Working for a railroad

[mackb4]

baberuth73.Sorta like the railroad has a beacon on you hey ?Ooops,got to go,or I'm late for work [sigh] !

[bobwilcox]

If you plan to go to college take a look at these jobs :http://www.nscorp.com/nscorp/application?pageid=Careers&category=Careers&contentId=english/nscorp/careers/ns_career_center.html. The websites at BNSF, CSXT and UP have similar information.

You should be making $100,000 within five years if there is a good fit on these types of jobs. Hours tend to me more predectable than T&E but expect to work 60-80 hours per week.

[Anonymous]

Just to expound on what has already been said, I worked rotating shifts for 26 years in a chemical plant.. I went to work for a railroad thinking that working odd hours was a "been there, done that , no big deal" kind of thing but what I came to realize was that, with no seniority, you can't make plans to do anything but work unless you mark off. Many times I have gotten the "call" while seated in a nice restaurant or attending a family function. Railroads always have needs that pop up at the last minute like maybe the guy ahead of you marks off or a "fresh" crew has to relieve a crew that has "gone on the law" so even when you check your standing on the extraboard with your home computer and think its safe to plan something special, your plans can get shot down in a skinny minute.

Now let me tell you about the other side of the coin.

The railroad I worked for hired a consulting firm to come up with more efficient routing of trains. We had 2 trains re-routed away from my home terminal so we all knew the work load was going to slow down and that furloughs would be likely. It didn't just slow down, it came to a screaching halt. It got to the point that I was working 2 or 3 days in a 2 week period. We limped along like that for about 6 weeks before I received word that I was furloughed. All this occured just before Thanksgiving 2001. I was called back in March 2002.

[Anonymous]

Thanks to those who have answered.

[mackb4]

Weekends,what is a weekend ? Days off,what's a day off ? If your gonna work on the railroad.You give up your life.When you get a regular assigned pool slot,you have more flex time.Or if you get enough wiskers to hold a yard job,you might have scheduled days off.And just when you think you got some senority to hold something good,they oboli***he job you thought you was going to get. I've worked 70 straight days in the past.But now I got a regular run,the extra-list people will eat good ! If my spelling is extra bad tonight,it's because I just got off a 36 hour round trip.Started out on Friday night,ended Sunday morning 4.00am.I get in 3 times out rested at 2.00pm,and will get out on my rest today. That's how my weekend is going to be spent.

[Anonymous]

Seven yrs of service and the last four (minus six months) I have held a regular assigned night local job w/wknds off. Prior to the rr, I spent several yrs working in a KS flour mill and lived on the job putting in many seven day work wks, all three shifts, wknds & holidays included. Since I was used to it, at first when started w/the rr it did not bother me working xtra bd and being on call but now I am so removed from it, I don't think you could get me to go back on a extra bd. In fact, I have yet to work any mainline bd. This is indeed quite rare.

[CShaveRR]

I work for a railroad.

I have assigned days off, and my hours are reasonably regular. But until you get to be Number One in seniority, there's someone who can mess with your plans. (I'm number two--found that out the hard way a month or so ago.) Having the weekends off isn't always the reward you'd think it would be.

I get paid well, though I don't earn nearly as much as some of those people who complain about the long, irregular hours.

You get ignorami, buffoons, and assorted anal orifices to work with, but every once in a while you find some folks that are genuinely nice to work with and for. And the others you get used to. Don't worry--somebody somewhere has the same high opinions of you, too.

Thirty-five years ago is when I started. I don't think I'd want to work anywhere else.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Austin34

Hello, I recently joined the forum and I humbly ask for some help. For those who know, what is it like to work for a railroad? I have worked shift work and missed everything you can miss (holidays, anniversary's, birthdays, etc.) Is it ever possible to get to where you have weekends off or some type of regular schedule? How's the pay and benefits? What are your coworkers like? Maybe the best way to ask is... what do you wish you had known before working for a railroad?

To everyone who responds, thank you for answering my questions. God bless.

You haven't missed nearly everything you can miss until you've worked for the RR.

LC

[Anonymous]

work most holidays, the jobs with days off are few and getting fewer with the use of remote control in the yards. the pay is good but you loose more every contract or work more for it. the people, well hang out with a bunch of sleep deprived folks and that ought to tell you. as a 4th generation railroader i knew pretty much what i was getting into. if i won a million $$$$ i would be gone.

[wabash1]

words cant describe how i feel about the railroad . I mean they aint made them yet. but when they do ill come back and post them.......

[Anonymous]

Hello, I recently joined the forum and I humbly ask for some help. For those who know, what is it like to work for a railroad? I have worked shift work and missed everything you can miss (holidays, anniversary's, birthdays, etc.) Is it ever possible to get to where you have weekends off or some type of regular schedule? How's the pay and benefits? What are your coworkers like? Maybe the best way to ask is... what do you wish you had known before working for a railroad?

To everyone who responds, thank you for answering my questions. God bless.