I just hired on the BNSF and required to report to Gillette, WY in two months and got out of the BNSF’s technical trainning school in Overland Park, KS two weeks ago. (Had all A’s and one B being the top of my class) Thing is, I have never been there or know anything about the town. Are there any railroaders or anyone here from Gillette? If so, Please let me know. I would like to know what the town is like and (if your a railroader there) what it is like to work out of there.
Thanks everyone!
I am told that it is the best a man can get.
[(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D]
Gabe
I’m not a railroader and not from Gillete but I have been there. It was a very nice city. A small city in the middle of nowhere but still a great town. Friendly locals, good food and a great area. And great for railfans too. Not as many trains as the south end of the PRB but still plenty of action. I talked with several crews at the Gillete yard and they seemed to be great people and would be fun to work with.
I spent several months last winter working out of Gillette for BNSF on the conductors extra board. Gillette is a ok town, allthough there really is not that much to do there.
There are two pools based out of Gillette- the South Pool, which is Gillette- Guernsey and return and the Loader Pool, which primarily loads coal trains and shuffles them to or from Gillette or Donkey Creek. The loader pool is where all the old heads are at, since they are home every day.
Be prepared to work some long hours and work constantly. I was getting out on my rest almost every day. I really didn’t think the pay was all that great for the amount of hours worked, but I guess $3300-3500 a half on the extra board is about right, if you stay marked up and work your rest cycle. The BN terminals pay less than the ex-Santa Fe. The brakeman’s extra board protects a number of helper jobs and doesn’t work as much, but pays fairly well. The people all are all pretty good to work with.
bnsfbrakie,
I always figured there would of course be long hours and working non stop. If I may ask a few questions? The loading pool you said, the more senority guys have that because they are home every night. What are those hours? (I know I won’t get that for years but just currious.) The pay…what did you mean by a half? Why did you only work there for several months? I hope Iam not asking to much, money has never been my goal in regards to the railroad but it is needed in order to live. (3500 sounds better than 10/hr) If you do not mind please tell me more on the terminal. I see they are needing a trainmaster…is that a good or bad sign? I just like learning about my future position.
Thank you.
Hours for the loading pool? Forget the concept of hours entirely. There are very, very, very few operating department jobs with any kind of schedule. It is 24/7/365. You will be happy to know what day it is if your watch has such a function. Loading pool guys will be home between trips but not every “night”.
Railroads pay twice per month. Hence each pay period is a “half” a month.
The railroad pay rate is closer to $20-$24 per hour than $10 per hour with lots of hours, perhaps 60-80 hours per week with no overtime pay after 40 hours. You will get a full 8 hrs pay for 1 hours work if it works out that way.
Trainmasters come and go. That is their lot in life. Less pay, lots of aggrivation, broken promises.
Gillette is a nice town in it’s own way. You are either a miner, a railroader, a rancher, an oil field worker or support for the others. Women leave there in droves when they graduate from high school and do not move back. Housing is limited and expensive for such a small town. Summers are hot and dry and winters are cold, bitterly cold and the wind blows most of the time in all seasons. If you have lived out west you will be more at home than if you are from east of the Mississippi. Lots of folks make a life down there and enjoy living there.
Report for duty, try to find a couple of other young extra board guys to rent an apartment with. Save your money and re-evaluate after a couple of years. The seniority district includes Sheridan, Guernsey, Edgemont, Greybull, Sterling, Cheyenne, Alliance and Ravenna. You might be able to bid into one of these places in time.
New experiences, new skills and new faces, just like moving anywhere for the career. the guys and ladies you will be working with are used to seeing new faces and they will treat you well. Your all As and one B will not mean much down there so don’t flaunt it. Answer honestly when asked but realize the school is far different from the job in the field. Don
On the loader jobs, its usually 12 hours +. Once you go on duty, you have to call a van, and wait for it to show up. Then you have to ride out to your train. Only a few of the mines have BNSF crews load the trains, most have their own crews that do it. You then have to have the dispatcher let you out of the mine, which can be a real challenge since the Orin line, where you’ll work, is very heavy with both BNSF and UP traffic. Or if your bringing a train in for loading, you might have to wait in line for your turn. You then take the train to some other point where you will be relieved by a pool crew. You might do this with two or three trains in a 12 hr period.
I only went to Gillette because I could not hold the road in my home terminal. When I could hold back home again, I decided to return.
Hiring out in Gillette, you will have NH99 system seniority, so if you don’t like it there you can always leave after you get done with training and go somewhere else. Former BN terminals can’t hold you for five years like ex-Santa Fe terminals can.
I am planning a trip to the Powder River Coal Basin a couple weeks from now. Is there anything you can tell me from a railfan’s perspective like where to get the best action, etc…? Also, what are the BNSF radio frequencies for the Gillette area? Any help you can provide would be extremely helpful. If it isn’t any trouble, can you email me the info at inarevil@netzero.net?
Railroader, I don’t know anything about the train part, but I have been to Gillette several times and you might want to know about the town. It is an energy boom town - first Powder River coal, now methane gas produced from the coal beds. The Billings Gazette had a story about it yesterday. There is not much to be had in the way of housing; the story yesterday said people are now living in the hallways of the Econo Lodge. And winter lasts a long, long time. It will be an adventure.
Larry
Winter. Let’s see. Ive climbed Ft. Bridger heading east into the teeth of many a storm with another day (Or two) before Cheyenne. Some folks dont make it. Or rolled across into Sheridan on Split Ice. Sometimes the interstate is flat closed because it is just too dangerous to attempt travel.
Wy is a state that is full of very hardworking people. They value thier freedom and independance. There is a little bit of social night life but generally friends and family is where you will find entertainment and rest.
Summers are short and sweet. Almost worth enduring October thru April storms.
The Scenery is desolate to some but to me to even be able to travel thru while trucking and see some of the things that almost reach all the way back to our wild west days was worth it.
Here is the Billings Gazette article link.
Remember, this is a newspaper article and they always go for the dramatic.
I have noted that a couple of times I have been on this page there is an ad for real estate listings in Gillette rather than stuff for the Gillette safety Razor company. If you enter Gillette, WY into Google you will get listings for realtors in the area and some will be handling rentals.
Spokane , WA is really, really short of trainmen right NOW if you can get your assignment changed to there. I think the Terminal Superintendant is Maxine Timberman if you want to give her a call. You might be able to start there upon arrival.
I lived in Gillette in the early 80’s,due to economic neccesity(there were no jobs anywhere else). My only goal at the time was to save enough money to move somewhere nice, which I did in 1984. It’s not an awful place, but it’s not a very nice place.Basically, it’s dry,dusty, and desolate. The county has one city of about 25,000,one town of about 1000, one villiage of about 100 and not much more. Drive 100 miles east or west, and you’re someplace nice. People always said the nicest thing about Gillette was that there was a girl behind every tree. (ps there no trees either).
Trees in Wyoming??? Besides the ones in people front yards, there are none to my knowelege.
RailroaderBMEyer - Welcome to Wyoming!!
Be prepared for REALLY hot summers, and REALLY cold winters, and constant wind. Hope you arent allergic to sage, we have lots of it here. Never been to Gilette (been to Glenrock which is in the general area) as I am on the oppisite corner of the state but you are moving to a state where you have Yellowsotne Natl Park, Devil’s tower, and many other things. Believe it or not, In this state the Pronghorn Antelope actually outnumber the people.
Hope you enjoy your time here and once again WELCOME TO WYOMING!!!