I was wondering, Do you have to go to any, like, Railroad academy or something? I know this might sound like a funny question but im serious. Its been a dream of mine scince i got my first train set at the age of 5. lol
Contact the Railroad you wish to work for, and do what they tell you. They will send you to either their in-house training facility, or the outside school they’ve contracted with.
Going to a railroad academy first is a waste of money. If you go to a non-railroad affiliated school, there’s no guarantee you’ll be hired anywhere.
Unless you hire with a transit agency, you’ll have to start as a conductor.
Also be prepared to pass a physical and drug screening, as well as a criminal background check.
Nick
First off, part of this is incorrect. Going to a railroad academy, or better yet the BNSF National Academy of Railroad Sciences is a great school to go. I have attended this school, and learned a great deal. All class one railroads and 95% of all railroads consider this school is previous railroad experience. I attended when I was 18 year old and I started with the railroad when I was 19, and operating a locomotive also my dream when I was 19. Anything is possible as long as you are willing to work hard for it. You will have to start out as a conductor, but if you are working with a short line then you will be operating the locomotives in no time.
I wish you luck on getting on to the railroad. Be prepared when you go to your interview, most railroads don’t like “FOAMERS”.
The job as a railroader is challenging. I just hired on 1 April with CSX and am cubbing through all of the jobs. The most challenging part of the training right now is “Trainmen Trainee”. This part of my training allows me to work all parts of the line of road. I qualify on that part of the territory by spotting, pulling cars along the road from my home terminal to the interchange. During this phase of my training I also get those calls from my crew caller informing me that I have now completed my rest and am scheduled to leave at 3 am. Get home and do it again and again and again.
The pay is great and the possibility of me getting injured, maimed, or killed is just a great. However with good training and “ASKING QUESTIONS” my confidence increases.
Good luck.
railroadjj you are totally mistaken, as far as railroad schools go the NS wont even consider you for employment if you went to any school. and sometimes they wont even consider you if you worked for another railroad. they want it thier way. most generaly a school is a waste of money spent. get hired on let them train you then sit back and wait ( in your case) 44-45 years and retire. with whats left of your body.
G’day, Y’all,
This guy is definitely not a foamer. He’s been a member of the forum for almost a month and only has 42 posts. So he does have a life.
I would encourage the engineer candidate to find someone who already works for the railroad and has a position of authority. This person can mention your name to the road foreman of engines. This is called networking and is the way to get jobs these days when employment positions draw thousands of resumes. I wish I had realized I had to do this when I went to see the SCL road foreman in Waycross in 1974. Working for the newspaper, I knew the fellow who ran the shops and an engineer who was also a state representative. I should have had them call the road foreman first.
I am confused, ok so lets say i want to work for BNSF as an engineer, what do I do???
Should I apply there as conductor, then let them train me then work up to be an engineer??
Or should I go to the the BNSF school of RR science???
How about joining the Army reserves to be a train engineer and get some experience, because I read somewhere that BNSF is one of the top employers of people getting out of the army because they are phisicaly strong and can handle the iregular hours (so I would be getting out of the Army and have some experience). Would it also be posible to get hired at BNSF while still in the reserves???
Im sorry for so many questions
Thanks very much for any replies[angel]
BTW what’s a foamer?
Unless you hire with a transit agency, you are REQUIRED to start as a conductor.
Not unless you have 6 or 7 grand just burning a hole in your pocket. Again I stand by my statement of contacting the railroad you wish to work for and do what they tell you.
While I can’t verify Wabash1’s statement about the NS, I can tell you that every CSX new-hire (railroad experience or not) goes the training center in Atlanta for the full course. So why spend the money if the RR is going to PAY YOU to do it.
If you want to serve that’s great, and I encourage it. However, don’t join just to get rail experience, because you won’t. Railroads love ex-military people, because they are already adapted to the 24-7 outdoor lifestyle, and know now to take orders.
Yes, BNSF or any railroad will still hire you if are in the reserves, as long as you’re not on extended active duty. IIRC
“Foamer” is a rather derogatory term for railfans, that “foam at the mouth” at the sight of a train.
Nick
Do some homework before talking to the recruiter…ie, how many RR related jobs are there? The plan used to be to be able to run the rail network in europe if we ended up in another war over there,dont know if that is still in the master plan or not. But just imagine howmany engineers they need, and how many riflemen. figure out the odds of you getttin one of those few slots… and if the recruiter promises you the training, get it in writing! On an offical US Army document, and read all the fine print. You might also politely ask WHEN you get the training…at the beginning or end of your hitch! (OK, things may be better than they used to be, but its tough to make recruiting goals sometimes!)
Ft Eustus, VA, is the home of the Army Transportation command… you may be able to get some of that information from there…
Here are a few issues to keep in mind when deciding upon a railroad career in the transportation crafts.
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Sometime between 1980 and 1982 the National Carriers Conference Committee and the United Transportation Union signed a national agreement wherein locomotive engineer candidates would have to come from the switchmen’s/trainmen’s ranks. What this means is that you’ll have to qualify as a switchman/brakeman/conductor first and then apply for engine service. Whenever the carrier has a call for locomotive engineer candidates, they will accept the switchmen/trainmen who apply in seniority order. Depending on the age of the workforce and growth in business, engineer promotion either could come quickly or it could take years.
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Switchmen/trainmen seniority districts generally are much larger than those of locomotive engineers. Example: I’m pretty sure the pre-1995 BN had a switchmen/trainmen district that included Lincoln, Nebr. + Trinidad, Colo. + Laurel or Billings, Mont. and all lines in between.
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When you establish seniority in the T.E.& Y. crafts, realize that that’s where you will be living and working for a very long time. Choose wisely.
BNSFreak, I plan to do the same. This may or may not help you:
Technical knowledge notwithstanding, know now that the rules are rules, and they are not meant to be broken. They are often written in someone’s blood, and living by them will help ensure that you have a long and prosperous career in railroading. Do not take them lightly.
BNSFreak and MJ5890, do some research on the position you wish to apply for and like the person stated previously NETWORK and do the RESEARCH.
I apologize for using the term “FOAMER”. I had a conversation with a crew on my way back from Chattanoga to Nashville this past weekend and made the mistake of stating that after 22 years 11 months and 17 days of Active duty Infantry I wanted to live my dream of working for the railroad.
The military was an option for me back in the 80’s after graduating from high school in Oregon. I learned how to deal with people of different backgrounds “Social, Economical, Spiritual, Etical, etc…”. I do not believe that the reserve has training for working on the railroad anymore. It may have become a victim of cutbacks. But do your research any may find what you are looking for.
I work for CSX and it is company policy that engineers are first Conductors then promoted to Engineers. Policy may soon change for Conductors to be FRA Certified on the ground for a minimum of 5 years before being promoted to Engineer.
If you are willing to work when the phone rings in all types of weather during all hours then this may be the job for you.
Good Luck in your dream. It has been worth every penny of the $4,500 that I spent for my training at www.amdg.ws .
God bless you.
V/R
Jim Patterson US ARMY RETIRED/ Conductor Trainee CSX
move to the UK. Here you have the following:
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a 35 hr week with wages rising at 5% per year
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a heavily unionised operation so you have lorra lorra protection
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you will earn the higher tax bracket.
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come 2012 there will be soo many drivers (engineers) jobs going that you will be swimming in cash
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there are no crew “calls” in passenger train operation. You are rostered.
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the visa situation in the country is so lax they will let anybody in.
seriously how could you go wrong???
Also one more question if I am going to join the army to server would it be a good idea for me to be in the reserves as an engineer so that BNSF will see that as good experience or will they see me as a foamer who wanted to carry a gun. So im asking wheather or not to be a locomotive engineer in the reserves??? If not then I might be an Army Ranger
Thanks again
Joe
You are not a “FOAMER”… [bow]
I spent the last 23 years of my life in the Active Army. I choose the Active side because I wanted to experience the world and get out of my “BUBBLE”. The up side to joining any branch of service is that you will gain more experience dealing with things that people read about.
If you join the reserves, you are entitled to continue to keep your seniority while deployed. All pay raises and seniority moves will be credited toward your longevity pay. The time that you spend in the reserves is also credited toward your railroad retirement. Go to the railroad retirement board website for more info.
I would seriously take a long hard look at what you want to do and for what reasons when it comes down to joining the military. Active duty has better educational benefits than the the reserves or national guard. You will need to do a minimum of 6 years of reserve / national guard time. If you go Active you will still do reserve time after you complete your Active Duty committment up to 6 years. After 6 years of Active Duty time you will not have to serve in the reserve or national guard. Now if you retire from the Active Duty, you will be required to serve if you receive the call up to 10 years after your retirement date. Category I, the first 5 years and Category II the last 5 years.
You will learn leadership skills, problem solving, social skills, and feel good about what you have done. I know that I have definately enjoyed my time. Remember, we are at war and it is not pretty over there. Try spending 20 hours a day in the middle of a sandstorm in full battle rattle. Or trying to quell a riot in the middle of the summer heat wearing your body armor. AVG TEMP 123 degrees. You will come back a changed man and you may even be grateful of knowing that we live in the best Damn Country in the World and come back wondering, "If the rest of the world hates us so much, why in the hell are they tryin
I sure will
but would you happen toknow if I became an Army Ranger could I still have a reserve job such as locomotive engineer?
Joe
You best bet is to talk to someone at either the 757th Transport Battalion (Railway) headquartered in Milwaukee, WI or the 1205th Transport Railway Operating Battalion in Middleton, CT. These are the only two railway operating battalions in the Army, and both are reserve units. There are no railway battalions left in the Active Army.
If you’re joining the reserves simply to gain railroad experiance before hiring with a railroad, well you’re better off just hiring with the railroad, straight away. Odds are you’ll still have to go through the railroad’s training program. Most union contracts prohibit the direct hiring of locomotive engineers, when there are unpromoted conductors at that location. So you’ll have to start over again as a conductor anyway.
If you want to join to serve your Country, by all means join. Any military service is a plus where you go to hire on with the railroad.
Note that any military service preformed after you hire counts toward your Railroad Retirement credits. Military service preformed before you hire, does not.
Nick
Would being a reserve engineer have any negative effect on me being hired??
Also I have talked to a recuiter that said that I could be stationed at Milwaukee or Fort Macoy(East/Central Wisconsin) and when I was at a train show I talked to a guy that said that there were some army locomotive engineers in a country overseas(might have been yougoslovia, but Im sure it wasnt Iraq or Afganistan) so wouldnt that count as active duty?
I was also wondering what are railroad retrieterment credits?
Thanks, Joe
No, being a reserve engineer probably won’t have a negative effect on your being hired. However, the Class I are unionized. And the agreements (for the most part), prohibit the direct hiring of locomotive engineers, where there are conductors avalable for engineer training.
So, most anywhere you hire on a Class I, you will have to start as a conductor. If you hire with a transit agency or a shortline, you may be able to hire on as an engineer.
I meant to say Regular Army.
Railroaders don’t pay into Social Security. We pay into Railroad Retirement, which is far better. You earn one credit for each month worked. You need 360 credits and 60 years of age to get the full retirement benefit.
Nick