Questions about life as Engineer

Conductors ride on the train to right. Maybe that's what I need to look into.

It just sucks not knowing what to do with your life.

I think on most railroads, you have to start as a conductor. Conductors are always busy, too--even though they are not running the locomotives. They have a lot to do as well, and the hours are every bit as screwy.

gprimr1 wrote:Conductors ride on the train to right. Maybe that's what I need to look into.

It just sucks not knowing what to do with your life.

I wouldnt worry too much about it . i don't know how old you are ,but the important thing is to do something . theres plenty of opportunity to change carreers , or retrain in later life . try it and see is my advice .

Actually the conductors ride on the train to the left. The engineer is on the right. )

HE DID NOT MEAN ON THE RIGHT SIDE-------------HE MEANT TO SAY THEY RIDE ON THE TRAIN ALSO..!!

Eats, Shoots & Leaves.

charlie6017 wrote: Conductors are always busy, too--even though they are not running the locomotives. They have a lot to do as well, and the hours are every bit as screwy.

Busy doing what? Sleeping? It's a treat to have a conductor who doesn't sleep, makes that trip in the wee hours a lot better.

As an old head told me once, a lot of condutors are grade indicators, head towards the ceiling for uphill and head towards the floor for downhill.

Even though I coudn't touch the controls, I would want to learn everythign I could about locomotive operation so if I decide to become an engineer, the classes would be that much easier.

If you are willing to learn most engineers will teach you about their job. As CN Hogger said,.. There are very few that stay awake. Some that do stay awake I rather have sleeping since they never SHUT UP!

JZ, AMEN! LOL!

You have to love the ones that start from switch to switch, or register room to register room. I think they should have gone into politics as much talking as they can do. Not even a hesitation from calling out signals to talking to the dispatcher, just continue chattering on, and your like, uh-huh, yeah, oh, yep, no kidding, wow.

I love being awake at night so it probally wouldn't be an issue.

No it is good. The only time I get irritated is when we FINALLY get into the hole (siding) and I am looking to catch a quick cat-nap, he's rambling on about when he and Pete back in 1979 went fishing on July 13th at 1:39 p.m. after running the KMNOA with 4 units and can recite the unit numbers and what color they were painted. Then your like for the love of Pete dude, SHUT UP!

For the most part they are good well intentioned guys and I would not trade 'em for anyone (they know alot of stuff and have alot of experience that alot of the new kids don't have, including me!), they are usually the guys who will go out and do anything for you including checking the rear unit to see if it is still on line when your crawling up the hill. But boy can some of them talk!

I liked that "grade indicator" thing, although when you have to watch a "bobblehead", it's kind of hard, figuring out those grades......

CN_Hogger wrote:

charlie6017 wrote: Conductors are always busy, too--even though they are not running the locomotives. They have a lot to do as well, and the hours are every bit as screwy.

Busy doing what? Sleeping? It's a treat to have a conductor who doesn't sleep, makes that trip in the wee hours a lot better.

As an old head told me once, a lot of condutors are grade indicators, head towards the ceiling for uphill and head towards the floor for downhill.

Sorry...........guess I had that coming!

golden arm hit it right. go to law school, then if you dont like it, try the railroad. I still wish I had stayed in college. Espcially yesterday when it was 115 in the yard. I love how all that steel just radiates the heat all around you..........yippie
You work on the railroad a little while, the only time your eyes light up is when they tell you that you can put off and go home........