Freight Train operator information needed.?

Question

Do you need to be certified or have a special license to operate a train? Does it pay good, and how many hours do you get in 2 week. Also do most compaies have 3 shifts.

Answer 1

FRA certification is required in the US.  Requirements include good hearing, good eyesight, a clean driving record and knowledge of the rules and regulations.  If you have a problem with drugs or alcohol, you don't stand a chance.

Carriers do not hire engine service employees "off the street" any longer.  They promote from out of the ranks.  They tend to take conductors first, but promote from other crafts as well, so the first step is to hire out for a railroad in any capacity you can find, but preferably in train service (brakeman/conductor).  There is a lot of competition for these positions so the carriers tend take the cream.

The pay is still very good, with decent benefits.

You will get in so many hours in two weeks time that it'll make you puke, while the company beats you black and blue with $100 bills.

It should be noted that many shortlines are non-union and consequently the pay is not that good, so I would recommend employment with a class 1 common carrier, such as NS, CSX, BNSF, UP, etc.  There are many rails who visit this site regularly, and from their posts it sounds as if BNSF would be a good outfit to work for.  Speaking from many years of experience, UP should be your last choice for an employer, but if that's all you can get, take it.  You may have to relocate as well with whomever you select as an employer.

The time to hire out is yesterday.  There has been a lot of hiring over the last couple of years, and this trend will continue as the old dinosaurs like my self will be taking their pensions in the next couple of years.

"Shifts," as you probably understand them, are only available where yard switcher service is performed or where there is a local freight on duty at the same time each day.  Everything else is on call, 24/7/365.

The demands of the service are many and, at times, downright intense.  Not everyone is cut out for it.

If a single young person, or even a family man with a strong marriage, go for it.  A very satisfying career that not many people ever get a chance to do.  Those whoever get to sit on the right hand side are very few, I would guess fewer than 38 to 40 thousand in the US, out of 300,000,000 citizens.

Good luck to you..................

Answer 2

bet you wonder why his handle is hog head..That what we call a engineer .I switched and fired for the tp for 30 years got my a-- bumped on the rip track one night in a dense fog ,good luck hog head

Answer 3

My husband has been a conductor for Norfolk Southern for 5 years. You have to be hired, then they train you in Georgia to be a conductor. After a few years of waiting in line of seniority, you will be sent to Engineer School for a month. You do have to have a special license given by the FRA in order to operate a train. As far as NS goes, you have no schedule. You work on call, when you are needed. You are in a pool. You go down to your destination on train then stay over in a hotel and then bring a train back. The pay is great!! If you stay marked up to work. My husband when marked up normally is only off duty for 8 hours before he is called back to work, again. It is a great job though with great pay and benefits, although it is stressful on you and your family.