I was interviewed in November by NS for the Buckeye Yard in Columbus. I got an email saying I would be receiving a conditional offer later this month if I was still interested.
I have generally worked indoors in the past, but I like working with machinery and I am good with my hands. I HAVE worked outside – doing constuction work, etc., but I have spent the last few years inside. I have a healthy respect for the hardware, and I believe I can be a safe worker.
These are pretty basic questions, so please excuse my lack of knowlege.
-When you travel overnight, who pays for transportation/meals/lodging at the destination? I assume that NS would.
-I know that many older employees are retiring, but what is a reasonable time to expect to be on the extra board? Is it just a matter of luck and location? How long before Engineer School? It seems like one to two years is typical.
-How much harder is it to be an engineer than a conductor? I know there are some who do not make the grade in Engineer School, so there must be a learning curve that some can’t negotiate.
-As a conductor, generally how much time is spent in the yard as compared to one the road?
-If you are an Engineer of Freight Conductor, how do you feel about your job? I know on an earlier post a few answered this, but not many.
the carrier will pay for your hotel room and transporation as far as to and from the yard…and in a few cases the hotel will provide you with transporation to places to eat…or the railroad will station a shuttle at the hotel to take crews to get something to eat…but that all depends on the agreements between the unions…the carriers and the hotels… or you can eat at the hotel if they have dinning room or room service… but you have to pay for all your own meals up front… but the railroads do give you a meal alownace…but its peanuts compaired to what you might end up spending on food…(save your reciets…they are tax decuctable)
<>2… there is no way to tell how long you will be on an extra board… as far as going to engin service… that depends too… just get hired and go with it…that is the best thing i can say…
<>3… physical the engineers job is easier… but mentaly it is harder… as far as the schooling for enigneer…yes there are going to be people that dont get it…and wash out… either in the class room or in the OJT
<>4… what do you mean time in the yard and on the road? do you mean in training or when your marked up and working… becouse if your talking working…it will be what you can hold… if you can hold yard jobs… and want to work yard jobs…you might never have to go on the road agin…or once in a great while…but if all you can hold is road jobs…then the road is your home…
<>5…i have done both and i am working as a conductor now…(took a flowback)… the conductor job is less stess mentaly…but do more physical work…(lineing the switches… walking a brake test… coupleing the cars and engins… stuff like that) and your in the weather more… espicaly in the yard… the yard dogs are out in the weather untill the shift is done…while the engineer stays in the cab the whole time…as far as road trains go… the conductor handles the paperwork and the radio… and makes sure the engineer is doing hi
As far as how difficult it is (GP40 take note, this is how you take a jab at someone!), csxengineer did it and everyone knows he cain’t spell! Hell, I can’t read (not a requirement for the National Guard I guess either!) by the T&P agreement (I crap you not!) my conductor has to read them to me!
It’s not hard, but you must have presence of mind, not only of your location but how the train is biult and how the units are running, etc…
When you first become a throttle b!*ch you worry about the next mile in front of you, as your abilities progress then you begin to plan for two miles ahead, then three, four, before long you think about how you’re gonna yard the train at the final destination before you leave the terminal!
It’s at this point you get a train that has a “kicker” in it, then that rent a wreck third out in the consist “kicks the bell”, and your brand new conductor has know idea what he’s looking at, and can’t explain it over the radio and is too afraid to run the train while you go back there and restart the piece of crap!
But it’s alright, eventually that new conductor will either figure out how to locate a “kicker”, get tired of walking the and y’all hog out, or you run without using the big air. You tie-up at the Away-From-Home-Terminal (AFHT) go to the bar (there’s always one close to where the railroader’s stay for some reason!) get a beer and tell that cute little thing (we’ll call her “future ex-wife” just for kicks) that your flirting with how much you brought home on your last check, then you’ll be awakened bby a phone call and a nasty attitude from someone a thousand miles away telling you to get your ass up and come back to work (Yes, it really is 0130!) And day two begins in your Engine Service career…and I wouldn’t trade it for anything!
I’m a Conductor for NS on the Peidmont Division and work in North Carolina. Here, our time on the extra board varies, I was on it for a year and a half. I’ve been with NS for 4 1/2 years and have advanced quickly in senority. I have roughly 120 marked up Conductors under me, with around 80-85 with regular jobs. Time around here from being marked up to engine school is 6-7 years. I’m 15 from going to engine school myself and I hold a regular 5 day yard job returning on our rest on Friday’s. We get off around 11pm Friday and come back 10:30pm Monday night. So I basicly have a 3 day weekend. Before this job, I was on a regular road job for 2 1/2 years. NS pays the lodging, and if you are in the hotel for less than 12 hours, they give you a measley $6 meal allowance, if over 12 hours then you get $12. Hardly enough to eat on because you get $12 if you are in the hotel for 12 hours and 5 minutes, or 38 hours (yes it happens sometimes, usually on weekends or holidays when they hold crews for pig trains and you have old heads politicing for deadheads home running around you then the company will decline your claim). Only good thing about the layover is you start straight time after being in the hotel for 16 hours and I’ve been paid several days pay for laying in a hotel room watching TV or wandering around the mall across the street. Any more questions just shoot.
At your away terminal - NS will pay for your lodging, and transportation from your on/off duty point and the hotel. YOU are responsible for your meals, and any transportation costs other then from the hotel to the on/off duty point.
Could be six months, could be 5 years. All depends on the turnover at your terminal, how many places you are qualified, and how far you are willing to travel for a regular job.
Again this depends on the turnover at your terminal. Most places it’s 2 to 3 years. However in a high turnover area it could be a year, in slow moving areas it could be 5 or more years. One thing to note, that on the NS (IIRC) when your turn for Engine School comes up you MUST take it, or start looking for another job.
Being an engineer is very different from being a conductor. I won’t say it’s harder, but there is a lot more technical knowledge you need, and good train handling skills are more art then science. There are some people that just can’t do it.
Depends on the terminal, and your preferences. Most people are either yard man or road man. I know very few that do both. At first, your senority will dictate where you work. Usually, the new guys end on the road extra list - because the pay is low and the hours terribly irregular.
Overall I liked being in train service. Although, I like being a supervisor more now.
I apologize for the dual post yesterday – I’m just not familiar with the forum workings.
On the one question regarding how much time in the yard/road: I got the impression from the interview that the freight conductor assembles the train, and then accompanies the engineer on the run. Not sure if I am correct in that assumption or not. If that is correct, then I was wondering about how much time is spent putting the train together vs time on the road.
From the replies, it appears that the freight conductors with yard assignments put together the trains, and then the assigned freight conductor checks it out prior to the trip. So you are basically working in the yard assembling trains or on the road making the trips? Is that right?
Also, what is a “kicker”? A non-running power unit or a defective car?
A “kicker” a car that has some sort of brake defect so that whenever you set air it puts the train into emergency. It gives the conductor so well deserved exercise!
Your confusing a conductor and a switchman/Foreman. Generally switchman build trains in yards, unless the yard has no yard engine/crew(s).
A conductor works on the road, not in a yard. If, for some reason, they make a road crew swtich out their train while a yard crew is available, then you (and the yard crew) get to file a penalty claim against the carrier (but you’ll figure that out when you cut your teeth).
A “kicker” is also known as a Quick Tripper. If you have one of those in your train, you’d better hope your dynamic is good and engineer doesn’t have to use much air. nbrodar, you said new guys end up on the road where the pay is low. That must just be on your territory. Because here, I’ve had mostly regular road jobs and been on a reg yard job for a while too. The pay is actually higher on the road. We have 6 road pools with approx 35 jobs between them and 29 of those jobs pay ALOT more than the yard because of the miles and the other 6 pay close to a yard basic day but they also start overtime in 8 just like a yard job so you can make just as much there. 5 of the road jobs are 320 miles one way, but they are also 30 yr senority jobs. Al the others are usually held by lower senority guys. Me, I just prefer time off.
In Ft Worth our extra boards are where the big money is at! It’s not unheard of to make $4500-$7100 a half, of course when you do finally get home, your wife and kids have a differnet last name then when you left, there’s a strange “new guy” mowing your grass, and your dog is trying to take a big ol’ chuck out of your ass!
But Uncle Pete will keep on,as they say, loving you long tiime!
I was referring to the road extra list, not the road pools.
I could be a quirk of my terminal…
The Road Pools are the choice assignments - 8 days on 3 days off, all are Dead Head and turn - ie home every night, and the trip rate is about $300 a day.
Regular assigned yard job - for those that prefer a set schedule - basic 8 hour day, about $180.
Yard Extra list - set calling times - the guarantee is $170 a day - but you’ll make what the job makes when you work. The list turns everyday, so you normally beat the guarantee. You can actually make more working the yard extra list, then working a regular job.
Road Extra list - no set call time - the guarantee is $160 a day - unless you get called then you get the trip rate. Lately the list has been slow…it’s only turning every other or every third day. It’s no fun to lay head out for two days.
You need at least 6 years senority to hold a pool turn. We only have a handful of assigned road jobs, and you have to older then dirt to hold them.
Because there are always vacancies on the road extra list…many of the new guys end up forced there.
There is also little cross over between the road and yard guys. Road guys tend to stick to the road and yard guys tend to stick to the yard.
This isnt a Conductor/Engineer question, but I was wondering about dispatching positions. I know they dont hire off the street. whats good “foot-in-door” position and what do they require? Ive heard they only hire from inside and only from conductor or yardmaster positions.
anything that gets you in the door and on the payroll is a good “foot in the door” once your in then you can apply to posstions as they come avablibe internaly…
Most Class Is prefer to hire internally for Dispatching and Yardmaster positions…there’s less “Railroad 101” training. However, because the need is so great (CSX plans to hire 55 dispatchers this year), and the number of T&E people willing to apply can be rather small, they do hire externally.
Unless you are in passenger service, there are few grooming standards. Beards and long hair are allowed. Passenger service requires a uniform, neatly trimmed beards are permitted, but I believe long hair on men must be kept hidden.