Chris is the third generation in his family working for a railway company

That Chris Bos decided to work on the railway came as no surprise. He is the third generation in his family working for a railway company. He was hired by the Dutch Railways in 1990, which was taken over by Strukton in 1997 and he has never lost his love for mechanical systems. It is with pride that today he works as Chief Technician Tracks at the Strukton’s Rail Maintenance department in the Betuwe region.

Growing (up) in the railway sector

‘When I was still young, my father took me along to his work from time to time. Travelling and seeing him work as team leader/manager was a tremendous experience for me. After working as a mason for five years, I was certain: I also wanted to work on the railways. I succeeded in 1990, when I was hired as trainee craftsman road maintenance. From there I advanced to craftsman road maintenance and now I am working at Strukton as Chief Technician Tracks. As you can see, I have gone through quite a few steps in my career. For 28 years I did my work at the Kijfhoek hump yard, while today I have a fixed home base in the city of Den Bosch.’

“When I was young, I was certain about one thing: I am going to work on the railways like my father.”

Mutual appreciation

‘Taking passengers safely and comfortably from point A to point B on a railway in top condition. It is my task and that of my team to maintain these tracks. This work ranges from checking all of the locking bolts to doing custom work. Heavy trains drive on these tracks day in, day out, and all of the rails, switches and of course their positioning must be in perfect condition. In my position I carry out various projects, such as improving a level crossing. It was our task to completely restore a level crossing in poor condition in accordance with ProRail standards. I was involved in the entire process here: from work planning to aftercare. Some projects appear impossible beforehand, but I always think: how can we get this done? Something that I have always enjoyed at Strukton is that you are given freedom in carrying out your job. When you are devoted to the company, it comes back to you in spades. This is why my colleagues trust the quality I provide, without giving it second thought.’

Opportunities

‘Strukton provides lots of opportunities to grow within my profession. This, combined with the enjoyable working atmosphere, explicit appreciation and of course working on the tracks, make this an ideal job for me. My next step likely is to become construction supervisor, a job for which I have already been trained to some extent. But I am not excluding the possibility of becoming a team leader/manager at some point, just like my father. One thing is certain: I will continue to work in this sector.’