Train Conductor

mid said:
What terminal do you work from ProudPilot?! I am waiting on a final offer from BNSF and 'supposed' to be starting at Northtown yard in Minneapolis. Interestingly someone told me that they can send me somewhere else based on need and make that place my new home terminal... I find that hard to believe and quite disturbing( to be more specific i heard that Aberdeen could be where I end up). My question is: I applied for Minneapolis, shouldn't that be where I am based off of?

On a side note, I got a call from CP Rail today about a conductor trainee too to make things more difficult... sorry for the ramble! This thread is so great I had to write something as soon as i signed up lol. Thanks and hi to all!
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You can get forced from your location, they pay for hotel and $40 per diem, plus a bonus each week you're there. Ends up being like 500-800/mo over your normal wages, plus the 1200/per diem per month. It's a good thing, but once they're done with you there you go back to your home terminal. They only force the young guys. The longer you stay, the less likely you'll get forced.

Good Luck.
 
I just got an offer to interview with UP for a train crew member position.
I'm wondering if I should go for it or not.
Apparently the pay is around 45k first year.
 
you're going to make way more on the railroad, then as a cfi. its a good way to bank some money to pay for flying. but only you can decide if you want to put flying on hold
 
45K is the low end with training and getting laid off. I would say 60K is more common. If you're in a place low on people, 80K could be reasonable, 70K more likely.
 
mwflyer said:
you're going to make way more on the railroad, then as a cfi. its a good way to bank some money to pay for flying. but only you can decide if you want to put flying on hold
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Ye but since you are on call at the rr making a schedule for flying lessons could be a bit difficult.
 
Yeah, I really really REALLY wish I had hard days off. Perpetual soft days makes everything hard, especially sleeping.
 
ProudPilot said:
Yeah, I really really REALLY wish I had hard days off. Perpetual soft days makes everything hard, especially sleeping.
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Well you are allowed to layoff 5 weekdays and two weekend days a month on average, but sometimes the company wont let you lol. So far I havnt had any trouble though.
 
So do piloting skills transfer over to the train? It seems much easier, because all you have to do is go forward or reverse. Or is there more to it that I am missing??
 
Jafari RastaMan said:
So do piloting skills transfer over to the train? It seems much easier, because all you have to do is go forward or reverse. Or is there more to it that I am missing??
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Way easier, just requires a high school education. The big thing is rules compliance. Other than that, it's a game of memory as to lengths of track and where they are. You can't be everywhere at once, so it's really important to know what you have available and to think about how you'll use it. Usually the older engineers and conductors know what to do since the track has stayed the same forever, so you follow what they want to do.
 
Hey ProudPilot,

Thanks for sharing your experience thus far. I didn't choose to stay at UND and flight instruct but am in a very similar predicament you were a year ago...crazy debt and not very marketable with my useless BS in Aeronautics. The locomotive engineer position has always interested me and am just curious as to how you're liking it a little over a year in? Have you been promoted as quickly as you hoped? Do you get along with your coworkers having come from what I can only assume was a little more of a professional background? Also, how has it been with all of the time away from home? Hard on relationships or a good adventure? Do you plan to stick with it or do you have other goals in mind?
 
Well ProudPilot it has been a little over a since you got hired from what I am reading here so do you still enjoy the job and would recommend it?? I am probably getting out of the military in the next year or so and looking into a railroad job as a possibility. I am waiting for a career fair to happen close by so I can talk to a recruiter and get more information about the Information Technology trade jobs.
 
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