Railroad Forums 

  • Changing crafts: Conductor to Train Dispatcher?

  • 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

 #1297120  by Engineer Spike
 
It is a choice that only you can make. Its just like holding a good job in train service, but then going for promotion to engine service. You have to start again in seniority, and start on the spare board, or work a crap midnight job with Tue.-Wed. off.

What is the pay increase worth for a much more stressful job?
 #1297423  by nomis
 
Consider HOS is different for dispatchers. You would only be working an 8 hour day (assuming that multiple people work the desk).
 #1297491  by gp80mac
 
amtrakhogger wrote:One plus for a train dispatcher is indoor work, no working in the rain, snow, heat, etc.
It may be indoor, but there's plenty of heat for sure.

I did the DS gig for a freight road for a little bit. You get to see a whole other side of the railroad. It's a lot of responsibility with hours of boredom some days, and non-stop frustration others. In the end, the bit of extra money was not worth the stress and aggravation for me.
 #1297698  by slchub
 
Freddy wrote:How many times in your career, lets say in the course of a week, have you heard somebody say 'Tell the dispatcher'?
Now, do you still want the job?
And the TD says "proceed according to the rules, OVER!"