Thought I might just throw out a little something. All you railroaders throw out which railroad you work for. Then throw out which you’d prefer to work for, past or present and a little explanation why. It can be the same one you work for already.
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I work for CSX on the ex L&N line between Chicago and Evansville, IN. I’d like to work for Florida East Coast RR someday cause I like it warm and I hear good things about it.[;)]
Port Terminal Railroad Association, Houston Texas.
Flat yard switchman forman, sometime road conductor.
Switch inbound transfer train into industry blocks, morning shift.
Love what I do and where I work, wouldnt go anywhere else, I am home every night, regular hours.
Can you belive they pay me to do this stuff!
Ed
UP (former CNW).
Before moving down here, I tried hiring out at GTW in Durand and C&O in Grand Rapids. Either way, I probably would have been out on the street later. I’m lucky in that regard.
My sentiments are similar to those of Ed: they’re paying me big bucks to pursue my hobby. I work evenings, but spend each night in my own bed, too.
CNW was more like a family outfit than UP (that’s just a relative term…pun not necessarily intended). But UP can afford to do things with the railroad to improve it, and often does, when there’s more money in it for them. I only wi***hey had a little more foresight on the employment situation.
Still, I have no place I’d rather be, whether you’re talking about another railroad, or even another location on this railroad.
Hi I work for the BNSF in Galesburg Il. I am presently holding a road pool turn to Chicago. I would not give up this job for anything I used to work in a steel mill before the BNSF. As far as the hours and the telephone ringing in the middle of the night to go to work the office is not a bad one. I would rather walk a 7200 foot in a raging snow storm than work in a factory. Rodney Beck conductor BNSF
Former SP/Up middle management…dispised by operations, abused by upper management. Loved working at the SP…little in the way of ego’s politics, process, meetings, reports and unproductive stuff. Even when raises or bonuses not coming we did the deal, moved on and were recognized and appreciated for efforts and accomplishements, our input, ideas were valued and considered, we worked with the operating folks to try and do the right thing, the right way in plain terms and in a logical fashion. Made the mistake of my life not looking for other work and instead chose to continue to pursue my dreams and work for the RR…stayed with UP after the merger, what a nightmare. Hd several friends insist they wanted to work for the RR despite my warnings, they kept it up and landed jobs, ussually in dispatch or related. Every single one began looking for new work in a couple months, all left. Numerous peers in management who left were offered to come back with large compensation packages and they too would not consider returning to “the Borg” at any price. I can’t go back and change what I did, but I did manage to get free, UP no longer owns me and my family, like they feel they own most of theri customers.
CSX here…engr on the former Pere Marquette between Toledo Oh and Detroit MI
Ex CP
Was offered a buy out.Purchased some railcars lease them out and
repair and operate steam loco’s in my spare time.
Union Pacific RR out of Boone, Iowa.
Currently holding a turn in the conductor’s east/west pool. Can work east to Clinton, IA or west to Fremont, NE.
csx
engineer…
in PA someplace…
I must say that this is the first job that I am really proud of. I take great pride in what I do and I really look up to my fellow conductors and engineers. [bow][bow][bow][bow]
I grew up in Southern California in the ‘60’s and ‘70’s. I’m a USAF veteran. I worked on the SP brakemans extra board Roseville to Sparks in 1980. I moved to Virginia and worked for the C&O / Chessie System from 1981-89 in the Engineering Dept. I am now the Supervisor of MOW and Engineering for a two division short line railroad in VA. I’m still a C&O fan. Our short line is getting ready to take over 200 miles of CSX track. My former MOW buddies are already calling us scabs. They should be mad at CSX not us. My wife and me are model railroaders. I have more MOW cars and equipment on my home layout than freight cars.
UP engineer, hired on the MOP in 1977, to UP in 1982, Poplar Bluff, Missouri.[:D]
Nice to see you guys “own up”. Your input to the forum is appreciated. Does way back when count? I worked as a trainman on the Illinois Central Electric, collected tickets, opened and closed doors, called out stops and on rare occasions, actualy threw a switch. For real railroading, worked for a short time on the Milwaukee. I later put on a suit, but wasn’t a TM or anything in the operating department. Too bad, I would have been a good boss. (Good boss is NOT an oxymoron!![in many cases.]
Jay