Realizing her potential, one call at a time
Yowanda Russell
Signals and Communications Officer
Canadian National
Homewood, IL
3 years in the industry
4 years in the military
Base: Fort Bliss, TX
Yowanda Russell's job as a signals and communications officer for Canadian National (CN) requires her to think and act, fast. Responsible for all signals, track or crossing issues on the U.S. side of operations, Russell monitors problems, dispatching maintenance crews to fix them within CN's Southern Region. Russell likens her job to that of a 911 emergency call operator and responds quickly when a track or signal issue call comes in. “It gets very busy,” she says. “I need to be able to prioritize and handle multiple calls, getting the most important things taken care of first.”
After serving four years in the army and then earning her Bachelor of Science degree in Earth and Environmental Science under the G.I. Bill, Russell landed a job with CN in their railroad trainee program. She had no idea that freight railroads liked hiring military vets, but after seizing the opportunity to switch to a management position in signals, she now knows why. “It takes a measure of toughness to be able to work in the military and thrive in the freight rail industry,” she says. “The discipline taught by the military is a very good thing that sets you apart from other people who may not share the same work ethic.”
Poised to pursue further in-depth training on CN's rail signal systems, Russell takes great pride in knowing she can accomplish what she needs to in a fast paced environment. “I'm proud I've been able to establish a reputation as someone who's a hard worker, can prioritize to get answers when we need them, and can get the job done as quickly and safely as possible,” she says. “Working for CN has opened my eyes to the type of person I am as well as the type of person I can be. It's shown me my potential.”