Railroad Forums 

  • A day in the life of a freight conductor?

  • General discussion about working in the railroad industry. Industry employers are welcome to post openings here.
General discussion about working in the railroad industry. Industry employers are welcome to post openings here.

Moderator: thebigc

 #1292529  by qboy
 
There is no perfect answer to your questions. It could be few days! A couple of weeks, or a month or more before you may hear something. For me it was within a week or 2. Heck in some cases they can cancel a hire session only to come back a week later with another advertisement for jobs in the same location. Theres no rhyme or reason sometimes for how the railroad works we it comes to hire people. Just gotta have patients go on about your life until you hear from them one way or another! If U read through these forums plenty of people have wondered the same thing your asking. Good luck to U!
 #1292827  by 13ronin
 
Another related question:

What's the turnover rate for freight conductor's, or in other words their "shelf life." Most of the people I went to mortuary school with cracked and burned out and left the industry within 2-4 years. Same with my brother's class. Most of his friends aren't in the industry any more either. I'm sure there has to be significant turnover for the conductor's gig because of a multitude of factors. I mean its a demanding gig; so there must. Its one of those things that it looks great on paper but when you live it and breathe it the reality is different. Its that way with the funeral industry anyway..., and I'm curious because, well, it DOES look great on paper. I've been asking some of these questions so I can somewhat steel myself if I get the job but who's to say if I really do have all it takes? I'm sure plenty don't.
 #1292889  by Gadfly
 
13ronin wrote:Another related question:

What's the turnover rate for freight conductor's, or in other words their "shelf life." Most of the people I went to mortuary school with cracked and burned out and left the industry within 2-4 years. Same with my brother's class. Most of his friends aren't in the industry any more either. I'm sure there has to be significant turnover for the conductor's gig because of a multitude of factors. I mean its a demanding gig; so there must. Its one of those things that it looks great on paper but when you live it and breathe it the reality is different. Its that way with the funeral industry anyway..., and I'm curious because, well, it DOES look great on paper. I've been asking some of these questions so I can somewhat steel myself if I get the job but who's to say if I really do have all it takes? I'm sure plenty don't.
Actually there's not that much turnover in the rail industry. Quite frankly, IMHO, people tend to "stick" despite the hardships. The money and bennies are hard to beat, not to mention the retirement and NOT being in Socialistic IN-Security. Oh, there's *some* turnover, but not near what you might think. The rail industry even tends to spawn generational stick around-ness if there's such a word. Yes, it is a difficult lifestyle. Yes, the environment, especially on most roads is militaristic and harsh. For most, it kinda gets into one's blood and the railroads KNOW it! :wink: AND its exactly these kinds of people that the railroad wants--and keeps. This special, harsh environment infests about everything one does; how he approaches life -- even how he talks. It is about the most different lifestyle one can embark upon. But once an old railroader who bitched, moaned, AND cussed the railroad all his life, has crossed that "trestle" for the last run, he tends to mellow and look back upon it with a kind of fondness despite the hardships. The memories of days spent in the cold, heat, and snow translate somehow into stories of life on the rails with which he can regale those who will listen with fascination!

"Well, boys, I remember the time the local stalled on Cramerton Hill, and we was out in the snow putting out buckets of sand....................." :-D

Gadfly
 #1292891  by Desertdweller
 
That is so true! People can either handle that lifestyle or they can't, and the ones that can tend to thrive in it. It is an internal motivation that enables railroaders to be self-starters and able to work without close supervision. The railroads do understand that, maybe because many of the management came up the same way.

It is more fun to remember the good times than the bad, and the good ones are the ones that are remembered best. When I started in 1973, I worked with a guy who complained bitterly (he married his boss's sister, and his boss never forgave him for that). He complained so much that the rest of us named him "Bitchin' Bill, the unhappiest man on the railroad".

I'm sure he crossed that "last trestle' long ago, probably has passed on, too. But I'd like to reminisce with him and get his views in retrospect.

I have a hard time imagining retired funeral directors sitting around swapping mortician stories of the "good ole days".

Les
 #1292900  by 13ronin
 
lol. We actually tend to sit around and tell "war stories." You know; worst/most disgusting cases we saw; funniest thing we ever saw; that kind of thing. I'll share one of my funniest moments so you can have a giggle. We were doing a Jewish funeral (they do things much differently than Christians) and are at the graveside for the commital part of the service. My old man and brother are up near the grave and I'm behind the crowd with another person who worked for us at the time. From the rear of the crowd, and old guy walks away and back a few rows of stones. Me and the the girl who worked for us are the only ones who could see him at this point. After a minute or two this guy stops, and, I shit you not, unzips his fly and starts pissing all over someone's stone right in the middle of the service. Now me and the girl are trying very hard to keep from laughing our asses off and my dad and brother who can see us but not the old man are scowling at us cause they think we're just laughing because we said a joke or something. Hardest time I ever had keeping a straight face.

As far as old times go; no we don't reminisce as much as we lament. I really liked doing funerals but with the cremation rate becoming what it is I feel more like a disposal service a lot of times. That's all I'll say about that.

As far as the generational thing goes; I would actually be 3rd generation. My grandad worked as a brakeman for Chessie and retired as a yardmaster; my uncle went in with Chessie as a clerk and retired after the merge into CSX out of Richmond. Kind of fitting I think that things might be coming full circle.
 #1293108  by Gadfly
 
13ronin wrote:lol. We actually tend to sit around and tell "war stories." You know; worst/most disgusting cases we saw; funniest thing we ever saw; that kind of thing. I'll share one of my funniest moments so you can have a giggle. We were doing a Jewish funeral (they do things much differently than Christians) and are at the graveside for the commital part of the service. My old man and brother are up near the grave and I'm behind the crowd with another person who worked for us at the time. From the rear of the crowd, and old guy walks away and back a few rows of stones. Me and the the girl who worked for us are the only ones who could see him at this point. After a minute or two this guy stops, and, I * you not, unzips his fly and starts pissing all over someone's stone right in the middle of the service. Now me and the girl are trying very hard to keep from laughing our asses off and my dad and brother who can see us but not the old man are scowling at us cause they think we're just laughing because we said a joke or something. Hardest time I ever had keeping a straight face.

As far as old times go; no we don't reminisce as much as we lament. I really liked doing funerals but with the cremation rate becoming what it is I feel more like a disposal service a lot of times. That's all I'll say about that.

As far as the generational thing goes; I would actually be 3rd generation. My grandad worked as a brakeman for Chessie and retired as a yardmaster; my uncle went in with Chessie as a clerk and retired after the merge into CSX out of Richmond. Kind of fitting I think that things might be coming full circle.
On a related note, we used to haul bodies on the passenger trains (Crescent and, afterwards, Amtrak). One night, I got a wire from the North end that a body was coming to Charlotte. I was working the "graveyard" (pardon the pun) turn as 3rd trick Porter. Nothing unusual about getting bodies on the train...but there was a problem: THIS woman weighed almost 500 lbs! :( She certainly hadn't missed any meals in her life! I thought, "YIPES", I better get some help to get that casket off the train!" So I went into the Yard Office and asked some of the clerks to help me. And there was no one wanting to go out on a dark, foggy night to mess wid no body. One dude was "skeered" of dead people, another said he was "busy", and another used an old familiar retort found often on the railroad: "It ain't MY job". Having no choice in the matter, and knowing I HAD to get that giant person off the baggage car and not delay the train, I went to the Trainmaster. He went into the Yard office and picked out some "volunteers" who, according to him, "Would help the porter get that body off or else!" None of the clerks were happy about it, especially the fellow who was spooked by dead people.

So I lined up one of the old baggage wagons that still sat around the station (normally we used a Suburban to haul baggage and crews), and pulled it up near where the train would spot. At train time, we all trudged out to the landing, & there was some grumbling about having to be out on a damp, misty night like this.

On time, the train and its 6 green & gold Southern engines whooshed into Charlotte, its bell going, "Chink-ker-Chink-ker-Chink", kicking up puddles that had gathered on the tracks. We put our shoulders to the task and grunted and shoved, struggling to get the crate out onto the wagon........."Wait a minute, its...UGH......hung up on something...push it to the left a little.....MMMMMMFFFFFF----THERE it goes............WAIT a minute: I lost my hold-------Now SHOVE it EEEEEEEEEAAAASSSY! OH SH-----Its hung on som'pin again------try and lift it a little..MMMMMMMMMFFFFFFF----WHEW!"

We got the huge crate onto the wagon finally and signed the train ahead to the conductor. Now we had to ease this wagon AND its some 650 lb load (counting the crate and all) DOWN the landing, make one turn to the right and over to the waiting Cadillac hearse. Its about 3-something in the morning, foggy, spooky, a really yucky night. So we started down the slippery ramp.....easing it timidly down, trying to HOLD this thing so it wouldn't get away from us. The guy that was so scared of dead people was near the front of the wagon as 7 of us tried to work this load down the hill while one of us steered the wagon. The mischievous fellow in front of me reached out and "goosed" the scaredy cat and yelled, "BOO"! That boy jumped sky high, yelled something I can't print, screamed bloody murder just before we reached the turn---and we durn near LOST control of that wagon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LMAO! :-D I mean, we came within a hair of that wagon going OFF the ramp, and turning over!!!!! :-D It was a sight between the guy that was "goosed" hollering and US yelling, "WHOA, WHOA, WHOA!!!!!!!!!"

By the time we got to the hearse, the rest of us were laughing so hard, we could barely push the thing! Then it was a struggle to get the crate/casket down off the wagon and ease it into the hearse where it just barely fit. When we got it down and gave its final shove that old Cadillac groaned and squatted down, down, AND down some more! I thought he might do a wheelie going out of the lot!!!!! LOL!
 #1293116  by 13ronin
 
Lol ya I can relate to that kind of night. I always groan when it comes to big people... ive had people so big I'd have to call the fire department to help me an my guys and get them out of the house. One of my compatriots at school once had to knock out a wall to get them out of the third floor bedroom (its ALWAYS the top floor).
 #1293167  by Desertdweller
 
13,

I think the idea of pissing on a grave is pretty disturbing. Very boorish...I don't think I could have watched that without confronting the perp.

Gadfly,

Don't you wish you could have used a forklift? Put the crate in the baggage car on a pallet jack and run the tines of the fork lift under it.

Les
 #1293253  by 13ronin
 
What else to do but laugh? The gentleman was well into his 80's; probably had the start of Alzheimer's dementia. That's not exactly something someone in their right mind would do. And the last thing I would want to do is risk potentially ruining the family's service with that kind of drama. There are times in this industry that you see something so strange and unusual you have to shrug it off and laugh. We deal with some pretty emotionally heavy stuff. If you can't put up some barriers and defense mechanisms you wont make it through a week. The trick is finding that balance so as you are always respectful in you behavior and treatment and that you still feel enough to have empathy without being overwhelmed and made impotent in your work.
 #1294083  by Gadfly
 
Desertdweller wrote:13,

I think the idea of pissing on a grave is pretty disturbing. Very boorish...I don't think I could have watched that without confronting the perp.

Gadfly,

Don't you wish you could have used a forklift? Put the crate in the baggage car on a pallet jack and run the tines of the fork lift under it.

Les
AH....but remember, we are on the passenger landing with people milling about. Forks sticking out---people up and down the area. Not a good combination!

GF
 #1294123  by 13ronin
 
Whelp, application still says "application pending review." Period closed Sept 2nd and thats after it was extended a week. I know it can take a while for them to go through, but im getting... well not concerned exactly, but something like that, in regards to the REDI dates. I know they have a class period starting Oct 20th, but if there is a date after that its going to be over the holidays. If i have to be in Atlanta over Christmas, well I guess I do. But do they do that? And all this time is making me worry about things I probably shouldn't be like the physical and the biodex test.
 #1294491  by 13ronin
 
qboy wrote:There is no perfect answer to your questions. It could be few days! A couple of weeks, or a month or more before you may hear something. For me it was within a week or 2. Heck in some cases they can cancel a hire session only to come back a week later with another advertisement for jobs in the same location. Theres no rhyme or reason sometimes for how the railroad works we it comes to hire people. Just gotta have patients go on about your life until you hear from them one way or another! If U read through these forums plenty of people have wondered the same thing your asking. Good luck to U!

Looks like you were right in the repost the job part. lol. I'm checking this gig like crazy. I REALLY want this job. So I go on the CSX site today and my application is still pending review. So I do a statewide search for jobs to see if anything else in my region is up for hiring and sure enough they are advertising the same position (conductor) in the same location for just as many openings. Just posted today. Of course I'm going to reapply and polish my resume a bit now that I know a little more about what they are looking for. Any insight or thoughts as to why they did this? Not a big enough applicant pool? I don't know what to make of it so... ya I guess I'll just leave this here.
 #1294673  by papacarlock713
 
Don't have a lot of help to give as I just started training myself, but some of the guys in my class waited a year before they finally heard back from CSX. It took me about a month from applying to the job offer, but then another 5 months before I actually came to Atlanta.
 #1294824  by 13ronin
 
Holy Carp that's crazy business! I hope not for my sake. I'm a big one for loyalty and I'm going to have to take a job before too terribly long after the family business sells. Unemployment is only good for so much. If I take a good job make decent money and they treat me alright... that's gonna be a tough one. I'd prefer that loyalty go to CSX. I don't know. Thinking as I type I guess.
 #1295225  by 13ronin
 
Well good news I think. I got an email today from CSX human resources saying I have moved up to the "next step" in the hiring process and to keep my eye on my email to see if I get invited for an interview and the details for when and where the interview would be held. The job number was for the second most recent job posting for the same job and the same location. I'm taking this to mean I'm pretty much set for the interview since the second position hasn't even closed yet. Input and thoughts?