"Road" pay is it worth it? "misery pay"

[AntonioFP45]

Fellas, can we turn this around?

I've had the priviledge of having befriended several locomotive engineers and train conductors back in the 80s. These guys absolutely enjoyed their jobs even though by the time CSX came into being they were struggling with company politics.

Here's what I learned from the SCL / Family Lines engineers, then.

1. Pay was very good,
2. Hours odd or unusual,
3. The senior guys often chose the steady runs,
4. If you were regularly assigned to Amtrak, you could pretty much plan your off time.
5. The extra board guys got all kinds of odd assignments,
6. The runs where you and your train might sit for 2 hours waiting for clearance to get into a major yard could be very boring.
7. The runs that involved long trains over various grades or lots of curves were toughest on an engineer as far as train handling, and also the most exciting.
8. Yard switching assignments kept crews "peppy" and on their toes.
9. Easiest assignments were "light engine" runs. Transferring locomotives from one yard or terminal to another.

O.K guys.............how does this compare to today? I'm genuinely curious and would like to read from you professional railroaders.

[tormadel]

In some ways this kind of subject makes railroad work sound as unpleasent as being and emergency room doctor (there isn't enough money in the world to pay me to do THAT job). But I will have to stick with the philosophy "Love what you do (meaning your job) or do something else"

I'm sure we could start a whole nother thread about jobs people have had on this board and hated (rail and non rail). It would probably end up being the longest thread on the board.

[Anonymous]

Want a job with a structured 40-hour week?

Get a job in a store someplace.

Old Timer

[Anonymous]

Need misery pay to read topic after topic about nothing.

[sanvtoman]

In ohio the top men in a "long pool" can earn anywhere from 2000 to 3600 or more per 2 week pay period.As i know one of these people they dont get regular sleep unless they can get a UPS or Mail run which run with some certainty.I guess thats why it is called "misery pay"