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LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - About 1,000 people were waiting by 10 a.m. to apply for about 100 well paying but temporary railroad jobs.

The R.J. Corman Railroad Group originally said applications for the $25 to $35 an hour jobs would go to the first 500 people at a Saturday job fair.

But Noel Rush, a Corman vice president, told the Lexington Herald-Leader on Saturday that applications would be given to anyone in line until 2 p.m. end of the fair.

Twenty-nine-year-old Keith Russell was first in line and had been waiting since 2 p.m. Friday. Russell said he lost his job at Toyota and has been out of work a year.

The jobs are part of a $17.5 million federal grant awarded to Corman last month to improve short line railroads in Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia.

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