railroad employees

how many of you are railroad employees ? how does one go about getting a job with a railroad ? how does one become an engineer ? what about the engineers union?

You can start by looking at all of the posts on this forum. Contains all of your answers.

Or you could go here and look around and/or apply for a job:

http://www.csxt.com/?fuseaction=careers.main


Ocala Mike

And leave the video camera @ home.

Probably should not mention your train watching hobby either..

Checkout CSX.com and also reference the Employment and JOBS forums near the begining of the Forum list

You identify as being from Western New York. You may know that CSX has been on a hiring binge of late; there are a high number of trainees out with more to come.

My advice is to TALK to CSX people if you get the chance or have a friend-of-a-friend who's been hired there. Railroading as a job (as opposed to a hobby) is at the same time easy and extremely difficult; and CSX has some pecularities that may not set well with you.

Hiring: CSX requires you to pay for technical school. That does not guarantee you a job. Once finished and hired, you will have to train and qualify on-the-job; and you may find yourself in limbo, unable to hold work, for some months thereafter (many of the new guys are drifting on and off the extraboard as it's expanded and cut).

You cannot hire as an engineer. You must hire out as a trainman trainee; then you will be required to work some years as a road conductor or yard "foreman" (you won't have anyone working under you). In time you will be given the opportunity to attend engine school. If you decline you will be force assigned at some time in the future; although when that is is anyone's guess. Right now I know of some people who've been more than seven years and not yet force-assigned.

The union will be no help except to get contact numbers. In the past the union people could get you a job; that's no longer true. But they would be a good place to find contacts who want to talk about the job with you.

try this site.they handle the conductor training for CSX.
http://amdg.ws

Another good source:

http://www.rrb.gov/PandS/Jobs/rrjobs.asp

for CSX

http://www.csxt.com/?fuseaction=careers.conductor