talk with a real engineer

[Anonymous]

i am going to be a Engineer For BNSF when i get older, and i dont care what people say, i WILL be one. and i would like to talk to a real enginner or brake man, or anyone who is in the cab on a moving train regularly. i have so many questions .

[csxengineer98]

what do you want to know...
csx engineer

[Anonymous]

do you like the job
do spend alot of time away from home
who do you work for
what engine do you usualy run
how much schooling do you have to have
what kind of training do you go through
is it more of a chalange to drive in snow,rain,or a sunny day
do you usualy know what you are pulling
what is the longest train you have ever pulled
what is the most amount of engines that you have driven with
do you get to see a lot of scenery on the job
does it pay well
are the engines stored in round houses still
how much gallons per mile do most engines get
is there people monitering your spped and wether or you not sound at crossing and stuff like that
thats just to name a few questions

[csxengineer98]

1...yes and no...just like any job some days are better then others
2...i did..but im working a yard job at the moment with a reguler start time and schecul...
3...it says it in my screen name
4..i dont get a regluer engin all the time..its what ever is avalible at the time i report for work..or when i was on the road...what ever the inbound train came in with or what power they told me i am getting from the ready track
5....i have just a high school diploma and a year of college ...and 5 weeks at a conductor training school.... and then another 5 weeks of engineers school
6.....all on the job and twice a month during my on the job training i had to attend a classroom for review of rules class to prepair for the writen test i had to take to be promoted to engineer
7.... snow and rain can both be a challange for differnt reasons.... and a sunny day sucks becoues your working insted of out sitting at home in a lawn chair drinking a beer just injoying the day
8....yes ..i always know what is in my train ...we get documentation that tells you what you are hulling...if the car is a load or empty... and any handleing restrictions that the car might have...just to name a few.....
9.....around 10000 feet
10...i dont quite understand the question... you mean how many i have ever run..or the maximum number i have had in a consiste at one time?
11....yes and no...depends on when you go to work....you report at 1am..expect to only see what your headlights will light up... but overall...you have all kinds....you go through cities..normaly they are the rathole sections...but once you get out of the citys....the country is nice..just like driving a car down the interstate.... get away from the city urban areas and its overall nice to look at...
12....it pays ok.... thier are jobs that pay more... alot more... and thier are jobs that pay alot less... it all depends on how much you want to and are willing to work...if you work alot and never call off..you can make alot of money...but if you want to have a life to injoy the fruits of your labor... then you will make less....
13...no..at least where im at...
14...they dont mesuer it in miles per gallon like a car...its gallons per hour used...when i worked the road...it was about 600 gallons per unit for a 100 mile run...and that was a short pool...that amount verys depending on the territory (up and down..or almost tabletop flat).... and the amout of tonnage in the train...
15...yes a boss can be sitting in a car near the tracks and listen to see if you blow the horn the right way at the crossing as well as an FRA officer.... but the one thing that will get you evey time is the black box....locomotives have a event recorder that is just like the black box on an airplane...it will record eveything... what throttle postion you are in... when and how long you blow the horn..if you rang the bell... the air brake gague readings...the SPEED...eveything but the cab conversations between you and the person you are working with... and any time you use the radio... its recorded somewhere too...especialy when you talk to the dispatcher..that is all recorded...
csx engineer

[Anonymous]

thank you kindly, i really appriacte you taking time and answering my questions

[Anonymous]

for #10 whats the most number of engines in one train you have operated

[csxengineer98]

10.... i dont remember off hand but i think it was like 9 or 10 ..
csx engineer

[AC6000CW]

HAVE YOU DROVE A LOCOMOTIVE MODEL CALLED :AC6000CW ?

[csxengineer98]

QUOTE: Originally posted by AC6000CW

HAVE YOU DROVE A LOCOMOTIVE MODEL CALLED :AC6000CW ?

yes
csx engineer

[AC6000CW]

can you tell me about the experene of driving that locomotive?
like (computer,willslips,layout of the cab,headlights,breakers,lever that you control the engine output,you know like that stuff.)and by the way can you tell me about the quafications to be a engineer for the csx railroad ?

[csxengineer98]

QUOTE: Originally posted by AC6000CW

can you tell me about the experene of driving that locomotive?
like (computer,willslips,layout of the cab,headlights,breakers,lever that you control the engine output,you know like that stuff.)and by the way can you tell me about the quafications to be a engineer for the csx railroad ?

i dont remember the details..its been a while since i got my hands on the throttle of one...
but as far what it takes to be an engineer on csx...
first..you have to get hired on.....you have to hire on as a trainmen... you will spend around 90 days doing on the job training to be a conductor...you have to be promoted to conductor at the end of this training period...being promoted involves passing your book of rules test...passing a promotion exam... passing a physical carictoristics test..... then...when they call you to engin school... you will spend (i think it is) 4 weeks in a classroom learning rules... and all the systems of both makers locomotives...(air system..cooling system...fuel systems) just to name a few... and take tests eveyday on what you learned the day befor... you need to pass the class with and 85% average..and have to pass the final exam...then you will start your one the job training...the on the job training..you will work with engineers and they will show you how to run an engin and train...the on the job training goes for around 9 months...during the training time..you will go into rule review meetings about evey 2 weeks to prepair for your LOATH (locomotive opporation airbrake and train handling) test... you will also get evalutaion rides by the road forman of engins during your training time....at the end of the training period...you will then take the LOATH test... if you dont pass it...you have to take it agin in 30 days...if you fail it the second time...your dismissed......if you pass the LOATH..you then will get a quifing ride by the RFE...if you fail this ..you will get 30 more days training time...after the 30 days..you will take another one...if you fail it the second time..you are dismissed...if you pass the quilifing trip...you are then promoted to an engineer..and can look for a place to mark up at as an engineer...
csx engineer

[Anonymous]

csx engineer98, since you are in the answering mood, I am new also, and in reading the mags and posts and seeing signs along the rr, everybody uses the lingo but I don't know it, what does CP on a signpost stand for? what's a track called, pig, ready, balloon , where do I find a guide on how to read trackside signals?

[csxengineer98]

CP stands for Controll Point... its normaly an absolut signal where the dispatcher can hold you..cross you over...or put you onto another branch.....as far as what else you want to know...i dont quite get what you mean... as far as reading the signals... do a google search for the road you want to know about..thier are alots and lots of signal gides posted on the internet...
csx engineer

[Anonymous]

Thanks, ok, what I meant on the track names, I have heard people mention tracks by these names pig track, ballon track, ready track - usually talking about within a yard.

mp

[csxengineer98]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mphillips714

Thanks, ok, what I meant on the track names, I have heard people mention tracks by these names pig track, ballon track, ready track - usually talking about within a yard.

mp

never heard of a pig track...or a ballon track..but i have heard of a ready track....that is a track or tracks where outbound locomotives are set awaiting an assinment..... they are ready to go...hense the name..the ready track...
csx engineer