Help me with Career Change

[zgardner18]

Hey guys, my name is Zak and I'm new to this forum. I'm 29, live in the Los Angeles area and I work as a purchasing agent for a builder/developer company. Ever since I was a kid I've loved trains, and the other day I was on the web and applied as a crewman for UP and BNSF for the fun of it. BNSF replied to say that there was nothing now, but UP invited me to an interview session. The area that I would work would be the Cajon Pass (A place that I've loved). This is a lifelong dream of mine to be able to work on the railroad, but I'm now married with a 20 month old son. My job now brings in a lot of money, and to start at the bottom of the pay schedule for the railroad could be a hardship. I'm sure you all know that SoCal isn't the cheapest place to live either. The goal is to have my wife not work but if I join the railroad, she might have to work for the next 5 or so years, and we kind of don't want that. But remember that driving trains is what I've always wanted to do. If someone asked the question: "If you could do anything for a career, what?” I would say, "Be Engineer." So what do you guys think I should do if it were you in my shoes?

[chad thomas]

It's a tough call only you can make. You will not have regular or predictable hours till you have years of senority. You will not be able to plan family functions and you will probably be at your away terminal (Bakersfield of Yermo probably) half the time you are off duty. On the other hand if it's your dream I say go for it. Starting pay will probably be 50k or more (I have two relatives that are UP employees that both made over 60k there first years). And you will probably retire with a good pension (assumeing you make it to retirement). If you were invited to a hireing session you have done good so far. I applied for over 100 positions and never got mor then a "thanks but no thanks reply". But I enjoy what I do so it's no big deal. Good luck and welcome to the forum.

BTW- you might get a better response on the Trains forum section of this forum.

[Anonymous]

I've been employed at BNSF as a Conductor/Switchman/Hostler for two years now. I'd be happy to answer any questions about railroading.

[csxengineer98]

8 years service with csx as an engineer and conductor here.. and i can tell you one thing... if you want to spend time with your new baby....FORGET THE RAILROAD.... the railroad is nothing but a glorified truck driver..with hours that are just as screwed up as truckdrivers... your going to have it hard for possably longer then just 5 years... it all depends on what your senority is like if you get hired on..and complite the JOT and all exams that go with the promotion prosses... the lower your are on the senority pole..the harder it is to get a reguler shift or hold a big money pool turn or extra board... one thing you have to look at is the age of the men working in the senority zone that you are applying for... if the majority of them are old heads that are going to be retireing within the next few years..(anywhere from 1 to 5).. then the sooner you get on the better (happend with me...only 8 years service and i have killer senority with csx in my zone)....but if the zone is full of younger hires... that are going to have a long time to go... your going to find it alot harder and alot longer befor you get enought "wiskers" to hold anything worthwhile... and the same thing applyes for engineers too... you might get called to engin school and depending on your companies union agreement...you might get a new senority date for the craft of engineer..and be at the bottom of the ladder all over agin as an engineer... so...if you ask me...i wouldnt do it... say where your at.. that is if you still want to stay married and see your kid... espeacly since you said you ahve a well playing job now... i wouldnt leave it... but that is just me...

csx engineer

[Anonymous]

csxengineer is right Zak, based on what I've heard from other railroad men in Oregon. On the other hand they might detect an ever so slight amount of color blindness in you and you would be saved from the hell of running freights. On the other hand I've heard that train operation jobs with Amtrak or commuter services are quite nice. Perhaps if you do get in maybe you could just hang around for a while and look for a transfer to Amtrak or the So.Cal. commuter train agency. That's just what I would do.

[Anonymous]

As a BNSF condr for 8 yrs, I would have to agree w/CSX and don't do it. You seem to have a good job w/a secure future and I would not give that up for the rr. The way things are going in the industry now, who knows what it will be like out here in a few yrs. My girlfriend works as a contract van driver and has expressed an interest in getting into a condr class. I told her not to bother but she insisted otherwise. She actually made it to a BNSF interview session but did not get hired. To me, this was a blessing. She now is going to focus on getting back in college. Her goal is to become a police officer, which is what she has always wanted to do and I support her on that. Atleast she is studying for a job which has a future and the rr has no future. If I had to do it all over again, I would have not gone the rr way, but that is just me.

[coborn35]

The way things are going witht the industry now is good! Lots of more jobs will be available.

[csxengineer98]

QUOTE: Originally posted by coborn35

The way things are going witht the industry now is good! Lots of more jobs will be available.

it is "good" now..only becouse of economy... all it takes is a downswing in the econonmy and thier are going to be alot of layoffs...the railroad is fest or fammon..and right now..its feast.... but its not going to last for ever...and also have to keep in mind....if the carriers get thier way with this next contract...there IS going to be masive shakup in the industry...(possabilty of 1 man crews on road trains)...
i stick by my statment above.. if you have a good playing job now..dont leave it..
csx engineer

[coborn35]

BUT, with alot of engineers retiring in a few years, there will be alot of jobs open.

[csxengineer98]

QUOTE: Originally posted by coborn35

BUT, with alot of engineers retiring in a few years, there will be alot of jobs open.

cant go to engineers school when your layed off as a conductor...
csx engineer

[coborn35]

But wont there be an influx of jobs at conductor becasue all the conductors will be scrambling to get engineer spots? Granted, you may have to stay as a conductor for a while, but better than nothing.

[csxengineer98]

QUOTE: Originally posted by coborn35

But wont there be an influx of jobs at conductor becasue all the conductors will be scrambling to get engineer spots? Granted, you may have to stay as a conductor for a while, but better than nothing.

see my ABOVE STATMENTS!!!!!!
csx engineer

[kolechovski]

There was an article in a Train mag I read a little ago, but I forgot which issue. Zak, there is steam running in Poland (at least at the time the article was printed), and if you can shell out $1600+transportation to Poland, you can take a vacation there, see steam in action, and maybe get to drive a bit. If you're a diesel guy, I know from time to time there are events where you can pay to operate a loco for a while during the event. But at your status, it's best to forget working on the railroad.

Now, mkroth, I've got some questions for you. First, about being a conductor and meeting that 80-lb. lifting requirement, at what point do they check to see if you're able to do it? Immediately? Or after training? And about how many tie plates equal that weight? I don't have couplers, but I do have tie plates and would like to see if I've gotten too shabby over winter and need to beef up the strength.

[csxengineer98]

Now, mkroth, I've got some questions for you. First, about being a conductor and meeting that 80-lb. lifting requirement, at what point do they check to see if you're able to do it? Immediately? Or after training? And about how many tie plates equal that weight? I don't have couplers, but I do have tie plates and would like to see if I've gotten too shabby over winter and need to beef up the strength.
lifting the weight of the nuckle is easy as long as you are picking it up with your legs...meaning...you dont bend over and pick it up with your back..you squat down with your legs..pick it up..and lift with your legs.. 80 pounds is not that much if you lift proporly... besides...they will yell at you if you try to lift with your back....im not that big of a guy as far as mussle mass..but i can lift it up no problem.. as far as trying to lift tieplates..your best bet is to just get a dumbell with 80#s on it..becouse tieplates are unwheldy if your trying to stack them up to equal 80#s..all you need to have happen is a few shift and crush your foot...
safty first..always...end trainsmition...
csx engineer