At least 5,000 veterans are expected to be hired this year in the railroad industry.
The American Association of Railroads made the announcement as part of the White House's Joining Forces initiative to support military families.
Danny Clark, a veteran who has been working at the railroad in Staunton for eight years, said working there is a lot like being in the military as they both have similar chains of command.
Most of the available jobs will be at freight railroads, as they get ready to fill more positions and replace many of the workers near retirement.
Positions in the industry include engineers, conductors, electricians, mechanics and track and rail maintenance.
Frank Nolen of the Shenandoah Valley Railroad said these jobs entail dealing with a lot of harsh conditions, like storms, where you need a lot of perseverance and endurance.
"Military training is exceptional for all kinds of training in communication, not only combat, but for logistics and moving things And that works well with the railroads," said Nolen.
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