I would like to hope so.
I have a friend who is an engineer for CN but before that, he has been an engineer for CP, VIA, GO transit and even Conrail so obviously the human resources departments thought he was good enough and he's never been fire except he was layed off when Conrail split because he was newly made an engineer and he was low in seniority. He is almost 50 too.
They probably wouldn't question his credentials and ability...however...seniority seems to be important, and from that standpoint wouldn't the new man/women from afar throw a wrench in the works? The conductor on BNSF who his waiting for an opening to become an engineer might not appreciate MR/Ms NS coming in and taking that position. Furthermore...railways differ from one another...like terrain and signal aspects, and how they operate...rule books etc.. I can see why BNSF might say.."You were an engineer at NS however you've got to go through the ranks here so that you can learn how we operate..our terrain...rule books...etc...so back to conductor you go... "
Happens all the time in trucking.
However there was a DAT or DAC report in a database that pretty much determines if you are blacklisted or not in a particular segment in trucking. If it is serious enough, no one will hire you. Such as fatals, tickets, nelgigence, service failures etc.
The money is king, the bull walks in changing employers. Senority meant nothing. You could be at the top in one knit hauling outfit and start over at dollar express at the bottom. Who cared as long you got a better pay scale and perhaps better freight conditions. It's very hard for a trucking company to spend thousands hiring you for 6 months knowing a richer outfit can take you away if you are a on time worker without problems.
They also think nothing about firing such a employee yet cry when they have to spend 4000 dollars to replace the 10 tires on a bobtail.
Well, I will say in advance that I dont want this thread thrown completely off track but bear with me here.
Staying with employers in general as a topic, years ago JB Hunt, Schnieder etc had tens of thousands of people go through thier training while others like myself were cranked out by private truck schools to the tune of federal loans etc...by the thousands.
The Piper came to town and started playing when the Big Carriers said that they will close thier training and focus thier money on actually running trucks with drivers trained by OTHER schools or whatever as LONG they are sufficiently QUALIFIED to drive in regular revenue service after successfully passing the Hire process.
About that time the Federal Government threw the CDL into the states and suddenly all the old ways vanished overnight. Thousands more good drivers turned in thier keys and went home to take up factory work or whatever because the CDL's new draconian (At the time) rules and "Do-nots" did not sit well with these old timers.
When that settled out, employers who had stable freight, good paying positions, little or no debt other than normal day to day costs, good equiptment, perks that are useful and satellite communications were the employers to work for. The old comcheck/western union/telephone way of trucking died overnight or nearly so.
I would constantly be in need of a telephone, coins to feed that phone or a calling card (Either a mexican one or a credit line with AT&T) today, I have a cellphone good for all USA, Canada for less than I ever paid in the past and pretty much internet service with potential for wifi or satellite. Suddenly all of these old truck stops had to remove costly and non-revenu producing pay phones, table phones etc.
GPS allowed me to find people who did not want to be found, brokers, traffic managers and dispatchers whose telephone numbers are NEVER given out to drivers suddenly had software lists published on CDrom and we were able to find them. (They were not happy) on the cell phone at all hours.
Suddenly companies realized that the merry go around on money has to stop somewhere. .20 cents a mile didnt cut it. Now they needed to pay .35 a mile. Sure the freight might make 2.50 a mile but... there is such a razor edge to profit and loss for that day's work.
Back to hires. Companies today enjoy dozens of wanna be truckers in orientations all over the USA weekly. As long as that state of affairs continue, they can dispatch trucks and move the freight. In every company there is always a core group of drivers who will never want to work for someone else. That is a people thing.
You might have 10 drivers with a company for years and years and years... yet the 290 OTHER drivers were quits, new hires, kilt, injured, fired, sick etc within 12 months and all of them have to be replaced.
Oh did I mention LATE drivers? Woe unto the driver late with a auto parts load causing a factory to sit on thier hands for a day.
On top of that, each applicant accepted to orientation probably had 5 more that were rejected.
No wonder trucking companys want to ditch Recruiters completely, get rid of that bloated department and eliminate the cost, hassle and manpower/hours required for FINDING one qualified applicant.
While this is going on... the NAFTA has kicked in (Thank you very much Mr Clinton) the Mexican Drivers potentially are able to take first class equiptment into the USA and haul freight for .20 a mile inside the USA taking away from us over spoiled .35 mile brats.
No wonder there is chaos inside the USA.
Oh, the lucky few enjoy the priveldge and honor of fist class companies COLD CALLING thier homes for months asking if they are ready to dispatch out on a 2 million dollar haul or something similar that is only offered to the very best.
And there is the Ghost Fleet. No one knows anything about this Fleet except Uncle Sam and that is where it stays. I have not ever been part of this fleet. But... perhaps... there is a ghost load here and there. And that is where it has to stay....
Drivers who can keep thier traps shut and are solid in thier judgment goes to the very best companies that run very expensive operations related to trade shows or entertainment type venues. Those drivers enjoy the rare excitement and anticipation of hauling... a million dollar race car? You cannot pry these drivers out of those cabs because they are still excited to bounce out of that sleeper in the morning filled with joyful anticipation for the day's work.
Hardly something you will find in a grubby non-union warehouse that rings with bad hygene, bad language and otherwise slave-like labors in the trailer moving stuff from big wood to small wood because the grocery company does not want to spend money having one of thier people do it. Such grim penny pinching scroogies are not happy people to work for. It tends to break people's good spirits sometimes like a cloud over thier souls.
There is more. But I'll quiet down now because it is like an abyss and easier to venture out on the ocean and go fishing.
Well to go back to what was brought up which is a good point, I would imagine that there would be some training involved due to change or rules and new territory-new subdivisions to get to know and all that kind of nice stuff.
This I don't know but I often wonder this-wouldn't they hire you as an engineer and just take you along with the crew for a ride along so you know what you are getting into? Remember that accident in Chicago with Amtrak bashing into the back of that intermodal? How many people were in the cab; more than two if I'm not mistaken. Could have been an unfortunate training accident because I don't recall hearing about more than 2 people ever being in a cab of a locomotive for a run unless they were inspectors or rail documentors making a video for us train nuts.
Falls valley:I think you covered it quite accurately. Nice report.
ed
Each carrier is slightly different. Generally professional hires get no special treatment with regard to seniority. You'll end up falling in line with whoever you hire with. Some union agreements also prohibit direct hiring engineers, when there are unpromoted conductors available at the location.
Shortlines and regionals are generally more flexible, and are usually eager to hire Class I trained employees.
Nick
Take a Ride on the Reading with the: Reading Company Technical & Historical Society http://www.readingrailroad.org/
BNSF will hire you but you wont be an engineer until you can bid and hold a LETP class. If your going to Oregon or anywhere on the Northwest I see they only take about 4 or 5 guys a year at locations in that area. SO it will be a long wait and I hope you like working the ground.
Also we do things a lot different from anyone else.Its a 90% or higher on your final exam( for conductors Hostlers RCO ops and Engineers) or ELSE!You get one chance to retake it then nice knowing you have a great life.Thats the company line but unless your a complete tool and screw up they will do their best to get you to pass.
I know a few shortlines will hire engineers direct off the street or even better you can check the BLET job bank and or RRB to see who in the area might be hiring engineers direct.
Yes we are on time but this is yesterdays train
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