Most of the new hires want to be engineers eventually in my experience. Also, some guys who are traimen for a while and don’t care for being on the ground in the weather gravitate towards engine service eventually. What holds people back is often that they gain some seniority as trainmen and the quality of life and paycheck that goes with holding a regular assignment and they understandably don’t want to give that up to take a pay cut as an Engineer Trainee and upon promotion probably go to the bottom of the Engineer’s extra board or worse, be bumped back to right where they were, working in train service until engineer openings (which have shrunk with the advent of RCL) become available in their terminal or district.
If they gave me a oppertunity to promote to engineer I guess I would go but you hit the nail on the head with workers and thier accustomed life style. If I drove a steam locomotive a short distance under reasonable control I would feel very happy. However considering the challenges facing those who might be operating a engine over the road or in the yard not everyone can or should do it. I consider myself one of those people who should stick to running model trains and out of the cab of the real thing.
Engineer training should consist of about a week of classroom learning, then at least 240 hours of operation, with a certified engineer. Operation means moving the train, switching, etc., not sitting at a light. Then you get a check ride with a Designated Supervisor of Locomotive Engineers (DSLE). Then you are cut loose, usually with a green conductor. With more experience, you get better at running the engine. So
<<< I’m surprised UP hasn’t taken the CSX and NS stance on engine school…you go or you’re fired. After all, the contract you “sign” when you hire states that you understand you must accept promotion to engineer. Then again, CSX’s contract allows for a single senority date, rather then seperate Conductors and Engineer dates Nick >>> On Conrail the concept was known as the “APE” for All Purpose Employee. Single craft, single roster was the eventual goal. LC
I would have to say after reading this thread that I am glad I didnt pursue train work and focused on drafting and design. I am curious though how do or how did Steve Lee and Lynn Nystrom or any of those guys get to the steam crew?
Yeah, it’s one of the few smart things CSX has done. However, to get your conductor’s date as your engine date, you MUST take promotion when your slot comes up the first time.
LC, single craft, single roster is still the goal. Some roads are just more aggressive about then others.
CSX got the single seniority because the unions asked for it. There were alot of complaints about people going to other terminals (that were promoting engineers) to qualify as engineers, and then returning to their home terminal (which wasn’t promoting engineers). Thereby “running around” many people senority wise.
True, NS is a one date wonder these days which helps me out considerably because I can use what was my conductor’s date. At least the one man crew thing seems to be over for the time being… LC
I have been invited to interview for a Transportation Management Associate position. I am red/green color deficient. Will the railroad disqualify me for this position based on my vision limitations? I need to know before I take three days off from work and spend a bunch of money traveling to Salt Lake City. Any information would be great.
A red/green color deficiency probably will get you disqualified from any field operations position in the transportation department. After all if you can’t distinguish the differences among the red, yellow, and green block signal aspects, you wouldn’t be a very safe employee. But, to make sure, see if you can arrange with a local optometrist or ophthamologist for a pseudoisochromatic plate test for color blindness. Also I should think that any physician licensed to give flight physicals would be able to perform this color blindness test as well.
Good luck, and I hope everything works out for the best!
It is difficult to ascertain detailed info pertaining to the work environment of UP. Does anyone (first line supervisor and up) know what the physical requirement are for management trainee positions (transpo)? I have allergy induced asthma and I am concerned about how much of my day (as a supervisor) would be spent outdoors?
Thanks for the replies! But I am still unclear what happens “in the yard”? What are the “Joes” doing? Loading/unloading freight? If someone could give me an example of a “typical day” in the yard, then I would appreciate it.
You’re looking for serious answers but you wouldn’t be loading or unloading freight, you’d be supervising yard operations, which consists of switching cars, i. e., transferring cars from one track to another to make up blocks of cars that get assembled with other blocks of cars that make up trains, as well as trains that enter and leave yards, making up their trains by coupling one track to another (doubling), making required air tests, and other operations.
I don’t know, the health issues might be a drawback, especially in the beginning, you’d be outside a lot.
That’s exactly how it worked! One could call in to the “Crew Caller” and find out where you stood on the Extra Board. That info could give you a general idea how long it would be until you would be called and you could plan your activities accordingly.
In those days, when you knew you were close to being called, you stayed by the telephone if you wanted the work.