Locomotive Engineers: Do you like your job?

Question

I'm interested in someday applying for the railroad. Do you like your job? Please give me reasons why or why not. How many hours is a basic workday and what do you earn? Are work orders easy to follow or are they hard? And lastly, How much vacation/sick time do you get? Please feel free to tell me anything else about your job. I am aware you need training and you start out as a conductor and work your way up.

Answer 1

I have to agree with Rango's answer in its entirety.  I'll just add the following:

To my mind, "locomotive engineer" isn't something you do, it is something you are.  Some are more adapt at the demands while others are less proficient.  This is my biggest concern on those properties where conductors are required to take promotion to engineer.  If you don't, won't, can't or fail in the attempt, your employment is terminated.

Here to fore, trainman could transfer into engine service if electing to do so, with many opting out, not wanting the responsibility or having a self realization of some sort of limited abilities with regard to train handling.  And some just want to keep being able to sleep while the other guy handles the train.  Now, whether equal to the task or not, an employee is forced to take promotion.

The reason is simple.  For several decades the carriers have been trying to blur craft lines with eventually everyone holding seniority as both an engineer and conductor.  Why?  In the future, a man will be called to work as a brakeman today, a conductor tomorrow, and engineer the next week --- whatever the current demand is for man power.  We're not there yet, but through the miracle of collective bargaining as in UTU's wholesale disembowelment of its own members, the future is clear.

A great business idea but it is a terrible idea, from a practical stand point of safety in operations.  

Suppose you need to have surgery next week.  Ask yourself these two questions: "Do I want the one surgeon that juuuuuuuuust barely sqeaked by the Board of Examiners and who only went to medical school because daddy threatened to cut him off if he didn't?  Or would I rather have the one who is highly skilled at his CHOSEN calling?"

Other than that, the job is demanding and the rewards are plentiful, but it just isn't for everyone...  For me, I've never regretted my decision to go railroading and earning that right to sit on the right hand side.

Answer 2

I can't add much to what Rango and Albert have said.It has been a good career and provided me with a good life.If i had it to do over again i would. Like Albert said you do have to accept promotion now to engineer.It has resulted in a large number of engineers that have no business running trains.I went through the Southern Pacific training program and i guarantee that 25% of our engineers where i work would never have made it through the training.

Answer 3

Rango got most of it right.  I work for a smaller regional railroad and i am home every day or night.  I have been on a extra board (subject to being on call 24/7) for ten years.  However this is about to change in the near future.  The top of our roster is mostly vietnam vets (aka baby boomers) and will be retired in two years or less.  These guys are holding the regular jobs that work regular days and have set days off.  I like the job, like rango said you see all kinds of wildlife and awsome views of nature you just cant see in a office or factory. As far as the pay is concerned I would say that i am well payed for the area that im in,  and you cant beat the retirement.  

work orders:  the knowledge will come with age,  there are many different ways to do the work.  Like i was told there is a right way and a wrong way to switch.  How much money you want to make?  My father told be before i got hired "son all you got to do is show up,  they will fill your pockets for ya."  

Vacation:  1 week for the first two years

                2 weeks for 3 to 8  years

                3 weeks for 8 to 15 years

                4 weeks for 15 to 25 years

                5 weeks for 25+ years

three floating holidays and all major holidays paid.

Oh and if you do hire on show the old heads some respect!!!  Alot of new hires are coming in thinking they know everything.

Answer 4

Well, the answers everyone has given you to this point are correct.  But here are somethings to consider.  Yes, the pay, benefits and retirement are pretty darn good, HOWEVER, if you enjoy a job that is a challenge and want to work for a company that encourages creative thinking and appreciates their work force, I would avise you to persue other endeavors.  RRs are very old fashioned and dont like to change.  The job sounds exciting at first, and it is, but it can become very mundane after awhile.  Think about it, looking at the same piece of rail for 30 years!!  How would you like to drive the same delivery route for 30 years like a mailman or trucker....see what I mean.  Here's another thing to consider.  The hours are horrible.  You might get called at 10am to work one day, work 12hours, get 8 hours rest ( and thats actually 6 1/2 hours of sleeping time plus 1 1/2 hours to get to work), then go back to work.  Then the next time you work, it may be going in at 10pm, and do it all again on the other side of the clock.  The older you get,the harder it becomes....

Answer 5

I like what I do, therre are times like now when i am going to work at 1 AM that I would rather be in bed but taht's part of the territroy

I see deer, elk, bear, moose, wolves, big horn sheep, all from my "office"

I hardly ever see a supervisor, no one is looking over my shoulder, every day and every train is different.

I may get tired and bored but the job itself is never tiring or boring.

It's not perfect, I can't tell you how many family events I have missed so you have to work very hard at making your family know they are number one, not the job.

I can't imagine doing much else though.

good pay, good benefits, good retirement.

Good Luck!

Answer 6

all above are correct.  My biggest peeve is how poorly managed CSX is.  I hate when the layers of red tape and rules can turn a 3 hr run into a 11 hr day because of people who are making decisions have never been on the rails!  We have serious communication breakdowns that slow things to a standstill.  Yet, we are always to blame, never yardmasters, dispatchers or chiefs.