DO RR workers own homes, have wives and/or kids?

[Anonymous]

Hey Mookie, glad you enjoyed the list!
BTW, I just got back from my hiring session.

[Anonymous]

Hey Mookie, glad you enjoyed the list!
BTW, I just got back from my hiring session.

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ney1815

Hey Mookie, glad you enjoyed the list!
BTW, I just got back from my hiring session.

How did it go?

Mookie

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ney1815

Hey Mookie, glad you enjoyed the list!
BTW, I just got back from my hiring session.

How did it go?

Mookie

[Anonymous]

Well, good news/bad news...
I passed the reading test 100% with 10 minutes to spare and did great on the physical test.
Thus, I made it thru all 3 cuts.
Interview was fine.
9 folks made the cut from my session, and I am not sure how many made the cut from the previous 3 sessions.
They made 8 offers that night, and when I saw the 8 guys who got the offers, only one was from my session. He was already a UP sheetmetal worker looking for a TS job.
Supposidly, they can make offers for up to 6 months to the rest of us, without attending another session.
Unfortunately, I cannot attend another Train Service sesson now for 6 months, even for applications I already submitted.
Hopefully, one of the 2 Shop Laborer jobs will come thru for me before I get laid off.

[Anonymous]

Well, good news/bad news...
I passed the reading test 100% with 10 minutes to spare and did great on the physical test.
Thus, I made it thru all 3 cuts.
Interview was fine.
9 folks made the cut from my session, and I am not sure how many made the cut from the previous 3 sessions.
They made 8 offers that night, and when I saw the 8 guys who got the offers, only one was from my session. He was already a UP sheetmetal worker looking for a TS job.
Supposidly, they can make offers for up to 6 months to the rest of us, without attending another session.
Unfortunately, I cannot attend another Train Service sesson now for 6 months, even for applications I already submitted.
Hopefully, one of the 2 Shop Laborer jobs will come thru for me before I get laid off.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ney1815

Well, good news/bad news...
I passed the reading test 100% with 10 minutes to spare and did great on the physical test.
Thus, I made it thru all 3 cuts.
Interview was fine.
9 folks made the cut from my session, and I am not sure how many made the cut from the previous 3 sessions.
They made 8 offers that night, and when I saw the 8 guys who got the offers, only one was from my session. He was already a UP sheetmetal worker looking for a TS job.
Supposidly, they can make offers for up to 6 months to the rest of us, without attending another session.
Unfortunately, I cannot attend another Train Service sesson now for 6 months, even for applications I already submitted.
Hopefully, one of the 2 Shop Laborer jobs will come thru for me before I get laid off.

That is unfortunate. Will they at least consider you for other locations?

The shop laborer job would be OK, but it seems to me that if you really want train service and ultimately locomotive engineer work you are just postponing your seniority by taking the laborer's job. You laborer seniority will not transfer to another craft (except possibly for vacation and insurance purposes.

LC

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ney1815

Well, good news/bad news...
I passed the reading test 100% with 10 minutes to spare and did great on the physical test.
Thus, I made it thru all 3 cuts.
Interview was fine.
9 folks made the cut from my session, and I am not sure how many made the cut from the previous 3 sessions.
They made 8 offers that night, and when I saw the 8 guys who got the offers, only one was from my session. He was already a UP sheetmetal worker looking for a TS job.
Supposidly, they can make offers for up to 6 months to the rest of us, without attending another session.
Unfortunately, I cannot attend another Train Service sesson now for 6 months, even for applications I already submitted.
Hopefully, one of the 2 Shop Laborer jobs will come thru for me before I get laid off.

That is unfortunate. Will they at least consider you for other locations?

The shop laborer job would be OK, but it seems to me that if you really want train service and ultimately locomotive engineer work you are just postponing your seniority by taking the laborer's job. You laborer seniority will not transfer to another craft (except possibly for vacation and insurance purposes.

LC

[Anonymous]

Hey LC, not sure if the offers will be for all locations or just that one.
Yeah, Shop Laborer isnt as good, but it beats unemployment...as we are still awaiting the big layoff here by year end.
Plus, the Shop laborer is in my hometown here, so I will sacrifice 2 years of seniority to get a TS position here where I live....really dont want to move unless I have to.
BTW, I have incredible RESPECT for you TRAINMEN!
After chatting with some of the UP employees there, I can tell you these guys are friendly, helpfull, and work their butts off.
So to you Trainmen everywhere...I salute you!

[Anonymous]

Hey LC, not sure if the offers will be for all locations or just that one.
Yeah, Shop Laborer isnt as good, but it beats unemployment...as we are still awaiting the big layoff here by year end.
Plus, the Shop laborer is in my hometown here, so I will sacrifice 2 years of seniority to get a TS position here where I live....really dont want to move unless I have to.
BTW, I have incredible RESPECT for you TRAINMEN!
After chatting with some of the UP employees there, I can tell you these guys are friendly, helpfull, and work their butts off.
So to you Trainmen everywhere...I salute you!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ney1815

Hey LC, not sure if the offers will be for all locations or just that one.
Yeah, Shop Laborer isnt as good, but it beats unemployment...as we are still awaiting the big layoff here by year end.
Plus, the Shop laborer is in my hometown here, so I will sacrifice 2 years of seniority to get a TS position here where I live....really dont want to move unless I have to.
BTW, I have incredible RESPECT for you TRAINMEN!
After chatting with some of the UP employees there, I can tell you these guys are friendly, helpfull, and work their butts off.
So to you Trainmen everywhere...I salute you!

I understand you can't necessarily get exactly what you want at this moment. If I have learned anything about the railroad it is that things change when you least expect them. Don't give up. Try to cultivate some local RR contacts. One of the reasons I was able to hire out without any RRers in my family was persistence coupled with making numerous contacts in the RR who knew I was serious about hiring out. That is why I got a call from the local Superintendent before the hiring began and was told to get a physical ASAP (at the time CR handled seniority by the date of your physical).

DON'T GIVE UP.

LC

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ney1815

Hey LC, not sure if the offers will be for all locations or just that one.
Yeah, Shop Laborer isnt as good, but it beats unemployment...as we are still awaiting the big layoff here by year end.
Plus, the Shop laborer is in my hometown here, so I will sacrifice 2 years of seniority to get a TS position here where I live....really dont want to move unless I have to.
BTW, I have incredible RESPECT for you TRAINMEN!
After chatting with some of the UP employees there, I can tell you these guys are friendly, helpfull, and work their butts off.
So to you Trainmen everywhere...I salute you!

I understand you can't necessarily get exactly what you want at this moment. If I have learned anything about the railroad it is that things change when you least expect them. Don't give up. Try to cultivate some local RR contacts. One of the reasons I was able to hire out without any RRers in my family was persistence coupled with making numerous contacts in the RR who knew I was serious about hiring out. That is why I got a call from the local Superintendent before the hiring began and was told to get a physical ASAP (at the time CR handled seniority by the date of your physical).

DON'T GIVE UP.

LC

[JoeKoh]

sometimes you need to get your foot in the door.good luck keep us posted.
stay safe
joe

[JoeKoh]

sometimes you need to get your foot in the door.good luck keep us posted.
stay safe
joe

[Anonymous]

Aye...hopefully they will give me that chance.

[Anonymous]

Aye...hopefully they will give me that chance.

[Anonymous]

Dude, you just don't get it. What you wrote before I emailed you and said take a LONG AND HARD look at your current situation and see if you are willing to change that. The railroad is all about SENIORITY and just getting hired you will have none. You will be traveling away from home hundreds of miles when you work and no that don't pay for it. You will be cut off in slow times I.E. winter... and you won't have enough in for any kind of unemployment pay. I can tell form what you have written you will not cut it, what was written in your 1 thru whatever is pretty much true. You need to go to a yard and talk to the people who do the works and quit listening to the railbuffs and the friends of friends who have posted. By the way holidays, family get togethers and working 30 days a month every 8 hours, that is NOT A LIE, get used to it. If you are a young single guy, give it a shot, you don't have anything to lose, but once again remember the key word, SENIORITY, and no matter what the UP management you interview tell you, once you are hired you will bounce all over hell and you will soon find out. In answer to your latest question, yes, RR'rs do have homes, wives, kids, etc., they just often aren't the ones who get to enjoy them. SENIORITY!!!

[Anonymous]

Dude, you just don't get it. What you wrote before I emailed you and said take a LONG AND HARD look at your current situation and see if you are willing to change that. The railroad is all about SENIORITY and just getting hired you will have none. You will be traveling away from home hundreds of miles when you work and no that don't pay for it. You will be cut off in slow times I.E. winter... and you won't have enough in for any kind of unemployment pay. I can tell form what you have written you will not cut it, what was written in your 1 thru whatever is pretty much true. You need to go to a yard and talk to the people who do the works and quit listening to the railbuffs and the friends of friends who have posted. By the way holidays, family get togethers and working 30 days a month every 8 hours, that is NOT A LIE, get used to it. If you are a young single guy, give it a shot, you don't have anything to lose, but once again remember the key word, SENIORITY, and no matter what the UP management you interview tell you, once you are hired you will bounce all over hell and you will soon find out. In answer to your latest question, yes, RR'rs do have homes, wives, kids, etc., they just often aren't the ones who get to enjoy them. SENIORITY!!!

[Anonymous]

Hey trainengrbabe, I'm not a foamer and I posted a reply to Ney! I'm out there with ya! I tied up today first out, so much for hangin' with my girl. That's OK. As you said, somebody else will be there to enjoy her at the bar!
Ken

[Anonymous]

Hey trainengrbabe, I'm not a foamer and I posted a reply to Ney! I'm out there with ya! I tied up today first out, so much for hangin' with my girl. That's OK. As you said, somebody else will be there to enjoy her at the bar!
Ken

[Anonymous]

Ken.. i'm sure your girlfriend is faithful.

[Anonymous]

Ken.. i'm sure your girlfriend is faithful.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by zardoz1

Had fifteen years railroading when I got married. Five years and two kids later, I had to decide which I wanted to keep. I chose the wife & kids (and my health and my personal life) rather than the big money and long hours. So I quit railroading after 20 years. Occasioally, but not often, have I regretted the decision.

In time, you'll be back...

LC[:D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by zardoz1

Had fifteen years railroading when I got married. Five years and two kids later, I had to decide which I wanted to keep. I chose the wife & kids (and my health and my personal life) rather than the big money and long hours. So I quit railroading after 20 years. Occasioally, but not often, have I regretted the decision.

In time, you'll be back...

LC[:D]

[zardoz]

LC:

I'm there in spirit frequently, but I'm way too old to start over again.

But you know what was kinda too bad? Back in the 80's there was talk at the CNW about trying to get assigned work periods for on-call employees. That would mean that your window of opportunity was a particular time period (8-12 hrs) where you would be subject to call, and if no call comes in, you were off until your slot came up next day. The reason it was turned down: the men didn't want it cause they were worried they might miss an occasionally day. So the ultra-hungry guys had more clout (more of them) that those of us that actually wanted a life away from work once & a while. And since they had already gone through one or two wives, they had nothing to go home to, and would rather be at work than home alone. I'm sure their ex's appreciated it on alimony day!

But I sure miss being an Engineer. For me it was the coolest job in the world!!

[zardoz]

LC:

I'm there in spirit frequently, but I'm way too old to start over again.

But you know what was kinda too bad? Back in the 80's there was talk at the CNW about trying to get assigned work periods for on-call employees. That would mean that your window of opportunity was a particular time period (8-12 hrs) where you would be subject to call, and if no call comes in, you were off until your slot came up next day. The reason it was turned down: the men didn't want it cause they were worried they might miss an occasionally day. So the ultra-hungry guys had more clout (more of them) that those of us that actually wanted a life away from work once & a while. And since they had already gone through one or two wives, they had nothing to go home to, and would rather be at work than home alone. I'm sure their ex's appreciated it on alimony day!

But I sure miss being an Engineer. For me it was the coolest job in the world!!

[Anonymous]

Jim-

I hear you. It is a shame that there are always the guys who think they'll work forever and those who just have to work more than everyone else. I've been jumped so many times on the pools it makes me ill. I guess I'm lucky in a way. I started later in life and although I had to start with at the bottom, I came in at a time of merger and only a few years before the passage of the 30/60 Railroad Retirement law so my seniority has accelerated rapidly and I can hold quite a few decent jobs. Although I have worked on my rest at times for months, I have also been furloughed.

We have a cranky old Conductor who was always the quickest to jump the next guy if he could. He didn't need the money, he had been divorced for years from two wives, but he used to brag that he had cash hidden all over his house. So, when his home burned last month (cause-electrical-old wiring) taking his hoard with it, well we felt for him and the loss of his home> I guess he'll just have to work a bit harder. Maybe now, after 40 years on board it's time to pull the pin, but I doubt it...

LC

[Anonymous]

Jim-

I hear you. It is a shame that there are always the guys who think they'll work forever and those who just have to work more than everyone else. I've been jumped so many times on the pools it makes me ill. I guess I'm lucky in a way. I started later in life and although I had to start with at the bottom, I came in at a time of merger and only a few years before the passage of the 30/60 Railroad Retirement law so my seniority has accelerated rapidly and I can hold quite a few decent jobs. Although I have worked on my rest at times for months, I have also been furloughed.

We have a cranky old Conductor who was always the quickest to jump the next guy if he could. He didn't need the money, he had been divorced for years from two wives, but he used to brag that he had cash hidden all over his house. So, when his home burned last month (cause-electrical-old wiring) taking his hoard with it, well we felt for him and the loss of his home> I guess he'll just have to work a bit harder. Maybe now, after 40 years on board it's time to pull the pin, but I doubt it...

LC

[wabash1]

I have been called alot of things but railbuff is not one til now. geez Now besides being a unihead i am a train buff now.

[wabash1]

I have been called alot of things but railbuff is not one til now. geez Now besides being a unihead i am a train buff now.