We are a community college located in Vancouver, BC that will start offering a locomotive engineer training course in late January. Our course is very similer to what NARS offers. We will be offering it to the industry and general public if anyone is interested. We do NOT guarantee employment and the cost of this course is very reasonable. We will have 2 new simulators on which one will be the North American Desk Top and the other will be the AAR-105 control stand.
even if you where to get training at a “subed out” school…the railroad is still going to have you go through thier in house training… and since you still wount have any “real” railroading experiance…you will still have to hire out as a trainmen and then go to engin service on the class 1s…and wait for you turn to be called to engineers school…
csx engineer
I really have to question if these so called engr schools are worth the effort. I do not know how shortlines hire their help but on class 1’s you hire in as a condr then can apply for a engr in a company training class as they open up and senority permits you to get a bid. The big rrs do not hire engrs off the street and I am afraid many folks out there are being fooled to believe that.
There is no way anyone would make a good engineer if they never were a trainman. In order to be a good engineer you have to know what is going on down on the ground. That guy out there depends on you and puts his life in your hands. Yes, railroads like seeing that engineer card but they take conductors first. I never have seen my railroad post jobs for engineer. Shortlines like it because not only are they hiring a conductor but one who has a card when they need them as an engineer. These engineer schools are good to learn but if you are not rich do it the right way because you will do it the railroads way anyway. Start as a conductor and learn that first because when your an engineer that trainman is trusting you with his life…I might be new in the railroad but I have learned fast that being out there, your not playing trains and there is no second chance.
I think we have some confusion here. Previously certified engineers, in some cases, ARE hired off the street for engine service. Someone with absolutely no railroad experience IS NOT hired off the street for engine service. The days of fireman being hired, with no trainman experience, and eventually being promoted to engr., are a thing of the past. And yes, it’s beneficial to all involved to have that ground experience before being accepted for engine service.
the thing is…the school for engineers dose not give you a certification that is worth a ***… the employeeing railroad IS the ONLY one that can offer a leagle certification card… under the guidlines of the FRA …a cirtificat of compleation is not a LICNECE
csx engineer
Why is it so many organisations these days believe you can learn to run a train via a computer.
My neighbour bragged to me about his expertise handling heavy freights on MSTS,
He didnt know what to say when I told him what I did for a living.
You cannot realistically simulate the feel of a freight train pushing you along and how to stop it.
These organisations should stop dumbing down a very important position.
as a nyc train operator i would love to take a training course… but before anything you gotta know the signals… anybody know of a site ican go to for amtraks signals lirr, and metro north…
I agree with those of you who say you need to be on the ground first. I by no means have a lot of experience as an engineer, however I am sure happy that even our small railroad had a requirement for engineers, that being you need to be a brakeman for at least one year, before we will start engineers training at all…As an engineer, you sure appreciate the work they do down there, and you sure understand that you have their live in your hands, while you are up there running that engine …
Don’t bother. I work for Guilford and they are training new engineers in house. Don’t bother with a school either. You’ll be wasting your money. Get hired off the street as a conductor, then go engineering if they offer it. If you’ve never worked on the railroad, you’ll be in a world of hurt if you spent money to be an engineer and hated it. Working on the railroad isn’t the only way to make a buck. I know most of you are rail nuts, but to actually work for the railroad, is to kiss the life as you know it good by…
Not to mention the fact you still have to go through the training of the RR you hire out on. So that puts you behind me and about 400 others going for the next LETP!
No they just dont toss you on a set of power and away you go as you would have to establi***rainmens seniority to beable to have something to roll back to when buisness slows (just happened here had a few roll back from the right hand seat )Plus if you think those 400 plus guys wouldnt time slip you for every run you took, your crazy.
BTW MSTS is a neat game fun to play with, and like stated its tough to get the feel. We have a great engineer here Number 1 seniority date, fired steam for crying out loud! Says the simulator he has to run scares him cause he runs by feel. Unfortunately the wonks tink this is the best way, god forbid one of them tester folks gets on a real life motor! I would make sure they got an old EMD with a toilet you have to crawl into and out of and send them on the longest trip possible in 100 plus weather!( maybe thats why they went computer on us heheheheh)