Conductor Training Starts Tomorrow!

Starting conductor training tomorrow in St. Louis with BNSF. I'm excited and ready to get er' done. I think theres six in our group according to email.
Just read Interceptors post and that info is very helpful,thanks to you experienced RR's. (Good luck Interceptor)
Had a question or two if someone has the time.
I've read that sometimes new conductors get furloughed? I was under the impression that the railroads were short on help and engines.
In St. Louis, the new conductors work in the yard, no trips at least for a while--we were told.
Does working in the yard give you 100% of pay? Or 75% for new guy?
Our training starts us at $143/day--per Dec. 04' contract.
I know I'll learn as we go and I will ask questions, but I was just trying to get a jump on things.

Thanks in advance.

[deleted]

ZakJak if you look a couple posts down it appears that BNSF has done away with the progressive pay scale. I assume once you finally mark up after training you will go to 100%. Good Luck & Be Safe

I may be full-o-crap, but the latest classes have reverted back to the stepped pay scale. The 100% deal was not that great of a deal. The only thing that changed between it and the old step rate agreement was basically yard helper and brakie (was step rated by years of service). With the UTU whopper of a deal you are still at a pro rated % of guarentees, d.h.'s, held away (I think) and as a brakie if a triprate has been established for that programmed trip. As always foreman, conductor, hostler (where they use them-old BN) are 100%. Furloughs are a fact of life and should be expected and planned for. The promised land of Texas and So Cal as places that can be held year-round for a guy with your seniority when you mark up are unlikely in my opinion due to the vast amount of people that have been hired in the past few years. That said. You should mark up in time to get into the balls of the summer rush and vacations. Don't come outta class as a know-it-all and be humble. Stick with it and be prepared to move to a different terminals. K.C. usually goes cheap in the summer. I looked at Lindenwood Mo. and ween that there are nobody OIFR (furloughed) at this time and there are only 2 vacancies on the switchmans x-board. I assume that you hired for Lindenwood Mo. Annother thing to think about is if where you hired is a primary recall location. Being old BN, I doubt it. If so, you are subject to being called back to that location for 5 years. Hope this helps.

Pay is stepped for those who estabilshed seniority after June 30, 2004.

Welcome to Lindenwood!

i havent seen CSX furlough anyone in the past 3 years.. guess they learned a big lesson.. 3 years ago they furlough like almost 300 people .. only like 15 came back.. ouch.