I want to become a locomotive engineer?

Question

i want to become a locomotive engineer and need someone that can tell me what i can do to become one?

Answer 1

You want to stay away from the railroad schools, the big freight railroads have their own schools and you have to work at the company to get the education.  If you go to a railroad school, you will still have to go throught the company program.  These days, you have to be a conductor or brakeman for at least a few years before you become eleigible for engineer status.  

I inquired at a local commuter outfit, and they want you to be a conductor for at least 6 months first, and you can then bid for engineer training.  The bids open up every 6 months depending on need, so it may be up to a year before you get the chance to be engineer, but the pay's pretty good there.

Answer 2

YOu can choose any railroad at the location you wish to live at.

Go to work in the operating department. that will be as a brakeman or switchman, that is the pathway to engineer.

In time depending on manpower requirements, usually less than 5 years you will be offered a chance for promotion to engineer.

The training class is usually a bit less than a year, is quite intense but most people pass.

Railroad business is forecast to increase over the foreseeable future, if you are furlughed temporarily dont despair, you will be recalled.

It's not a prefect world, but it is a pretty good job, a bit stressful on family life but beats sitting in an office all day.

Good Luck!

Answer 3

the same way i did.

bnsf.com

if all you want to do is become a locomotive engineer and don't care about where it is, this is how i would do it (and did do it)

MAKE SURE if you decide bnsf, you get hired as a conductor in a NON PRIMARY RECALL LOCATION. (on the application/job posting it will say "primary recall location"... yeah, not that one)

http://www.bnsf.com/careers/jobs.html

current non primary recall locations are

Sioux City, IA

Lacrosse, WI

The other one is primary recall as stated on the site.

The downside to primary recall is that the company has you for 5 years at that terminal, which is fine if you want to stay working in THAT terminal, or want to move back to THAT terminal when they need you.  The upside to primary recall locations is that they are former ATSF territory and get paid a little better than their former BN counterparts, as well as have 13 week training program for former ATSF versus the 15 week former BN training program. (so you start actually working instead of making training wages quicker which BTW are about $700 every 2 weeks after taxes)

Yes, i realize i am referencing companies that are no longer around, because it is all BNSF, but the former companies union agreements are still in effect even though the company itself was dissolved over 10 years ago.

So, anyway if you decide to bo BNSF, go to a non-primary recall location, and then as soon as you get out of class have someone show you how to bid on an open engineer class.  most of the classes that you can get into with low seniority are in the north (ie montana, wyoming, south dakota, nebraska... etc)  

You WILL have a recall for 3 years as an engineer at whatever location you decide to go to, but even that can be changed if you get a transfer out (like i am trying to get right now) but transfers are not guaranteed.

Answer 4

get a issue of trains magazine most employers ask that you attend a railroad school first as a conductor and then move to an engineer position but not all companies

Answer 5

get a funny ball cap, and a big whistle and run on tracks

Answer 6

There are many things you have to consider. First, how old are you and what is your educational background? Do you plan to enroll in college before seeking this specific employment opportunities (locomotive engineering)? Most engineering schools do not have locomotive engineering as a major, but I would say it is closest to the popular Mechanical Engineering field. If you want to go into the manufacturing side, I would recommend Operations Research and Industrial Engineering.

Locomotive sounds so specific and particular. It is a bit of a challenge to start here because it is not as wide-ranging as other types of engineering jobs. In fact I wouldn't recommend that you start out your career working with locomotives. I think it will be much more beneficial for you to first gain some exposure to different types of technical jobs in the related industries. You will become a much more well-rounded and valuable engineer that way.