What is the best Railroad to work for?

In considering a career in Railroading, the carrier that would be best to work for is high on my list of things to consider.

Who is the best carrier to work for?

Who pays best?

Best opportunity for advancement to engineer?

The hours I work don't matter to me but who would be the best to work for (assuming they aren't all the same in that category)?

Who has the most reasonable work rules?

Thanks for you advice in advance

Well, for starters, which railroads are in your area? Secondly, do you prefer freight or passenger?

Wanna move out west? Id have to say the Union Pacific, Northern or Western Region. Maybe North Platte, Kansas City wouldnt be bad eather. Pay scales are different depending what region you work in, I Think, Im Not %100 Sure if That Is A Fact. BNSF doesnt pay as well as the UP, not %100 sure if that is true or not.

I dont have too many complaints about the UP. Did you read "So You Want To Work On The Railroad". It's really not as bad as some guys make it out to be, im my opinion, where i work.

As far as engineer service goes, all locations are different. Go to the UP website and look around, give me a couple places you would like to work and ill give you my best guess.

As far as work rules, what are you wanting to know? Rest rules? Days off? Making five days pay in twelve hours? Where i work for the UP theres alot of rules as far as what kinda money your entitled to.

Does that help any Dude? Im more than happy where im at? You looking for over the road hoghead job? Big terminal? Long runs? Yard Work? Local Work? Big money?

Passenger service, from my point of view, two thumbs down. I enjoy what i do, i wouldnt be very happy over on "that side". Working with the public doesnt appeal to me. Punching tickets, being on the headend by yourself(yes i know thats what the RR wants), putting up with people. AHH that aint for me.

Forgot to throw in that different Regions and even Districts on the UP have different rules as far what your days pay is gonna look like. Some of those old SP and CNW guys get different, or extra pay for certain occurrences that happen during a trip. That wont apply to you as a new hire. The farther you apply from where im at the less help i can give you. I can give you a look at something that might help. Another PM if you want to look at it??

UPRR engineer wrote:Pay scales are different depending what region you work in, I Think, Im Not %100 Sure if That Is A Fact. BNSF doesnt pay as well as the UP, not %100 sure if that is true or not.

Pay scales vary based on the length of the runs. Longer runs pay more. Basic pay is the same on all 5 class I railroads since these rates are negotiated on the national level. Every railroad or terminal/yard can have additional "on property" agreements. These are all extras that pay on top of the basic rate. For example: If I don’t go to lunch within 8 hr (yard) shift I am entitled to additional basic day (8 hrs of pay). If I am required to go more than 2 miles outside of the yard, that is another days pay. If I am instructed to perform the daily inspection on my locomotives when mechanical forces are available that is another days pay,..... and so forth. These are just some of the agreements applicable to the yard crews; there are many more that apply to the road crews.
So, when it comes to who makes more, it all depends from the terminal, and not so much what railroad you work for.
Here is a typical example of difference in pay on the BNSF: If you hire out of Winslow (AZ) you will be making about $800 on the round trip to Belen (NM), and if you hire out of Barstow (CA) you will be making $130 a day. Big difference.
The only railroad that I would not recommend is NS since they don’t have guarantied extra boards, which means, if you don’t work you don’t get paid. On all other railroads you could be sitting at home and still getting paid. I remember in 1999 I was on the brakeman’s extra board most of the year, and worked only once or twice a week. It was great. I was getting paid guarantee at 80% rate which was $2250 every 2 weeks. On NS I would get paid only days that I worked.

UPRR engineer wrote:I dont have too many complaints about the UP. Did you read "So You Want To Work On The Railroad". It's really not as bad as some guys make it out to be, im my opinion, where i work.

This again depends more from the terminal than the railroad. If your local managers are cool, that makes all the difference. If they are "rigid" and with 100% corporate mentality, they will try to fail and write up their crews on the daily bases.

jz441 wrote: Basic pay is the same on all 5 class I railroads since these rates are negotiated on the national level.

Im pretty sure the pay scale is different from RR to RR, region to region, district to district. A 100 miles basic day (8 hours) on a switch engine lets say. I know that theres a difference, (maybe i dont know). For some reason im thinking the Southern region on the UP is a lower rate of pay compared to like the Northern. Cant remember where i heard that, from the guys here who borrowed out for a bit? Those CNW guys that borrowed out here? Thats what im thinking, where i got that idea from. Maybe we need to find out?

UPRR engineer wrote:Im pretty sure the pay scale is different from RR to RR, region to region, district to district. A 100 miles basic day (8 hours) on a switch engine lets say.

Basic 100 mile yard day is the same on BNSF, UP, NS, KCS and CSX. Every property might have additional arbitraries on top of that, and that is why former SP properties pay more than former UP.
For example: Basic 100 mile yard day for the engineer is $194.00 + $5.00 for the certificate pay = $199.11. This is the minimum basic day of 8 hrs or less.
We (BNSF) also have yard jobs out of Long Beach that pay $250 for 8 hrs, but this rate was negotiated at the local level and applies only to the yard jobs working out of port of Long Beach. Other railroads/yards have similar agreements, but you can allways count on $199.11 a day.

Lets keep it simple here, 100 miles yard wage at %100, helper pay, no air pay, short crew, none of that crap. Just a basic day. See if we cant find out that info.

I know where i got the idea that pay differs on the UP region to region, thats what it use to say on the UP webpage under job description. Now it just says forty grand to seventy five in later years.

UPRR engineer wrote:Lets keep it simple here, 100 miles yard wage at %100, helper pay, no air pay, short crew, none of that crap. Just a basic day. See if we cant find out that info.
.

The numbers quoted above are for the yard engineers. As far as the helpers rate of pay goes,.... I don't know. Last time I worked the ground was in 2003. Same basic rules (UTU national agreement) apply for the trainmen as well. Basic day is the same on all 5 class I's.

Which railroad is the best to work for? With 18 roads under my belt, and counting, I can honestly say: None of them. Still waiting for that perfect road, where the power is always great, the trains run on time, all meets are in&out, no held away, all claims are paid, everyone knows their job, and does it right. The first time, every time. It never snows or rains there, you never have a bad-order, no pick-ups or set-outs, etc..... They all have their faults, some more than others. Probably true in any job. How much "crap" you are willing to take, for what amount of money. That's what it all boils down to. I hear the Indian Valley might be hiring....................

The Long Island Rail Road is the best RR to work for.

GOLDEN-ARM Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 7:29 pm Post subject:

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Which railroad is the best to work for? With 18 roads under my belt, and counting, I can honestly say: None of them. Still waiting for that perfect road, where the power is always great, the trains run on time, all meets are in&out, no held away, all claims are paid, everyone knows their job, and does it right. The first time, every time. It never snows or rains there, you never have a bad-order, no pick-ups or set-outs, etc..... They all have their faults, some more than others. Probably true in any job. How much "crap" you are willing to take, for what amount of money. That's what it all boils down to. I hear the Indian Valley might be hiring....................

AMEN BROTHER