I have some questions.
Is it really a 24 hour job or do you actually get time for your family and stuff?
Is the pay good?
What do you do in training?
Do you have to go to college?
Anyone work for WSOR? (thats where i wanna work when i get older)
Hi I work for BNSF as an engineer and yes I am on call 24/7, and yes the pay is good, I have worked for BNSF for 5 years now I worked in a steel mill for 5 years and hated everyday that I worked their, I was in the US Navy for 16 years and retired early so I am used to the 24/7 part of railroading, if you aer seeking employment you must first hire out as a conductor.
Rodney
let me take a stab at this one too...
yes you can be oncall 24/7/365...
the pay... ahahahahaha...it sucks for all the crap we have to put up with..but considering that you dont have to spend years and thounsands of dollors on a college degree to do the job.. the pay is about one of the best your going to find for just needing a highschool deploma
you learned learned learned .... thats the point of training..to learn eveything you can about train handleing..opporating rules..and how to use the terrain of the terriroty to your advantage. (work smart..not hard)
the carrier will train you and put you through there engineers program at no cost to you...but you have to be working for that railroad to go to that railroads engineers program
and no..i work for conrails southern xtention...more commonly known as CSX...
csx engineer
Like the rest of the answers.
24/7,and not alot of family time.
Also answered correctly.Hire on as conductor first,than you'll get your chance to go to Engine school.On the NS you have two chances (post 1985 hires) to pass the course,or you resign your job completly from the NS.And yes it does happen.
You will,in time get more time off due to the senority you will accumalate.
I'll start 16 years (14 as Engineer),so I now have 3 weeks vacation,and 9 personal days.
I'm on a regular pool run,that gets called out in turn order (sometimes),meaning my job gets out when it drops on the list to first out.Iget a 1 hr 15 mins call to go to work.I reguest a 2 hr. call on account of the distance I drive,and get it sometimes.
It is getting better as to when I'll know when my job is about to be called.Because the Voice Responce Unit (VRU) via the telephone or my home computer,having the capability to track trains coming to my terminal using the railroads scanners.
But I don't have days off.And when I need off it's ask for permission off,requesting 48 hrs in advance.Or mark off sick.And they keep a check on your work record.
It's all sorta like being in prision,with a paycheck.
Then they chop your paycheck down about 40% before you get to cash it.
So does this sound like that job that I'm so lucky I have ?
It does pay the bills,it puts a roof over my families head,and food in their mouth.But like any job it's what you make of it.
At times it's a good job.But take this last trip.I had a good train/trip going to my away from home terminal.I laid in the hotel 18 hrs. Then I get called on a time freight "gig" (slang for a bad train).My conductor and I had to work enroute,setting off,picking up cars and a unit(in the pouring rain).Then we had cars to set over when we arrived at our home terminal.Total time gone from home,34 hours.In all.I was paid for 16 hours actual work time (2 basic days),then 2 hours held away (2 hours staight pay after 16 hrs in the hotel).
But that was almost 2 days away from my family,versus an 8 hr. work day and 16 hrs. rest at home on a typical job.
So again.Does this sound great ?
It's alot of sacrifice.But good pay.Desent benifts.And a real good retirement.But it does have the downfalls.
Collin ,operator of the " Eastern Kentucky & Ohio R.R."
I agree with everything said.
Something else to consider...the pay for a shortline can be 1/2 the pay rate for a Class I.
Nick
Take a Ride on the Reading with the: Reading Company Technical & Historical Society http://www.readingrailroad.org/
This is quite a bit misleading don't you think? It wasn't just "They" meaning the company and it wasn't just "chopped" either! Maybe you should break down what all of that 40% went to pay for! And was it really 40% as you say?
I will sort of agree with one point though, and it very well may be that everyone's paycheck is affected the same way, I just don't know. I disagree that lump sum payments should be "Flat Taxed" the way they are. These payments should be taxed the same as one's regular paycheck! The old adage that "you'll get it back come tax time" just doesn't cut it!
.
BigJim.Maybe a little but not much.
I had a $3000.00 half here while back.With all the r.r. tiers taken out,union dues,401k contributions and BRCF insurance and state taxes removed,I cleared a little over $1800.00,or a roughly 40% cut.That was a total of $1200.00 removed.
And brother SFbrkmn do I know what your talking about.Here lately the payroll has been taking until the next pay half to pay penality claim timeslips that are good .
Regardless we pay alot out in all this money we make,and we have to learn to manage our money.But I hope I make it to 60 and the old world is still turning by then.Because if I don;t get to spend it,someone else will.Hopefully not some other hairy leg !
Well, I suppose I could offer what he is looking for...
Most of our jobs do not require a layover. The Chicago job and the PDC run are the only ones that do.
As it is set up now, the guarantee extra board works 5, off 2. If you don't get used on your work day, you get a guarantee day. This helps avoid starving. You have bid rest days. You could mark up to work on your rest days, if they run out of guys. Two hour call, that is, the phone will ring, then you have 2 hours to get to the terminal.
Get paid per start. New hires are around $132 a day. If you work consistently over 10 hrs for the half (two-week pay period), you get overtime penalty. $75 to $400, depending on how much you worked. For a single guy with the 80-20 plan, nothing out-of-pocket for health insurance. Family plan with the good plan, $25 a half. Plus Railroad Retirement.
First, you hire on as conductor. Get trained, classroom and OJT. Learn the rules, how to do the job, how to spot customers, make up trains in the yard, etc. After a year, you could get put in engineer's class. Learn about rules, engines, train handling, etc. Get some seat time with an experienced hogger, to show you what to do (or not to do ;) )
No college required. However, I would not recommend hiring out right at 18. Take some time, do some other stuff. Learn how to deal with all sorts of people. Once you get into the lifestyle, you won't be doing much else. Forget going to the bar, until you have some senority. You will be working. Helps keep a guy out of trouble.
Mike WSOR engineer | HO scale since 1988 | Visit our club www.WCGandyDancers.com
One thing you did not ask about: do we like our jobs?
When I was young, I thought that being a train engineer would be the coolest job in the world.
I was right.
Sure, it gets old waking up to the phone every day, being away from home for so long, not being able to have much of a social life outside of the railroad, and the stress of being subject to so many rules--both Federal and Railroad. At least those were the reasons that I decided to 'retire' early.
Sure, plodding along at 10mph, working a switch run at 3am in the rain, or switching cars in the yard was less than thrilling. But being in control of 18,000 tons and 10,000 horsepower, blasting through towns at 50mph with the whistle screaming was a sensation of power that I found to be very enjoyable.
csxengineer98 wrote:let me take a stab at this one too...yes you can be oncall 24/7/365... the pay... ahahahahaha...it sucks for all the crap we have to put up with..but considering that you dont have to spend years and thounsands of dollors on a college degree to do the job.. the pay is about one of the best your going to find for just needing a highschool deplomayou learned learned learned .... thats the point of training..to learn eveything you can about train handleing..opporating rules..and how to use the terrain of the terriroty to your advantage. (work smart..not hard)the carrier will train you and put you through there engineers program at no cost to you...but you have to be working for that railroad to go to that railroads engineers programand no..i work for conrails southern xtention...more commonly known as CSX...csx engineer
Appparantly we's hired you without you obtaing yours high scholl deploma first.
GP40-2 wrote: csxengineer98 wrote: let me take a stab at this one too...yes you can be oncall 24/7/365... the pay... ahahahahaha...it sucks for all the crap we have to put up with..but considering that you dont have to spend years and thounsands of dollors on a college degree to do the job.. the pay is about one of the best your going to find for just needing a highschool deplomayou learned learned learned .... thats the point of training..to learn eveything you can about train handleing..opporating rules..and how to use the terrain of the terriroty to your advantage. (work smart..not hard)the carrier will train you and put you through there engineers program at no cost to you...but you have to be working for that railroad to go to that railroads engineers programand no..i work for conrails southern xtention...more commonly known as CSX...csx engineer Appparently we hired you without your obtaining yours high school diploma first.
csxengineer98 wrote: let me take a stab at this one too...yes you can be oncall 24/7/365... the pay... ahahahahaha...it sucks for all the crap we have to put up with..but considering that you dont have to spend years and thounsands of dollors on a college degree to do the job.. the pay is about one of the best your going to find for just needing a highschool deplomayou learned learned learned .... thats the point of training..to learn eveything you can about train handleing..opporating rules..and how to use the terrain of the terriroty to your advantage. (work smart..not hard)the carrier will train you and put you through there engineers program at no cost to you...but you have to be working for that railroad to go to that railroads engineers programand no..i work for conrails southern xtention...more commonly known as CSX...csx engineer
Appparently we hired you without your obtaining yours high school diploma first.
But he's earned our respect around here for knowing what he's talking about and telling it like it is. We're willing to accept the imperfections...
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Once I couldn't spell Engineer...today I are one.
But you know.Sarcasm is the best measure of intelligence .
tree68 wrote: GP40-2 wrote: csxengineer98 wrote: let me take a stab at this one too...yes you can be oncall 24/7/365... the pay... ahahahahaha...it sucks for all the crap we have to put up with..but considering that you dont have to spend years and thounsands of dollors on a college degree to do the job.. the pay is about one of the best your going to find for just needing a highschool deplomayou learned learned learned .... thats the point of training..to learn eveything you can about train handleing..opporating rules..and how to use the terrain of the terriroty to your advantage. (work smart..not hard)the carrier will train you and put you through there engineers program at no cost to you...but you have to be working for that railroad to go to that railroads engineers programand no..i work for conrails southern xtention...more commonly known as CSX...csx engineer Appparently we hired you without your obtaining yours high school diploma first.But he's earned our respect around here for knowing what he's talking about and telling it like it is. We're willing to accept the imperfections...
that said...i bid you good day..
So, are you this sloppy on the job? Do you rush through safety issues in the same way? If you want to call yourself "csx engineer" in a public forum, then show some pride in yourself and the company.
i dont know you gp40...
Trust me, if you screw up on the job because you like to rush through things, I'm the last person at CSX you want to know. I have absolutely zero tolerance for sloppy employees.
Have a good day yourself.
GP40-2 are you having ground relay problems?
This is a slightly off topic question.
Which do you (engineers) prefer to operate the EMD’s or GE’s?
Michael Click Here to view my photos at RailPictures.Net!
My Photos at RRPictures.Net: Click Here
GP40-2 wrote:So, are you this sloppy on the job? Do you rush through safety issues in the same way? If you want to call yourself "csx engineer" in a public forum, then show some pride in yourself and the company. i dont know you gp40...Trust me, if you screw up on the job because you like to rush through things, I'm the last person at CSX you want to know. I have absolutely zero tolerance for sloppy employees. Have a good day yourself.
also as far as your zero tolerance...good for you...im sure down in Jacksonville they have a nice power buro or upper level managment job all lined up for you... (LMAO and rolling eyes)
as far as me screwing up... watch anyone doing there job long enought you will find a mistake...last time i checked trains still had HUMANS opporating them..and humans make mistakes from time to time...but i know how to do my job and im not sloopy at it by no means.... i do my job..and do it well..regardless if you think my spelling is a refection of my skills of being an engineer...
<>and on one last note... i hope you do find me doing something "wrong" becouse i have job insurance and would actuly get payed more to sit at home drinking beer and watching TV under my "suspention" while your out at 3am spying on crews being called to derailments and sent to BFE locations for days and maybe weeks at at time away from your family becouse they are running out of crews to run the trains....
<>I bid you good day
<>csx engineer
Thats the one thing I like about this job.You can report an official for rule violations the same as they can.But we do have the job protection insurance and the union to back us up.Do they (the officials) ?
And as far as who is representing their company better on a public forum...well let the readers of this forum draw a conclussion to that.If you really are an "official",act that way.Because when you mention that you are one,than your acting as an official in the readers eyes.So represent "your" company in a professional way.I've had one relative that was a Superintendent and several others that had official type jobs with the railroad,and they had respect from workers,because they showed respect.
As far as what type of loco. I like.Hands down the new EMD's.
they have a nice power buro
csxengineer,
I think you should have used your spell checker on that one. I believe the correct spelling is;
Polit Bureau
GP40-2 wrote the following post at 01-10-2007 12:39 AM: So, are you this sloppy on the job? Do you rush through safety issues in the same way? If you want to call yourself "csx engineer" in a public forum, then show some pride in yourself and the company. i dont know you gp40... Trust me, if you screw up on the job because you like to rush through things, I'm the last person at CSX you want to know. I have absolutely zero tolerance for sloppy employees.
Just where does Mr. GP-40 get off hi-jacking this post, imposing his arrogant pinko communistic gestapo thoughts and threatening disiplinary action?
Mr.GP-40,
Your comments are inflammatory and totally uncalled for! Please step down off the train.
BigJim wrote: they have a nice power burocsxengineer,I think you should have used your spell checker on that one. I believe the correct spelling is;Polit Bureau
I sure wish he would use a spell checker. He may know his job but half of what he writes I can't understand because of the poor spelling. I hope the spelling in his train logs are a whole lot better than what's online. And no, this isn't a personal slam. I really would like to be able to understand clearly what he is saying as he seems to have a lot of good information.
Bill
Gee, I had no problem at all understanding what he said! Must be some kind of "engineer talk", eh?
BigJim wrote: Gee, I had no problem at all understanding what he said! Must be some kind of "engineer talk", eh?
I got it too , regardless of the spelling I read truth and sincerety; one of the traits I value above petty details
Randy Stahl wrote: BigJim wrote: Gee, I had no problem at all understanding what he said! Must be some kind of "engineer talk", eh?I got it too , regardless of the spelling I read truth and sincerety; one of the traits I value above petty details
I agree about the truth and sincerety. That's one of the reasons I like reading CSXs' posts. But if he used a spell checker they would be a lot easier to read.
I, for one, do not want to lose CSX engineer. He has always been a good source of information for those of us who don't know too much about anything on the subject of trains.
Maybe a thought would be that if you don't understand what he is saying, pick out a part that you really can't figure out and ask him - nicely - to rephrase it. That is what I would do and my bet is that he would very nicely tell me again!
Mookie
She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw
GP40-2 wrote: csxengineer98 wrote: let me take a stab at this one too...yes you can be oncall 24/7/365... the pay... ahahahahaha...it sucks for all the crap we have to put up with..but considering that you dont have to spend years and thounsands of dollors on a college degree to do the job.. the pay is about one of the best your going to find for just needing a highschool deplomayou learned learned learned .... thats the point of training..to learn eveything you can about train handleing..opporating rules..and how to use the terrain of the terriroty to your advantage. (work smart..not hard)the carrier will train you and put you through there engineers program at no cost to you...but you have to be working for that railroad to go to that railroads engineers programand no..i work for conrails southern xtention...more commonly known as CSX...csx engineer Appparantly we's hired you without you obtaing yours high scholl deploma first.
GP40-2: On several recent threads, I've noticed that you've gone out of your way to post something nasty, just to attract attention to yourself. This is distracting, and generally adds nothing to a thread. If you feel you need to build yourself up by trying to tear someone else down, I don't think it's working.
As a railroader, I'm sure you have the insight to add more to these threads than simple putdowns. Please give it a try. Thanks
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
Murphy Siding wrote: As a railroader, I'm sure you have the insight to add more to these threads than simple putdowns. Please give it a try. Thanks
He's a rail!? That's hard to believe!! (His profile is lacking in information.)
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And FWIW regarding anyone's grammar and spelling quality: in this forum we communicate by the written (typed) word. Words are the medium in which we choose to represent ourselves to others. Language is a tool. Some are more adept using certain tools than others. However, the way we communicate may affect how well our thoughts are understood.
Refering to csxengineer98's unique way of expressing himself (but certainly not picking on him), yes, it would be nice if he took the few extra seconds to type better and/or use a spell checker. However, this is not grammar class. The choice of words as well as the thoughts behind the words is what matters most here.
As we have seen in certain other threads, it is quite possible to type and spell very well and still not say anything worthwhile.
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