Should I try to go management or do a conductor job in the railroads?

Question

I am getting ready to leave the US Army and am looking at the railroads for a job. I am wondering (pay excluded) which job is overall better? I am eligible for the management position, but that requires me to move around. I do the conductor job, I will be able to move back home to Ohio. I need someone who is experienced with the conductor position to help. Thanks

Answer 1

To become a conductor you must start at the bottom and work up. You have a variety of written and oral tests to take about all the rules etc. of the railroad. Then you become a student, after that a brakeman, and maybe in a few years a conductor.

Answer 2

My name is Geno I’m a conductor for the union pacific railroad. I'v been with then for 2 years now and have only made 22k the reason for that is they over hired 2 years ago and we are in a rescession.  Now like all the other conductors said   the best out there and easiest to get into. But you will get cut off   (laid off ) every winter for the next 5 years when you start out it might not be that bad over there but I live in CA and I cant keep working because my seniority is way to low. I must move around to keep working but every place I go I just keep getting cut off. There are 150 people in the rose ville subdivision alone,  that cant work for this reason. Now if your able to work year round that’s the best way to go. They just throw the money at you for example in a 6 hr day I made $600. Its $150 a day 10min or 8 hr  its $150. I had to go get a train that’s more then 25 miles away.  takes about 30minits extra time you get 150 to go get the train so we are up to 300$. But it was a killed call meaning I was called to early for the train so you get another 150$. So before IM even in the train iv been paid $450. Now we got to our switching yard and had to tie her down to take home another train that was dead on her hours that 150$ we got 600$for  6 hr of work and as a conductor, all I did was tie brakes and walk a little but sat on my *** for 5hr an 10 min.    have fun

Answer 3

try to do what you think is best for you.  i think you should go the management route.  you make it or not based on your abilities not on the protection of a union ( which will go to the mat for anyone who pays them whether or not they are worth a sh*t)

and by the way "hoghead"

"There are other management positions, but they ain't railroading. You can hire out as a "bean counter" anywhere."

there are tons of positions with in all rr's these days that rely on real world experience that are not 'bean counter' positions.

they are all REAL railroaders too

Answer 4

Conductor is a good job, you will have to expect to work nights and weekends a lot though. As stated above, you start "at the bottom" in the operating department and depending on your location the route to conductor and engineer can be several years or as short as one year.

Company officer jobs are a bit iffy. If you dont have a job to fall back on, you are at the whim of someone above you and they are not shy about "thinning the herd" to make their jobs look better by cutting back on "unnecessary expenses"

Based on my observations, management jobs can be a popularity contest and people will be let go from time to time based on who knows whom, not on job performance.

Our best trainmaster was just let go because he was not aftraid to tell his superiors when they were full of sh*t.

If you go for the conductor job, you have excellent union protection.

Answer 5

Joseph,

Likely the biggest difference between the two positions will be your work schedule.  Conductors, as are all train crewmen/women, required to be on call 24/7 at all times.  While you may still work many yours, the management position will at least, very likely, give you a much more predictable schedule than as a train crewmen.  

It is really up to you, however.  If you enjoy railroading and traveling than nothing can really beat a crewmen/women's position.  One other benefit to your management position, it will be much faster to gain promotions and move up if that is something you are interested in achieving.

Answer 6

The conductor job would pay more. I was a conductor for 5 yrs before I promoted to engineer. You can make between 60-90k a year as a conductor but you will work a lot to make the higher end on a class 1 railroad. We all hire out as conductors and then promote to engineer when the company needs them.

Answer 7

The operating department is the only way to go.

Of the 28 years I spent running an engine, a little less than three were served as a Road Foreman of Engines.  This is a line level position.  Unless an engineer, you'd never get the job.

Though some have hired out as a Trainmaster, with no seniority to fall back on, you are nothing more than an underpaid pissing post.  If you have trainman's or engineman's seniority, you can always tell them to stick it and exercise your seniority.

That was what I did.  When I took the job I promised myself I'd keep it only until the time I had to become either a hypocrite or not be able to look a subordinate in the eye.  That came in the form of a "hit list", issued by the Division superintendent.  Basically, it said, "Here's a list of 'bad actors.'  I don't care how you get them, just get them."

I immediately had my secretary draw up my letter of resignation, wherein I made known my intentions to "mark up."  I said I'd stay until a replacement could be found.  It went to Portland via company mail.  The next afternoon the super called me and said that he didn't need a "lame duck" RFE in Dunsmuir.

I exercised my seniority the following morning.

There are other management positions, but they ain't railroading.  You can hire out as a "bean counter" anywhere.

By the way, thank you for your service to our country.

Answer 8

On a Class I TY&E (train, yard, and engine) service is the way to go. There really is no limit to how much you get paid, depending on how much you work.  Management such as Trainmasters, work off of a salary and usually don't make as much as Train Service employees.