q's about train service with UP out of boone, ia

can anyone explain the pay scale of a conductor to me? when i asked in our interview session all i got was "as far as hourly pay a conductor probably couldn't even tell you, but you start at 75% and go up 5% yrly. to 100%. ok? 75% of what?

i'm a tire builder for a large ag tire co. in des moines. i work on incentives
but i sure could tell anyone who asked how much i made per hr. or day.
my main concern is this. i made 92k last yr. at a 60k ave. paying job.
the only reason i applied for UP is the manufacturing jobs WILL NOT be here Long. please somone help me understand what I can look forward to making yr. 1 to yr. 5. there has got to be something in your union contract. please help me. I'm suppose to start conductor classes Aug. 14th. much appretiated!

A yard job RCL forman pay $189ish at %100.
A 130 miles mainline run maybe $165ish at %80 maybe.

Theres not really a rate of pay per hour unless your in the yard or on a local, and those are concidered 100 mile job, but the yard pays at hire rate then a local. Mainline runs are paid by the mile, or from terminal to terminal, the longer the run the more money. I think conductors also get paid by how many cars are in the train. Aslo if your run is 300 miles or so lets say, you will have to be on duty for like 16 hours before you start getting any more money, "run off your miles" is whats it called. I've never been threw freight so i really dont have any idea how much your gonna make, the 40 to 70 thousand, thats really about all i can say also.

Try to see how far your run might be and take my 130 miles figure, and get yourself a guess buddy. Hope that helps a little, if i missed something, or you think of some more questions, feel free to ask dude.

Conductors extra board is around $2950ish every two weeks, you can make more then that depending on how much you work and if you stay marked up. Thats the least you can make if you stay marked up, lay off 24 hours minus 1/15 off that pay

so, that 2950ish, is that gross i am assuming?! So do you think i could at least gross 2300 every payperiod? How much is health insurance also, Dental and Vision included? I am just trying to make sure that this is the way to go. I have a family and I don't want to go to a job where i probably will NEVER see my family and get paid 600-700 a week, because it doesn't seem worth it to me. How does the extra board work, is it like overtime? I am trying to make sure i know the facts before making a really big life altering decision. Any advice and input would be GREAT!!

Thanks!!

Extra board is what you will be on until you get a senoiority date and there is a position for you, you will be an extra guy (correct me if I am wrong guys) to fill in for illness, guys who mark off the day, guys who are on vacation, and shortages.

You will be paid when your extra board comes up while you wait, if you don't get called you still get paid with almost all Class ones except for NS if I recall.


(Now this is subject to change, I could be wrong somewhat but mostly I am good on. I don't work railroad but learned alot here! Do a search on Extra Board we had a good discussion about predicting call and extra boards a while back!)

The pay for new trainmen in Boone works like this. There is either a standard trip rate or standard hourly rate, or a combination of both for service. This varies by local agreement. As a new hire on former CNW territory you will receive 75% of whatever standard rate is paid. After a year you will receive 80%, two years 85%, etc. until you get to 100%. As a new hire you will most likely end up on the extra board, or might be able to get into the road pools eventually. Either way most of your work would most likely be road trips to either Clinton,IA or Fremont,NE/Council Bluffs,IA. I believe these are trip rates, with overtime after some number of hours. Every local agreement is different so I do not have specifics, anyone working at this terminal should be able to relate what the standard rates are. There is also a guarentee for the half (two halves in a month), however I wouldnt worry about that as the Boone pool is turning so fast that I dont think you will ever not work enough to be paid the guarentee. I did encounter a conductor with one years service this week on the local. I think they are paid hourly but cannot confirm or tell you what that rate would be. He is on the extra board and got that assignment due to numerous work trains in the area being bid by the old heads that normally hold the local. So you could see some hourly, but primarily will be on the road. I hope this helps, best bet is to contact someone who works there, then take the standard rate times .75 to figure what you would be paid, also ask them what the guarentee is. I seem to recall for engineers in Boone, it is $3800 per half, conductor will be less.