Serious Advice from Current Railroaders......

[Rustyrex]

I am kind of going through a early mid-life crisis thing[:)]. I was wanting to know what kind of advice all of you current railroaders, either Class 1 or shortline, would give to me for thinking of going back to work for the railroad.
A short history on me, I worked for a shortline railroad for three years as a conductor, then engineer. We did turns, which would get you home at night, granted though, after 12 hours on duty, with an extra hour at times to be pulled off a train after going dead 6 to 7 days a week. I left there due to family medical reasons in another state, and moved to be closer to my family. I am currently married and have our first child on the way and I really am looking forward to spending my years enjoying our child and participating in their activities.
It seems I may have just answered my own question just now, but I do miss the money, and sometimes the occasional moment to really enjoy what I do, but don't miss the calls at 4 am in the winter and granted, the less pay, but a regular 8 hour job where I can plan and schedule things sure is nice right now.
The reason this is bothering me so much is the town I live in is a big railroad town and the UP is hiring and everyone can't figure out why I do not try to hire on. My wife understands, but says I have to do what makes me happy, yet I know she doesn't care for the idea at all for me being on the railroad again.
Plus as I was browsing this board, I hear alot of talk about the hiring BNSF, UP, NS, etc. is doing and the excitement of the posters applying for train service. I remember being that excited when I first started pursuing RR employment, but not now, it's just not there. Maybe it was all the politics I saw take place on the railroad. I would kind of like to enjoy the railroad, without becoming bitter towards it when I become old, hence another reason I walked away.
So, I would appreciate to hear some of your advice on here. My understanding is UP likes to hire, train you and furlough you several months down the road and with such a huge system as it is now, would have to move several states away to hold a position, unlike the old days where if I were layed off from the UP, I would go to the SP, MKT, MoPac, ATSF, BN etc. for work. I don't like the relocating to a new state idea at all as I have just purchased a new home. Would a shortline be more to my benefit? They are more flexible with hours, but still work common railroad hours and the closest one is a 50 mile drive and they only run 2 to 3 times a week on their closest branch line.
Sorry for being so long, but any responses to this would be greatly appreciated.
--Rusty

[Rustyrex]

I am kind of going through a early mid-life crisis thing[:)]. I was wanting to know what kind of advice all of you current railroaders, either Class 1 or shortline, would give to me for thinking of going back to work for the railroad.
A short history on me, I worked for a shortline railroad for three years as a conductor, then engineer. We did turns, which would get you home at night, granted though, after 12 hours on duty, with an extra hour at times to be pulled off a train after going dead 6 to 7 days a week. I left there due to family medical reasons in another state, and moved to be closer to my family. I am currently married and have our first child on the way and I really am looking forward to spending my years enjoying our child and participating in their activities.
It seems I may have just answered my own question just now, but I do miss the money, and sometimes the occasional moment to really enjoy what I do, but don't miss the calls at 4 am in the winter and granted, the less pay, but a regular 8 hour job where I can plan and schedule things sure is nice right now.
The reason this is bothering me so much is the town I live in is a big railroad town and the UP is hiring and everyone can't figure out why I do not try to hire on. My wife understands, but says I have to do what makes me happy, yet I know she doesn't care for the idea at all for me being on the railroad again.
Plus as I was browsing this board, I hear alot of talk about the hiring BNSF, UP, NS, etc. is doing and the excitement of the posters applying for train service. I remember being that excited when I first started pursuing RR employment, but not now, it's just not there. Maybe it was all the politics I saw take place on the railroad. I would kind of like to enjoy the railroad, without becoming bitter towards it when I become old, hence another reason I walked away.
So, I would appreciate to hear some of your advice on here. My understanding is UP likes to hire, train you and furlough you several months down the road and with such a huge system as it is now, would have to move several states away to hold a position, unlike the old days where if I were layed off from the UP, I would go to the SP, MKT, MoPac, ATSF, BN etc. for work. I don't like the relocating to a new state idea at all as I have just purchased a new home. Would a shortline be more to my benefit? They are more flexible with hours, but still work common railroad hours and the closest one is a 50 mile drive and they only run 2 to 3 times a week on their closest branch line.
Sorry for being so long, but any responses to this would be greatly appreciated.
--Rusty

[Anonymous]

Rusty, if I was just starting out and knowing what I know, I'd seriously consider looking for a local tourist train to work. If you really enjoy railroading, but not the poo-poo [an authentic railroad term much sanitized for the Forum] of it, and you want to spend time with that growing family, maybe that's a way to have your cake and eat it too. Make it a hobby, not a career. With your prior RR experience, somebody'd love to bring you on board. Another option would be an Edblysardrail...an out-and-back whirley-gig that puts you back in your home every night. Again, with your prior experience, a shoo-in. Just stay away from outfits like CSkeetsX...you'll NEVER have enough seniority to hold anything there except another furlough slip. The only reason I can stand it, is because I've been there a very long time.

[Anonymous]

Rusty, if I was just starting out and knowing what I know, I'd seriously consider looking for a local tourist train to work. If you really enjoy railroading, but not the poo-poo [an authentic railroad term much sanitized for the Forum] of it, and you want to spend time with that growing family, maybe that's a way to have your cake and eat it too. Make it a hobby, not a career. With your prior RR experience, somebody'd love to bring you on board. Another option would be an Edblysardrail...an out-and-back whirley-gig that puts you back in your home every night. Again, with your prior experience, a shoo-in. Just stay away from outfits like CSkeetsX...you'll NEVER have enough seniority to hold anything there except another furlough slip. The only reason I can stand it, is because I've been there a very long time.

[edblysard]

Hi Rusty,
Its Ed, from the EdBlysardrail, in reality the Port Terminal Railroad Assocation, a terminal railroad in Houston, Texas.
We service the Houston ship channel, and are the terminal road for BNSF, UP and the TexMex.

Skeets hit it right on the head.
About the only place you are going to find a railroad job that gets you home at night, or at least on a regular daily basis is a terminal road or a tourist operation.
How about your old job?
The only other thing that come to mind right this instant is a regional road, with a one day out, one day in schedule, or a every other day turns.

Advice wise, about the only thing I can offer is this.
If you miss it badly enough, go.
But if you think its going to cause enough pressure on your family life to make you bitter when it gets so busy you dont get home for weeks, then stay where you are, because you will end up hating the job.
And you mentioned you already know a few of the dried up, bitter old guys, so you know where that leads to, and how it ends.
Is that what you want to end up like?

And I can offer this personal testimony.
I did work at a state job that required me to miss a lot of the pleasures that go with being a parent, to the point I was getting angry at everybody, wife and kids included.
I realized I was out there doing a job to provide and care for the very people I was taking my job releated frustations out on.
Duh!
So I went railroading at a terminal road, home every day.
Still miss birthdays, Christmas, stuff like that, but home and happy enough to enjoy the rest of the time I can spend with my family.
Go looking for a railroad like that.
Stay Frosty,
Ed

[edblysard]

Hi Rusty,
Its Ed, from the EdBlysardrail, in reality the Port Terminal Railroad Assocation, a terminal railroad in Houston, Texas.
We service the Houston ship channel, and are the terminal road for BNSF, UP and the TexMex.

Skeets hit it right on the head.
About the only place you are going to find a railroad job that gets you home at night, or at least on a regular daily basis is a terminal road or a tourist operation.
How about your old job?
The only other thing that come to mind right this instant is a regional road, with a one day out, one day in schedule, or a every other day turns.

Advice wise, about the only thing I can offer is this.
If you miss it badly enough, go.
But if you think its going to cause enough pressure on your family life to make you bitter when it gets so busy you dont get home for weeks, then stay where you are, because you will end up hating the job.
And you mentioned you already know a few of the dried up, bitter old guys, so you know where that leads to, and how it ends.
Is that what you want to end up like?

And I can offer this personal testimony.
I did work at a state job that required me to miss a lot of the pleasures that go with being a parent, to the point I was getting angry at everybody, wife and kids included.
I realized I was out there doing a job to provide and care for the very people I was taking my job releated frustations out on.
Duh!
So I went railroading at a terminal road, home every day.
Still miss birthdays, Christmas, stuff like that, but home and happy enough to enjoy the rest of the time I can spend with my family.
Go looking for a railroad like that.
Stay Frosty,
Ed

[jrw249]

Rusty, I understand how you feel. I got an offer to go with CSX but I am unsure about joining the railroad life with its hours. If I wasnt married I would probably try it but I sort of feel that it would not be fair to my wife. For now, I fullfeel my railroading passion by helping with a tourist railroad.

[jrw249]

Rusty, I understand how you feel. I got an offer to go with CSX but I am unsure about joining the railroad life with its hours. If I wasnt married I would probably try it but I sort of feel that it would not be fair to my wife. For now, I fullfeel my railroading passion by helping with a tourist railroad.

[zardoz]

jrw249:

Your wife will love it - on payday. Plus the alimony will also please her when she becomes your ex.

Stick with the tourist railroad unless you need a job to tide you over until you get a humane job. I had twenty years of working on call constantly.

To put it bluntly: IT SUCKS!

[zardoz]

jrw249:

Your wife will love it - on payday. Plus the alimony will also please her when she becomes your ex.

Stick with the tourist railroad unless you need a job to tide you over until you get a humane job. I had twenty years of working on call constantly.

To put it bluntly: IT SUCKS!

[jrw249]

Sounds like you never really ever get use to working on call.

[jrw249]

Sounds like you never really ever get use to working on call.

[zardoz]

No, I never got used to working on call. Perhaps becoming 'immune' to it might be a more apt description. But for me, it was not the money which kept me there for twenty years, it was the job. I really liked being an Engineer. But eventually the lifestyle began to take its toll on my health and family, and I had to make a decision regarding which was more important to me.

However, after thinking more about it, perhaps these days it might not be quite as unpredictable. Others here that are currently railroading would be better sources of that info. Because back when I was on call, there were no computer systems to use for crew or train info; pagers had limited range, and cell phones were not yet operational. So I had to literally stay home by the phone waiting for a call. I even had to install a phone in the bathroom, because if they called you and you did not answer, you got written up for "failure to protect assignament" (It actually happened to me). And if you were not a 'buddy' of the callers, you got hosed around quite a bit. So I would hope things are a bit better today, but the current rails I'm sure have their own stories of
"Crew Calling Hell".

[zardoz]

No, I never got used to working on call. Perhaps becoming 'immune' to it might be a more apt description. But for me, it was not the money which kept me there for twenty years, it was the job. I really liked being an Engineer. But eventually the lifestyle began to take its toll on my health and family, and I had to make a decision regarding which was more important to me.

However, after thinking more about it, perhaps these days it might not be quite as unpredictable. Others here that are currently railroading would be better sources of that info. Because back when I was on call, there were no computer systems to use for crew or train info; pagers had limited range, and cell phones were not yet operational. So I had to literally stay home by the phone waiting for a call. I even had to install a phone in the bathroom, because if they called you and you did not answer, you got written up for "failure to protect assignament" (It actually happened to me). And if you were not a 'buddy' of the callers, you got hosed around quite a bit. So I would hope things are a bit better today, but the current rails I'm sure have their own stories of
"Crew Calling Hell".

[wabash1]

Again the people who talk about being on call and no life are probley on system wide senority . I have no problem being on call and never have. it is a matter of frame of mind. if you work the extra board you can look and see what is going to happen and plan accordingly. if you hold a regular job its just adjusting fo the hours it works. pretty simple. the simple way of putting all of this is if you are a kid at heart, and want to party weekends off you dont want much more than a 8 hr a day job with no responsability the railroad or any managment job is not for you.

the key no matter what it is if you want a career there is responsability and loss of freedom. if you want a job then work for someone else with no chance of promotion and remeber it is a dead end job. even executives give up some life pleasures to hold the positions they have. the choice is yours.

[wabash1]

Again the people who talk about being on call and no life are probley on system wide senority . I have no problem being on call and never have. it is a matter of frame of mind. if you work the extra board you can look and see what is going to happen and plan accordingly. if you hold a regular job its just adjusting fo the hours it works. pretty simple. the simple way of putting all of this is if you are a kid at heart, and want to party weekends off you dont want much more than a 8 hr a day job with no responsability the railroad or any managment job is not for you.

the key no matter what it is if you want a career there is responsability and loss of freedom. if you want a job then work for someone else with no chance of promotion and remeber it is a dead end job. even executives give up some life pleasures to hold the positions they have. the choice is yours.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by zardoz1

the current rails I'm sure have their own stories of
"Crew Calling Hell".

Yeah, buddy. Try this: You've taken a call and gone to work. A few hours later, the caller's office calls your home AGAIN. They ask your wife if you're home, it's the RR calling. "He's already working. I THINK!!!" You stroll back in the front door 6-12 hours later, and are accosted by the little lady. "Where were you?" "I was at work; you know, the railroad." "How come the RR called while you were ALREADY at work?" You can imagine the conversation from there. If your marriage is on shaky ground, this could be a mortal blow; if it is a solid marriage, this almost has to cause the start of doubts about YOU. This isn't a rare event; it has happened to virtually everyone I know on the RR. Shoot, you can have a regular job and the callers try to call you at home while you are already working. That's a peek into "Railroad Calling Hell."

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by zardoz1

the current rails I'm sure have their own stories of
"Crew Calling Hell".

Yeah, buddy. Try this: You've taken a call and gone to work. A few hours later, the caller's office calls your home AGAIN. They ask your wife if you're home, it's the RR calling. "He's already working. I THINK!!!" You stroll back in the front door 6-12 hours later, and are accosted by the little lady. "Where were you?" "I was at work; you know, the railroad." "How come the RR called while you were ALREADY at work?" You can imagine the conversation from there. If your marriage is on shaky ground, this could be a mortal blow; if it is a solid marriage, this almost has to cause the start of doubts about YOU. This isn't a rare event; it has happened to virtually everyone I know on the RR. Shoot, you can have a regular job and the callers try to call you at home while you are already working. That's a peek into "Railroad Calling Hell."

[Anonymous]

I've been on duty and had my Cell ring trying to force me to protect a yard job. What?????Or been driving home after going dead and get a call to go to work! Huh????They have cut off so many callers that the ones they have are so overloaded they are in chaos. Long live auto call! I just love to be called by a machine at 3:00am. Press this, press that, invalid entry! My phone has gotten its *** kicked more than once from sheer frustration of auto call.
Ken

[Anonymous]

I've been on duty and had my Cell ring trying to force me to protect a yard job. What?????Or been driving home after going dead and get a call to go to work! Huh????They have cut off so many callers that the ones they have are so overloaded they are in chaos. Long live auto call! I just love to be called by a machine at 3:00am. Press this, press that, invalid entry! My phone has gotten its *** kicked more than once from sheer frustration of auto call.
Ken

[wabash1]

Been there done that . but the wife also knows how to read the time slips she just shrugs it off. they dont even call me after i taken the original call they just tell me when i show up. that the call is busted or they changed my job, or what ever it may be. but remeber these are people also with a frustrating job. and the good ones are probley alcoholics by now.

[wabash1]

Been there done that . but the wife also knows how to read the time slips she just shrugs it off. they dont even call me after i taken the original call they just tell me when i show up. that the call is busted or they changed my job, or what ever it may be. but remeber these are people also with a frustrating job. and the good ones are probley alcoholics by now.

[zardoz]

QUOTE: Originally posted by wabash1

Again the people who talk about being on call and no life are probley on system wide senority . I have no problem being on call and never have. it is a matter of frame of mind. if you work the extra board you can look and see what is going to happen and plan accordingly. .

if you want a job then work for someone else with no chance of promotion and remeber it is a dead end job. even executives give up some life pleasures to hold the positions they have. the choice is yours.

wabash:
regarding first quote: how do you "look and see what is going to happen? On the computer, probably.

Back then, we did not have computer access. I lost count of how many times I would call the caller and ask, "Whats going on?" Then I would be told something like: "You're 6 times out with one third-out pool turn showing". Three hours later, guess what: the phone rings. It's the caller. "You're ordered for an extra at 2300". I ask, "What happened to the 5 ahead of me?" Caller says, "three laid off, one missed a call, and the pool turn went out ahead of the others which had taken rest".
PLAN ACCORDINGLY? GET REAL!

regarding second quote:
All jobs working for someone else are not "dead-end" jobs. And even if it is, if you are content with what you are doing, then you are much better off than the others that are never satisfied with what they have, always thinking that if such-and-such would happen, then I would be happy.

And isn't railroading operating department a "dead-end" job? You will be nothing more than an engineer or conductor for the rest of your life, unless you go into management, and then you are in the same boat as the other managers (except that they went into it directly), having to suck up to your boss.

And remember, with responsibility comes stress, headaches, disproportional time spent thinking about you job, worrying about things that affect your career, but that you do not have any control over. Responsibility without authority is an awful way to work.

I now work a eight hour/day, 5 days/week job, can leave work behind when I walk out the door, really like what I do, did not have to give up any life's pleasures (and in fact have many more than I did when on the RR), and would not go back to railroading again.

Rustyrex:
What I wrote above was how I see things now. For you, the unique life style of railroading might be just what you want. When I would be called to report for work during "rush-hour" times, I would try to imagine what it would be like to have to drive in that mess EVERY DAY. YUCK! Granted, I had to drive into Chicago, but I'm sure the same applies to most major cities.

However, my advice is to try to deal with your "crisis" in a different way than changing jobs. I sounds to me like you have a good intellectual grasp of what the railroad is like nowadays, and a good understanding of what you actually have going for yourself right now.

[zardoz]

QUOTE: Originally posted by wabash1

Again the people who talk about being on call and no life are probley on system wide senority . I have no problem being on call and never have. it is a matter of frame of mind. if you work the extra board you can look and see what is going to happen and plan accordingly. .

if you want a job then work for someone else with no chance of promotion and remeber it is a dead end job. even executives give up some life pleasures to hold the positions they have. the choice is yours.

wabash:
regarding first quote: how do you "look and see what is going to happen? On the computer, probably.

Back then, we did not have computer access. I lost count of how many times I would call the caller and ask, "Whats going on?" Then I would be told something like: "You're 6 times out with one third-out pool turn showing". Three hours later, guess what: the phone rings. It's the caller. "You're ordered for an extra at 2300". I ask, "What happened to the 5 ahead of me?" Caller says, "three laid off, one missed a call, and the pool turn went out ahead of the others which had taken rest".
PLAN ACCORDINGLY? GET REAL!

regarding second quote:
All jobs working for someone else are not "dead-end" jobs. And even if it is, if you are content with what you are doing, then you are much better off than the others that are never satisfied with what they have, always thinking that if such-and-such would happen, then I would be happy.

And isn't railroading operating department a "dead-end" job? You will be nothing more than an engineer or conductor for the rest of your life, unless you go into management, and then you are in the same boat as the other managers (except that they went into it directly), having to suck up to your boss.

And remember, with responsibility comes stress, headaches, disproportional time spent thinking about you job, worrying about things that affect your career, but that you do not have any control over. Responsibility without authority is an awful way to work.

I now work a eight hour/day, 5 days/week job, can leave work behind when I walk out the door, really like what I do, did not have to give up any life's pleasures (and in fact have many more than I did when on the RR), and would not go back to railroading again.

Rustyrex:
What I wrote above was how I see things now. For you, the unique life style of railroading might be just what you want. When I would be called to report for work during "rush-hour" times, I would try to imagine what it would be like to have to drive in that mess EVERY DAY. YUCK! Granted, I had to drive into Chicago, but I'm sure the same applies to most major cities.

However, my advice is to try to deal with your "crisis" in a different way than changing jobs. I sounds to me like you have a good intellectual grasp of what the railroad is like nowadays, and a good understanding of what you actually have going for yourself right now.