Work Hours?

[Mac]

Just wondering what the work hours are like for a beginning conductor on a Class I railroad? All I hear is that they are crazy and I understand that being on-call all the time but roughly how many hours a week do conductors work? Do guys that work for the railroad have time for vacations and what not or is that not possible?

Thanks,
Mac

[DutchRailnut]

If you wonder about when your hours are or when your vacation is , the railroad is not right place for you.
Work can be 40 hours straight or can go crazy and you work 72 hours a week, as for vacation the junior persons better learn skying since vacation for first few years will be in January or February.

[COEN77]

If you wonder about when your hours are or when your vacation is , the railroad is not right place for you.
Work can be 40 hours straight or can go crazy and you work 72 hours a week, as for vacation the junior persons better learn skying since vacation for first few years will be in January or February.

That 72 hours on the road doesn't include time in lodging add another 24 to 72+ hours per week. Under the FRA manditory 48 hours rest is required after 6 starts or if someone reaches 7 starts it's 72 hours rest. The kicker is if a person has 24 hours rest the cycle begins again even if laid up in lodging (someone can clarify it better but that is my understanding). I retired right before this FRA policy occurred.

[DRay]

9-5...Monday through Friday. Seriously though, it's all the time. The railroad is your life! If you want a life, then don't apply to the railroad.

[Mac]

I understand that the hours and crazy and demanding and in no way, shape, or form am I scared of them. I was just wondering roughly how many hours can you expect to work?

[jz441]

In the past I have worked as much as 80 hrs/week.... With new hours of service, I still put in close to 70 hrs/week. Railroads like to run their trains with minimal man power.

[SooLineRob]

That 72 hours on the road doesn't include time in lodging add another 24 to 72+ hours per week. Under the FRA manditory 48 hours rest is required after 6 starts or if someone reaches 7 starts it's 72 hours rest. The kicker is if a person has 24 hours rest the cycle begins again even if laid up in lodging (someone can clarify it better but that is my understanding). I retired right before this FRA policy occurred.

CLARIFICATION:

It's "consecutive calender days" that add up to 48/72 hours' rest, not "starts".

You can have 9 "starts" in 6 consecutive days (48 off), or 12 "starts" in 7 consecutive days (72 off). Or you can take a road trip FROM home on Day 6, lay over in the hotel on Day 7, work home on Day 8, and only have 48 off (the 7th "day" wasn't spent working in covered service, so only 48 off).

[jz441]

Also, if you catch a deadhead in between, it resets your starts to 0.... So, if you want to work 7 days/week, you still can, but you have to really watch the boards and sharp shoot accordingly.

[COEN77]

That's not to bad. I get quite a few calls from friends that complain about it. That's why I thought it was starts instead of consecutive days. The biggest complaint is having the manditory 48 hours off conflict with rest days if they had something planned to do. CSX put in a new attendance policy a few months ago with personal off time based on a rolling 4 weeks. An individual is only allowed one personal/sick day every 4 weeks once they take it the 4 weeks period starts over again. Friends of mine who average over 500 starts per year are getting discipline letters. First 2 are warning letters after that time in street which is based on 3 strikes the final is termination. The time limit is 3 years from the most current infraction to wipe the slate clean. CSX pretty much eliminated personal time off. A friend asked the RFE about doctor appointments or if they get sick what to do he was told that's what personal leave, daily vacation, and vacation time is for. So far both unions have done nothing about it.

[jz441]

Wow, that is pretty rough. Fortunately, the attendance is done locally by a manager, so we can work thing out if additional time off is needed. I must say that they have been pretty reasonable with us here in So Cal.