Rick Selva stands in front of Train No. 68 he operated from Montreal to Rensselaer on Sept. 27, 2016. This run ended his 40-year railroad career.
What is your role here at Questar III, and where do you work?
I am a Substitute Teacher/Job Coach at Columbia-Greene Educational Center
How long have you worked here?
9 months
How do you see your role as supporting the BOCES and its school districts?
I had a 40-year Railroad Industry career in various departments and I felt this experience could benefit the BOCES programs by giving a different career perspective to students and teachers. It has been well received in every classroom in which I have worked.
What is your background like – previous jobs, education, etc.?
I worked for Conrail from 1976 to 1990 when I transferred to Amtrak. I retired in the fall of 2016. At Conrail I worked in the Communication & Signal and Transportation Departments. At Amtrak I worked as a Locomotive Engineer until I retired. My education is all industrial-type schooling, attending classes and seminars related to the railroad industry. I also have a Commercial Driver’s License and a Hoisting Engineers License (to operate cranes).
What do you like most about your job?
When I started at CGEC I felt I had a lot to offer the students and teachers. I quickly learned that they had a lot to offer to me and this has been a very rewarding experience in my life.
Tell us a bit about your life outside of Questar III.
I live in Kinderhook with my wife Maureen who is also a Questar III Teachers Assistant in the Pre-K program at Ichabod Crane. I do volunteer work at the Railroad Museum of New England in Thomaston, CT as well as restoring my 1967 Chevy Truck. I also enjoy woodworking, electrical work and restoring antique telephones.
