On BNSF web site, they talk about an "overlay" board work schedule were you have allocated days off, e.g. 7 on 3 off or 11 on and 4 off, can someone please elaborate on this, thanks.
Railroad Forums
BNSF "overlay boards" work/rest days schedule???
- Discussion related to BNSF operations. Official site: BNSF.COM
Moderator: Komachi
I know it as "guaranteed rest" whereby you are available for 7 days straight and then get 3 days off guaranteed.
thinking about changing careers from firefighting to conductor, any good feedback would be great. I currently work around 300 hrs. a month 240 @ the f.d. and the rest part-time. How often should I expect to be away from home, (as a conductor) currently i'm away from home 10 days a month. How many hrs. per month should I expect to work and how many days away from home per month should I expect. Also a good ball park # on a monthly salary as a new conductor should I expect.
PLEASE, ANY COMMENTS WOULD BE GREAT, i'M 35 WITH A GOOD CAREER AND THINKING ABOUT CHANGING CAREERS......
PLEASE, ANY COMMENTS WOULD BE GREAT, i'M 35 WITH A GOOD CAREER AND THINKING ABOUT CHANGING CAREERS......
Well here it is in a nutshell. Expect to be gone quite a bit unless you get lucky and can hold a yard or hostling job. Pool jobs you can kinda set your life to them cause its a chain gang type deal. If your 4th out and your train isnt going to be ready till 8 at night and its 7 am now well that gives you all day to screw off ( hopefully take a nap) Dont hold that train time as a gospel cause its never one time its always later. Extra board is the one where you turn and burn! You make a lot more money but you have no idea when your going out. You fill in for everyone else. You also have to be ready to live out of a hotel at your away from home terminal. BRing lots of books or a playstation or a laptop. Its not a bad life you just have to get used to it.
Pay wise depending on your service and where you hire out at will be the factor there. Santa Fe new hires (guys out of Ft Mad) get 85 bucks a day daily rate, BN new hires get 126.(one guy who was here for 8 months total from new hire to end of year made 60,000 but was running his tail off) Thats for training now but seeings your out in N.C. you will have to go to NARS to even get looked at by BNSF. We have a guy from Ohio who had to do that to get hired on. NARS is a good chunck of change but the program is worth it if you want to get on with us. But by UTU contract NARS is not recognized so youll have to go through the whole thing again but with more OJT time (NARS doesnt have much in the way of OJT time)
That being said hell come on up and give it a try! Next year alone Galesburg is looking at hiring over 200 I believe was the amount. Get your NARS in and then watch the BNSF website or submit an app they will get back with you. Good luck.
Pay wise depending on your service and where you hire out at will be the factor there. Santa Fe new hires (guys out of Ft Mad) get 85 bucks a day daily rate, BN new hires get 126.(one guy who was here for 8 months total from new hire to end of year made 60,000 but was running his tail off) Thats for training now but seeings your out in N.C. you will have to go to NARS to even get looked at by BNSF. We have a guy from Ohio who had to do that to get hired on. NARS is a good chunck of change but the program is worth it if you want to get on with us. But by UTU contract NARS is not recognized so youll have to go through the whole thing again but with more OJT time (NARS doesnt have much in the way of OJT time)
That being said hell come on up and give it a try! Next year alone Galesburg is looking at hiring over 200 I believe was the amount. Get your NARS in and then watch the BNSF website or submit an app they will get back with you. Good luck.
Route-Rock is right on the money. Depending on who you go to work for, you may have to chase a job for the first several years before working near home.
I work for BNSF. Hired out of Arkansas City, KS. Cant hold. Through the use of system wide seniority, I now work in Winslow, AZ. Go out every 12 to 24 hours when I'm home. Usually about 15 1/2 to 24 hours off at the away from home terminal. Couple this to the usual 10 - 14 hour days and you could be away from home a lot.
Yard work is stable hours and days off. However the pay is a fraction of road work. Locals offer a little more stability and pay but they can be hard to hold.
Go to a hiring seminar with the carrier of your choice. Ask questions, lots of questions. Generally they will be honest with you about the working conditions. Beware however, they work for the company.
I work for BNSF. Hired out of Arkansas City, KS. Cant hold. Through the use of system wide seniority, I now work in Winslow, AZ. Go out every 12 to 24 hours when I'm home. Usually about 15 1/2 to 24 hours off at the away from home terminal. Couple this to the usual 10 - 14 hour days and you could be away from home a lot.
Yard work is stable hours and days off. However the pay is a fraction of road work. Locals offer a little more stability and pay but they can be hard to hold.
Go to a hiring seminar with the carrier of your choice. Ask questions, lots of questions. Generally they will be honest with you about the working conditions. Beware however, they work for the company.