This question, is for the current or retired railroad engineer.

Question

So tell me that was it like the frist day you sat in the drivers seat of the frist day employed as a railroad engineer? Was it exciting? Scary? Did you s***w up any? Like running over the speed limit? What locomotive did you drive? Thanks...:o)

Answer 1

Good question and great answers.

Answer 2

The Hogger was asleep, the conductor was looking at Playboy and we never left the yard because the clerk couldnt get the proper paper work.....now ya know how the RR really is!!!!

Answer 3

I was nervous to be turned loose on my own lol.I had confidence in my ability to run a train but it was still a big moment to me.I didn't get to be a fireman very long.As a matter of fact i was told i was one of the fastest promoted engineers in Southern Pacific history.I got out of firemans class at the end of September and went to the simulator December 1st.So i was a fireman for just 2 months.Got home from simulator on Dec 21st and was promoted Dec.23rd.Way to fast to suit me! Hard to remember now but i think my first train was a manifest train with a consist of SD45's.

Answer 4

Most engineers will tell you they never used the seat back their first trip, on the edge the whole way reading and reareading the orders.

Like Andy,  I figured I could get by, but back in those days we still had cabooses and conductors and the last thing you want is to embarass yourself with a grouchy old conductor.

There was a derailment not far from the away from home terminal (Deer Lodge, Montana). There were no engineers available for a work train so they pulled me off my turn as an engineer trainee and used me as the engineer in wrecker service.

We had 3 SD-40s, I have the numbers written down somehwere but it would take a detailed search to find them.

I had completed my requirements so they grabbed me, no warning at all, right on my 8 hrs rest.

Ironically, it was our train that derailed the night before, so I got a lot of good-natured teasing about causing a derailment just so I could get my seniority date.

In those days, anyone older than you also got a date if someone younger than them worked so I made a seniority date for me and the guy ahead of me.

August 19, 1975.

If I screwed up, memory of it has mercifully escaped me, although there have plenty of s***w-ups in the intervening years I still remember.