Wokring BNSF in Washington

Can anyone out there tell me about working the "northern lines" ? I might have an opportunity to work at Vancouver, Wa. I spoke to a bnsf employee(engineer) that told me the money and work can be different (not as good) as other regions. Is this true?

What kind of questions do you have? I have a buddy thats working out of Seattle and living in Vancouver as a Conductor.

I was offered a conductor position in the southwest division awhile ago but the class keeps getting delayed/cancelled. I live in the northwest so i'm trying to get on up here. I discussed this with my engineer buddy from the southwest division and he said it's not as good of a job up here because the pay /work is very different? He wouldn't elaborate.....either way, i don't really care too much I was just curious. I would be happy to get on anywhere I can. So that was my question...what is he talking about?

If you want to continue to live in the Northern Lines Seniority District, go to work there. The extra board guarantee should be pretty much the same. Your System Wide Seniority isn't any good up there, you'll have to start over if you hire out at any terminal other than a Northern Lines terminal and then transfer up there. They didn't buy into system wide seniority.

If you want, see if you can hire out at an old BN terminal. They don't have primary recall and you can leave as soon as you make a trip after class. Of course, you have to have a terminal that you can hold. Gillettte or Edgemont are good places to get your seniority established. Just look for the absence of "primary Recall" on the job vacancy announcement.

So what if you are on a primary recall and then relocate up to the NW, does that kill one's primary recall?

Thanks,
Dude

HUMM, good question. I would say yes as you would be taken off the system side seniority roster and placed on the Northern Lines roster. Disclaimer: That opinion is without any first hand knowledge. But it stands to make sense. You're starting over on a new roster and therefore, you should be removed from the old one.