Conductors vs Engineers

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

I know we have some of each out there.

I know so little about the conductor class, so you will have to enlighten me.

Why did you choose to stay in conductor class, rather than go on to engineer?

Why did you choose to go on to engineer and not become a conductor?

Jen

2

I choose to stay in conductor and yardmaster work mainly to get up and about and not just sit and get fat and lazy. I know this statement will get under alot of engineers skin, but it is true.

Some are so lazy they would make a conductor walk 100 cars to line a switch because it is not their job.

But all in all both jobs are important and everbody has a reason for staying with one or the other.

I retired from the UP and now everybody hired is sent through conductor and engineer training.

Tom

3

Mookie:
Being an engineer was all I wanted to do from childhood on. I hired as a brakeman, and at my first opportunuty I transfered into engine service.

I always had the utmost respect for the train crews. They are the ones out in the elements every day, crawling under freight cars on the road to fix problems, shovelling out switches in -25F temperatures, hanging on the side of cars in rain, wind, snow, etc. Granted, while enroute they could relax while I had to constantly be attuned to what the train was doing and the terrain I was operating in, but I always felt the train crews were a much tougher breed.

4

WEll, i am both i guess you could say…

I don’t like very much being an engineer… because i hate sitting down… it may pay more… but conductor is for me.

i get to walk up and down all 4 cars… there are up to 10 soemtimes… speak to people…

while as an engineer i can never get out of my seat.

I decided to do Both, because the more you know, the more job oppertunities one gets. So if there short a Engineer or hes sick… they call me… same story for a conductor…

But i really love being a conductor… did i tell you i hate sitting down on the job? Once I became a conductor… i jsut did the engineer training in my spare time…

It’s a great job both of them… and i just love trains…

but if i had to chose one… CONDUCTOR!

5

I’m staying out of this one…both crafts are already ticked off at me.

6

Jen

I am a engineer cause i can be. there is times i rather be a conductor ( so i can lose this 60lbs extra weight i have) but when it is snowing 10 inches on the ground and 15 degrees out and we are in emergency. i lean back in the seat and wait for the conductor to find and fix the problem then come back and thaw out.

7

The distinction between conductior and engineer has not existed for over 20 years on many short lines. Everyone in train service, including management is required to be a qualified engineer. Crews often alternate duties among themselves enroute. The railroad I used to work for before I retired is down to so few employees that the General Manager and Superintendent are also the yard switch crew, while the Chief Mechanical Officer and his assistant are the road crew. All the other departments no longer exist.

But, short lines and regionals are 35 percent of the mileage and 20 percent of the carloads handled these days.

8

Mook, I like running because I’m lazy and like sitting around. It’s extra points to make the conductor walk 100 cars to throw a switch because it isn’t my job. (Hi, Tommy! ) 8^O Skeets

9

Wabash… then i’d come back in… pick you up… and pitch you out in the now…

I’m kidding wabash…

but i would throw a snowball at you!

10

Both being a conductor and an engineer have their own charm. Being a conductor requires less mental effort, more muscular effort. Being an Engineer is more like a chess game always awake and always thinking 2 or 3 blocks ahead, remembering where all the signals are, grades and curves, grade crossings, and more…

LC

11

Less “Mental Effort” I like that. Then explain to me why some engineers won’t know how to make a move to serve a customer. Both jobs require mental effort/ problem solving. I was a conductor and know many enginners and we both appreciate each other jobs. If we don’t do our jobs together the freight dosen’t get moved, the customer is ticked and goes to trucks, the boss is on both of our cases and we don’t get paid and may go home to see our families that night. It’s time to stop the us vs them stuff. Each person is a important part of the railroad.

12

I heard the only qualification’s one needed to become a Engineer were:

  1. Must be able to spell “Forward”
  2. Must be able to spell “Reverse”
  3. Must be able to count to 8 without useing fingers. (Heard thats the tough one)
  4. Must be able to reset electrical breaker.
    Heard the qualification’s to be a conducter were:
  5. Must be able to sleep in akward positions
  6. Must be able to repeat track warrants word for word. (The tough one)
  7. Must know all the locations of restaurants along the line.
  8. Payday’s on Friday.

Is this true??

13

Since 1998 our engineers have lost a lot of lbs! I don’t know a single engineer at VIA thst’s rolling over his/her belt. Our engineers do all the “grunt” work.
Sometimes though I think they do try to get back at me by telling me I have a door open on a ten car train, and I have 30 sec to run back and check before we leave late and get stuck behind a frieght train. Needless to say there is rerly a door open and I have to go throught the whole train and pin all the doors, and we still get stuck behind that *^&%$$£ fright train, and then who does everyone complain to? Lucky me.
Still, I wouldn’t want to work in the head end, and watch everyone jumping infront of the train, and racing through gates. I’ll stay right where I am thankyou very much.

14

I’ve heard them argue where is lunch at?
stay safe
joe

15

[:p]Food? Where?How much did you bring?

16

you all forget, if it wasn’t for us mechanics and electricians you wouldn’t have any toys to play with. so don’t forget us folks that keep them running for you

Marty

17

[:p] thats when they had a switch behind the local jr,high school.ice cream or kfc?[:D][:0][:p]
stay safe
joe
oh if the switch was still there they could have pizza too[:I]

18

well i wont say anything about that being you cant ever find a meCANTical man or a electrician to do anything. then when you find one the first thing they say is we cant fix that. so you do it yourself then they timeslip you. and wonder what you did to fix it.

19

I know we have some of each out there.

I know so little about the conductor class, so you will have to enlighten me.

Why did you choose to stay in conductor class, rather than go on to engineer?

Why did you choose to go on to engineer and not become a conductor?

Jen

20

I choose to stay in conductor and yardmaster work mainly to get up and about and not just sit and get fat and lazy. I know this statement will get under alot of engineers skin, but it is true.

Some are so lazy they would make a conductor walk 100 cars to line a switch because it is not their job.

But all in all both jobs are important and everbody has a reason for staying with one or the other.

I retired from the UP and now everybody hired is sent through conductor and engineer training.

Tom