How would I become a railroad conductor and eventually engineer.(unabridged version)?

Question

Starting salaries and minimum exp for engineer positions would really help

Answer 1

Right now Monster has several postings.

Some major railroads are doing major hiring.

In a few years they'll be having accidents that will be attributed to inexperienced crews.  Just like they were back in the 80's.  Those guys are experienced hands retiring now.

Answer 2

contact a local rail line for info,everywere will have different requirements

Answer 3

If you live on the close to Huntington, WV, you can enroll in conductor school at Marshall university:

There is no set salary- You get paid as much as you are able (and willing) to work.

I have a friend who made it to engineer in less than 5 years.  

Norfolk Southern:

Job Description:

Conductor Trainees operate track switches, couple cars and work on freight trains in yard operations and on the road with heavy travel. You must be able to lift 80 lbs., as required when replacing knuckles that connect rail cars. This involves strenuous, outside work in all weather conditions and requires extensive travel. The conductor trainee operates track switches by moving a lever that moves sections of track to properly place railcars, couples cars, and works assembling freight trains in rail yard operations performing various duties involving moving and aligning various parts of rail equipment to create or build trains. You must be able to perform several tasks safely that will require pulling, controlling and maneuvering onto and off of equipment.

Training: Will consist of sufficient class and field training to enable the freight service trainee to become a qualified Conductor/Trainman. Field experience will include training with yard, local, and through freight crews. At the conclusion of the training and successful completion of the required written exams, the employee will be a qualified conductor.

Probationary Period: Applications for employment may be rejected within sixty (60) calendar days after an employee establishes a seniority date. Employees establish a seniority date on the date they first perform compensated service after the initial training.

Advancement: Presently conductor trainees are required to accept mandatory promotion to locomotive engineer and attend Locomotive Engineer Training. This can occur at any point after 1 year of train service experience. This training entails 3 to 4 weeks of training at our McDonough, GA, training facility and sufficient field training to become a qualified locomotive engineer, generally lasting 8 to 12 months.

Hours: Employees are required to work on-call, on an as needed basis, from an extra board. Employees are expected to be available to work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in all weather conditions. Work schedules are irregular and are determined by the rotation of the extra board. Employees must have a telephone in order to be contacted for work. Most employees purchase a pager or cellular phone to be called for work.

Employees in train service are subject to extensive travel requirements for the job and must be able to be away from home on a constant basis, depending upon the needs of the extra board. Employees normally will have 1.5 hours from the time of call to report to work. Extra board employees can expect to work mostly nights, weekends, and holidays. Employees are not guaranteed a forty-hour work week, but are paid for the time spent performing train service. Mandatory rest periods under the Hours of Service Act are required. New hires work from the extra board until they acquire sufficient seniority to be awarded a regularly scheduled position.

Union Membership: All employees will be required to join either the train service union or engineer's union within 60 days of establishing a seniority date. The union requires monthly membership dues of all members. Failure to comply with any policies as outlined in the Agreement between the carrier and the union may result in termination of employment.

Alcohol And Drug Policy: Employees in Train and Engine Service are subject to random alcohol and drug testing as per the Federal Railroad Administration Guidelines. The Norfolk Southern Policy is Zero Tolerance.

Rates of Pay: The information below reflects the rates of pay presently in effect (subject to change):

Training: Trainees start in a training program at the Norfolk Southern corporate training facility at McDonough, GA, 35 miles south of Atlanta on I-75. NS will pay mileage costs at the current rate per mile for a round-trip for those driving personal vehicles. Often, new hires from the same location arrange to carpool to McDonough; only the driver is reimbursed for mileage. While in McDonough, NS provides a room at a local hotel and provides meal coupons to be used at local restaurants. McDonough is a mix of classroom and field instruction.

Phases 2 and 4 are back on the hiring division. Trainees are placed with conductors and engineers to learn the duties and safe operations of train service.

Phase

Length

Location

Pay Rate

Phase 1

8 days

McDonough, GA

$100 per day

Phase 2

4 weeks

Division

$500 per week

Phase 3

2 weeks

McDonough, GA

$500 per week

Phase 4

8-16 weeks

Division

$500 per week

Entry Rates: After establishing seniority, train and engine service employees are subject to a 5-year rate progression, after which they will receive full rates. The rate progression is as outlined:

1st year

80% of full rate in class of service working

2nd year

80% of full rate in class of service working

3rd year

85% of full rate in class of service working

4th year

90% of full rate in class of service working

5th year

95% of full rate in class of service working

To progress to the next highest level in each step, employees must perform service a minimum of eighty (80) days during the preceding calendar period of 365 days.

BASIC DAY FULL (100%) HOURLY RATES OF PAY:

Conductor to Engineer

Yard Service

$167.01 per day to $180.35 per day

Through Freight Service

$148.99 per day to $170.89 per day

Local Freight Service

$149.55 per day to $171.45 per day

First year pay, after training period, will be 80% of these full rates and will progress as detailed above. Rates effective July 1, 2003.

We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing. We test hair for illegal drugs as part of our pre-employment medical evaluation. Hair testing can reveal any drug use in the last 90 days. If you are unable to provide a hair sample from the head, arms, chest, or legs we will treat that failure as a refusal which will result in the rejection of the application for employment.  

You can check each railroads homepage for a careers link that should tell you when they are holding interview sessions.

Answer 4

Contact your local Railroad Union - they will have lots of info on how to get into this field as well as salary expectations.

(I know that traditionally this is a good field for salary & benefits, but don't know how competitive they are these days.)

Best of luck!

Answer 5

Check out http://www.amdg.ws/

I am thinking about it.

Answer 6

Luck.

Not much help, I know, but it's true.  When I hired out nepotism was the only way.

An Addendum.  Mr. empty is wrong.  Accidents from poorly trained individuals is a problem now, and has been due to "accelerated learning programs" which is only a polite euphamism for "wait until the last minute we don't wanna pay people to learn how to run the d**n things" type economics.

I'm lucky.  Got to learn from the "old school".   mt?

Answer 7

Start with any job at a major railway, take training and wait for a job posting.