as part of the museum
- Assisting with the museum’s historic railroad equipment projects
- Helping lead and coordinate volunteer workdays
- Keeping shop equipment, vehicles, tools, and work areas organized
- Assisting with locomotive inspections and maintenance as qualified
- Moving railroad equipment within the shop and yard as qualified
- Keeping track of parts, supplies, tools, and safety equipment
- Completing maintenance records and required documentation
- Working with the Shop Foreman to improve maintenance procedures and projects
- Pitching in wherever needed to keep the railroad operating safely and smoothly
In short: you’ll help keep some pretty unique pieces of railroad history running.
What We’re Looking For
We’re looking for a dependable, safety-minded person who can work independently, solve problems, and isn’t afraid to learn something new. You don’t necessarily need to have worked on trains before. Experience in mechanical, industrial, fleet, facility, or trades-related work are a great foundation. We value people who know how to use their tools, think through a problem, and take pride in doing a job well.
Experience or training in areas such as these is especially valuable:
- Electrical
- HVAC
- Plumbing
- Welding
- Metal or woodworking
- Hydraulics and pneumatics
- Fleet or facility maintenance
- Preventive maintenance
- Reading technical drawings or prints
- Mechanical troubleshooting and repair
A two-year technical or trades education is preferred, but equivalent hands-on experience will be considered.
The Railroad Part
The North Shore Scenic Railroad operates historic passenger trains from downtown Duluth along the Lake Superior shoreline. Our trains include a variety of historic passenger cars, locomotives, and specialty equipment. The equipment our maintenance team cares for isn’t sitting behind glass in a museum. It goes to work, as part of the museum.
Our railcars and locomotives carry thousands of passengers each year on excursions, special events, dinner trains, fall color trips, and other railroad adventures. That makes the work of our maintenance team an important part of the experience our guests have, and of our ability to keep the trains running. You’ll be working in a historic railroad environment where no two days are necessarily the same.
This Job Is Hands-On
This is an active maintenance position. You should be comfortable spending much of your day on your feet and working around railroad equipment in all kinds of Minnesota weather. The job involves climbing ladders and steps, walking on uneven surfaces, bending, stooping, reaching, and working around rail equipment. You’ll occasionally need to lift up to 50 pounds, with heavier items handled with assistance.
The ability to work independently is important, but so is being a good teammate. Our shop works closely with railroad operations, museum staff, volunteers, and contractors, so communication and a willingness to pitch in are essential. The normal schedule is primarily weekdays, although occasional evenings, weekends, and overtime may be necessary depending on railroad operations and projects.
Railroad Qualifications
Because this position works with operating railroad equipment, there are some additional safety and regulatory requirements. Successful candidates will be required to obtain and maintain applicable railroad qualifications, including 49 CFR Part 232 air brake inspection and 49 CFR Part 218 Blue Signal Protection qualifications. Work is performed in accordance with applicable Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Association of American Railroads (AAR), and other industry requirements.
This is a Safety Sensitive position governed by federal law and is subject to required and random drug and alcohol testing while on duty. Final candidates are also subject to a background check.
What We Offer
Starting wage: $22/hour, with consideration for experience and qualifications.
Full-time employees receive a strong benefits package that includes:
- Fully paid individual health insurance
- Paid vacation
- PTO and sick time
- Employer contribution of 5% to a 401(k), once fully vested
- Work boots and high-visibility PPE provided
And, of course, there’s the opportunity to work around historic trains, locomotives, and railroad equipment every day.
About the Lake Superior Railroad Museum
The Lake Superior Railroad Museum is housed in the historic St. Louis County Depot in downtown Duluth. The museum’s mission is: Recognizing the great contributions of railroading to our region, the Lake Superior Railroad Museum preserves, interprets, and educates the public on the history of railroading.
The collection includes historic locomotives, passenger cars, freight cars, artifacts, photographs, documents, and other pieces of railroad history. Through the North Shore Scenic Railroad, much of that history continues to come alive through operating trains and public excursions.
The Lenard Draper Maintenance Shop is where much of the behind-the-scenes work happens. It’s where historic equipment gets repaired, restored, inspected, maintained, and prepared to do what it was built to do, run on the railroad.
Interested?
Send a letter of interest and resume to:
Lake Superior Railroad Museum
Attn: Kristina Pederson
506 W. Michigan Street
Duluth, MN 55802
Or email your application to kristina@lsrm.org
The Lake Superior Railroad Museum is an Equal Opportunity Employer.