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[kolechovski]

Do railroads require that you have a year of employment prior to being hired, or is that a recommendation? Since I haven't been able to get in a year, I'd like to know if I'm eligible for hiring as a conductor.

[csxengineer98]

it all comes down to what the railroads want... they prefure that you have a solid work history for some reason.. meaning.. a few years at 1 job....and not alot of jobs in a time period.. and anot alot of "off time" between jobs...
but your best bet would be to contact the human resourse department of what ever road your thinking about trying to get on with..and ask someone thier..they will tell you exactly what they look for
csx engineer

[AC6000CW]

I AM TRING TO GET IN AT A TEC. SCHOOL TO BE A LOCOMOTIVE ENGINER.CSXENGINEER98 DO THEY HIRE PEOPLE IF THEY GET A DEAGREE IN LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEER TO BE A LOCOMOTIVE ENGINNER.

[Anonymous]

Two Things:
One: DO NOT waste your time or money getting a degree in railroading!!! I work for CSX and I can gaurantee you that having that degree will not make a difference. Any training you would need will be provided by the company. To my knowledge, CSX is the only railroad that you have to pay for the conductors training. If you start out with a shortline or somone that does not require you to pay for the school,then you may be hired later by CSX (if you want to) as a professional railroader and not have to go through all of the training or pay for it. Remember this though. Seniority is everything. Once you have started with a company, you begin your seniority with them on that date. If you leave and go to another, you begin your seniority with them on the date you started with them,not the date you began your railroad career in general.

Two:
As far as work experience goes. I have seen kids hire right out of high school. The railroad needs people, so they cannot afford to be too difficult in the hiring process. Show every bit of experience you have, mowing, newspaper delivery, ect., (even volunteer). This reveals maturity,dependability,and the fact that you can be trained. If you are young and still sowing your oats, you will have a hard time with the railroads drug/alcohol and attendance policies. If you know you're not ready to give up partying and your weekends, you may want to hold off on railroading.

[Anonymous]

Railroads do not hire people that go to these locomotive engineer tech schools.. you come out of there with 0 experience.. Although im the grad of a conductor training course... and look where that got me.. CP. But do not do the engineer trainning course.. waist of time and money.

[AC6000CW]

do you know of any short line that i can start up in the panhandle of florida?

[csxengineer98]

QUOTE: Originally posted by AC6000CW

I AM TRING TO GET IN AT A TEC. SCHOOL TO BE A LOCOMOTIVE ENGINER.CSXENGINEER98 DO THEY HIRE PEOPLE IF THEY GET A DEAGREE IN LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEER TO BE A LOCOMOTIVE ENGINNER.

thier is no such thing as a degree for a locomotive engineer... that school is nothing but a waste of money for anyone that realy wants to do the job...if anything its just a novel way for someone to say the ran an engin... the only way you can legaly run a locomotive in the US is to be FRA certifed... and that certificaion can and is only issued by the railroad and the FRA... no one else... and the only way you can become FRA certifed is to work for a real railroad..and be trained as an engineer... and meet all the FRA requirments for certifcation..... my advice to you is forget the school... and start to look online at the differnt railroad companys that might be in your area...and contact thier human resousre departments to see if they are hireing and how to go about getting hired.... but let me give you 1 word of caution... i can tell from reading your past postings on this forum...that your a train nut..... its not all its cracked up to be working for the railroad... its not fun and games...yes we do have some good times..but they are few and far between... and you have to learn to keep the rail buff part of your life out of the cab when your working... its a job...they pay you to move freigth..... now if you get the job and find out its not for you..then i say..sure go to the school for engineers just becoues that might be the only way you get the change to be "at the throttle" even if it is only a simulator... but heed my words as well as other railroaders on this sight....
csx engineer

[AC6000CW]

OK THEN DOES CSX OFFER TRANING TO BE A ENGINEERS FREE OF CHARGE OR DO YOU HAVE TO PAY ?

[csxengineer98]

QUOTE: Originally posted by AC6000CW

OK THEN DOES CSX OFFER TRANING TO BE A ENGINEERS FREE OF CHARGE OR DO YOU HAVE TO PAY ?

no..you dont have to pay... but you have to be working for csx...they just dont take any joe blow off the street and let them go to the school...its for current employees only... as far as a conductor... csx dose most of its hiring out of college conductor programs...and you do have to pay for that schooling

csx engineer

[kolechovski]

Working for a railroad isn't all it's cracked up to be, but I still think it's the best job in the world, that is, if the conditions are right (decent weather, decent bosses, decent weather, decent fellow workers, decent weather, you're tuned in to the railroad lifestyle, decent weather, you're not married, decent weather...)

Anyway, I'll give that a try. Another question I have is about the 80 lb. requirement for lifting knuckle couplers. Now I don't see any couplers lying around the railroad to try to lift, so approximately how many tie plates equal that weight? Also, do we have to be able to lift this when be start as a conductor trainee, officially start conducting, or get promoted to engineer?

edit-I should also include info, that if I don't get hired by the one I'm going for because of the previous employment thingy, I will try to grudgingly get hired by Norfolk Southern. Although I'm afraid of all the horrors the employees have said coming true, it will at least serve as the starting point until I'm eligible to start out elsewhere. I have a question about that, though. Although NS is hiring in my state, the nearest position is a good distance across from here, and I do not have the money to move. I have looked at their income projections and am wondering if after 1/2 is ripped out, will the remaining money be enough to rent and still work in the area okay? Anybody have experience with this?

[Anonymous]

Only place you can hire off the street as an engineer is Amtrash

[coborn35]

Really? Wouldnt you need more training because of the high speed trains?

[csxengineer98]

ok..let me clarify something regarding a few things
first off... thier are times where a major railroad will hire off the street for jobs.. but alot of them are going to college baised training schools...
second.. unless you already have real world experinces as an engineer..most of the time they will not hire you off the street into engin service...you have to be promoted into it from the trainmans ranks...
3rd... the engineers training schools that are being offered will not get you into the seat any faster on a real railroad simply becouse you dont have any real world railroad experinces running an engin.. and even if you do get hired on...you are still going to have to go through the companys training program and schooling anyways..which would be what you just PAYED out of pocket for and more involved and detailed...
csx engineer

[Anonymous]

rrheat i will agree with. I also work for csx as a conductor. i only have a few years under my belt, but it is a start. about hiring, yes you will have to pay, and pay alot of money. I went to school back in 02/2004 and I had invested approx. 6500.00. so if you want to get hired on the railroad go to www.amdg.com. that is where i went. i really hope this helps. note just because you fo to the school does not give you a job. it gets you an interview.
rrheat what yard do you work out off?

[Anonymous]

csx engineer iwould like to be a locomotive engineer.. right now im a train op for t.a what would be the steps i take.. and whats the pay like??? i also have experience as a metro noth carmen