How does a person become a train engineer?

Question

How does a person become a train engineer?

Answer 1

You have a put your time in as a grunt.  Example the BNSF and UP start most guys off building the cars in container yards.  Dangerous work with long hours.  The glory days of trains and ships are over.  It's a fast pace container world these days.  My advice is to stay away from the transportation industry.  Good Luck.

Answer 2

Hog Head hit the nail on the head. Tremendous responsibility to under take once you have done your time as a conductor. Not to say there is allot of danger and responsibility as a conductor too.

The time it takes to get to blow the horn depends on the district you work in along with the old-timers going out to pasture(retire). Some conductors would rather stay on in the left seat or stay on the ground depending if they are a road, yard or work train conductor. Some people just can't sit for long hours. Yes, it is not for someone with a needy wife.

You are in a world that not to many people tread. Be careful in what you want. This is an industry that if something goes wrong,  people or the environment pay the ultimate price.

Answer 3

wiz kid, he needs to know WHAT kind of degree. A 4 year psychology degree may not be a good train engineer degree, etc.

I would like to know also. Anybody?

Answer 4

In the US, you only need a high school education.  You get hired on by one of the railroads, and they will send you to one of their schools and train you.

You might spend some time as a conductor, fireman or hostler before upgrading to an engineer.  It's all a form of OJT.

Be prepared to give up any form of regular sleep, and a personal life.  You'll likely be on the extra board, on call 24/7/365.

If you have had jobs in the past that speak highly of SAFETY, you'll get one up on most other applicants.  I had an Air Force background in charge of multimillion dollar F-111's.  Some guys that hired on with me used to work for utility companies, were truckers, etc.

You need to be able to MEMORIZE certain FRA rules.  Restricted Speed rule is a biggie.

One guy who hired on with me, was a real railhead.  To say he was quickly disillusioned is an understatement.

Answer 5

4 years of hard work in college will end up paying big plus it should be a job you enjoy.

Answer 6

This is a frequently asked question.  

Myself and others have answered before, mostly in dribs and drabs.  Here is a definitive answer as well as my last weigh in on the subject.

As I have said, if a person has a high school diploma, and received it because they can perform simple mathematic calculations, read, comprehend and retain, then the mental requirements have been met.

There are necessary physical qualifications as well, including good vision with no color perception problems (this is an immediate disqualifier), good hearing and no history of back trouble or some other maladies, including any of those that can cause unconsciousness, like diabetes or epilepsy; drug addiction or alcoholism, need to take any kind of prescribed medication that affects alertness or coordination, or any condition or medication that can cause dizziness. Assuming these qualifiers are in hand, the next move is to get on with a railroad in any capacity.

The Federal Railroad Administration is the licensing agency for locomotive engineers.  Here, in addition to the above, a clean driving record is also a must.  Speeding tickets hurt. A conviction for driving under the influence will bar you from getting your initial license, and each time recertification takes place a copy of your driving record must be included with required medical examinations and rules re-cert testing. Again a DUI will get your license jerked.

Random drug testing is also a part of the requirements.  1st offence, temporary decertification with requirement of drug and alcohol treatment program.  2nd offence, one year decertification and drug and alcohol treatment program.  3rd offense, termination of employment.  And, these visits to rehab are paid for out of your pocket after one time.  You are still responsible for any costs over and above what your medical insurance will pay.  A consent for post mortem drug testing must be signed as well, should you be killed while on duty, a possibility with a higher degree of probability than it should have, unfortunately.

Trainmen, conductors and conductor trainees, are usually first considered for promotion to engineer.  It is a position  that one must be promoted to.  Engineers were rarely hired off the street, even in the good ol’ days; it never happens anymore.  Employees from other crafts are considered for promotion as well, but trainmen usually have a better chance at it, if for no other reason than as conductors, they already have a working knowledge of rules, regulations, etc.

People often ask if it is advantageous to attend any of several training courses available.  I am told this is a help, but it is not a ticket for immediate employment.  If the last job came down to two applicants, one of which has a railroad training program as credentials and one  who has an MBA, the one with the letters behind their name is most likely to get the job.

The competition for the privilege and right to sit in the seat on the right hand side is fierce.  And the seat on that side is the “hot seat.”  People often ask what is the difference between an engineer and a conductor, just like your question below, well answered by crazyace.  But, the conductor and the engineer are held jointly responsible for the safe conduct and operation of a train and observance of all rules.

A better state of affairs when in that seat, but be careful of what you wish for. The responsibility is enormous, and in some situations, locomotive engineers can be held both criminally liable as well as subject to heavy personal fines and civil court judgements. In short, a hoghead’s butt is dangling in the wind every time he or she climbs aboard. It is not one of those “fuzzy” warm feelings.

Everyone is aware of the good money to be made, fairly aware of the dangers involved, know they are going to be on call 24/7, and think they know about time spent away from home. A typical trip, these days, in these parts?  You work twelve hours getting to where your going, layover at your away from home terminal for 16 to 18 hours or so, then work another 12 hours home.  Then, you get a whole twelve hours at home, and then go repeat the process. Carriers are always short of manpower because they all refuse to maintain a work force of sufficient numbers to handle the volume of traffic, while still allowing for crews to get rested and spend a reasonable amount of time at home. For them, it is merely a matter of economics, and you are the currency.

Keep in mind, while you get your 12 crummy hours at home, you still need to mow the lawn, trim the trees, put a new fan belt on the car, etc., etc., etc.  Try doing that for 12 or 14 days in a row, getting two days off, only your dead tired and can’t enjoy them, then go do it all over again, month after month after month.

The divorce rate amongst railroaders is roughly three times the national average, which is hovering near 50%. I know no one who hasn’t been married two or three times, myself included. You will miss a significant portion of your children’s growing years. These sacrifices are what generates the good wages.

And to top it all off, it is good to be equipped with brass balls, because it does get scarey at times. Any locomotive engineer who says they've never been scared are either idiots, liars or both.

Obviously, not everyone is cut out for the job, but that may not prohibit you from getting the job. You’ll just be miserable every time you report for duty. That isn’t worth any amount of money, to me.

But, if the above sounds intriguing to someone, then by all means, go for it. Just make damned sure you realize what you are getting in to. It is no longer the glamour days of bygone eras. It is a demanding job, both physically and mentally. But, anyone who believes they are equal to the task, and actually are, then it can be a lucrative, interesting, rewarding and exciting career, with no two days at work ever being the same. You will join the ranks of workers that comprise an extremely small portion of the population of the US, with perhaps only 40,000 engineers nation wide.  That is not as select a group as, say, the NFL or NASCAR drivers, but you and your brothers will be a part of something few people ever get an opportunity to do.

I spent 28 years at it, and I’ve never regretted my decision to go railroading.  But, that’s just me.

Answer 7

you go to school in overton kansas and get a degree in railroad science. Then u call BNSF or UP and get hired on as a breakman then to a conductor and then a engineer

Answer 8

To get into TY&E service (train yard and engine), you have to first start off as conductor. Conductor is in charge of the train, that is, everything but the locomotives. Those are in the hands of the engineer of course. Conductors do all the ground work in switching cars, etc. As in coupling/uncoupling cars, connecting air hoses, throwing switches, etc. With seniority, you can eventually be promoted to locomotive engineer. It may take as little as a year to be promoted after being "marked up" as conductor or it could take several. It all depends on the need for engineers and retirements. Once ya get there, it's totally worth all the wait. Good money and there isn't anything on this earth like it!

To do all of this, all you have to do is go to a railroad website for whatever railroad you want to work for and apply for a conductor position in your area.  Most, if not, all railroads pay for you to go to their school. It's far different from any college or university. They pay for your school, your food, and the hotel room while your there. And if you have to drive a long way, they'll even reimburse you for the miles that you drove. I got $400+ for my drive from VA to Atlanta, GA for Norfolk Southern's school. Good money!!

Answer 9

Sacramento City College has recently put in a program for train engineer. They are on line, and easily found. The rail roads support the program. Good luck to you.

PS the area the college is in is one of the most beautiful areas of Sacramento California and across the street from a great park where they have a golf program (at SCC) also.

Answer 10

Several answers above have explained in great detail what is required among them becoming a conductor first since the UTU(conductors union) signed an agreement in the 80s that all new engineers must come from UTU/ conductor ranks.  The only thing I would add is that wiz kid is completely wrong about a college degree.  When I hired on with the BNSF 4 yrs ago they didn't want to hire me because I have one and they saw this as a threat to my leaving for management too soon.  And on our system the time it takes to be promoted to an engineer varies greatly.  Up in coal country its as little as 8 months, but where I am on one of the best runs in the system you have to have a little over 4 years currently to get promoted.  Good Luck!

Answer 11

It's a hard life, must start out as a conductor. Long hours, travel away from home, sleeping in motels, lot of rules and responsibility.

Pay good, but it takes a special person who wants that kind of life.