Hey all. I'm a 4 month new hire that just switched RR's. I worked at CSX Barr yard for about 1 year, just got hired at CN/IC Homewood, IL. A few things I found out the hard way, so figured I would share them with you all since a few of you are seeking employment.
I started off like most who hire out at CSX through AMDG. Fork over the 4800 bucks, and AMDG will go to work on all of there checks required for you to be employed at CSX. Now that they have collected your money, your background check begins. Two classmates of mine who passed the course did not get hired out by CSX due to a background check unapproval. 4800 down the tubes for them. Next up was the strength test where we lost one guy, he was sorta a small guy, but still failed it. 4800 out the window since CSX declined him. Next up was the hair sample drug test where CSX declined 4 more for obveious reasons. Now we are in about week 3 with 4 people out of 12 to start with. Lets do some math shall we? $4800X12 is $57,600. Nice chunk of change made by AMDG where only 4 people where hired. Wonder if CSX is paying off AMDG? heh. Luckly I spent many years in the miltary to keep me clean and out of trouble.
Now that all of that garbage was out of the way, the 4 of us got our deploma's and went on to get another deploma from the Atlanta choo choo U. Now im hired out and still waiting on my first check in 12 weeks! Yep 3 months w/o a paycheck... life sucked but I figured things have to get better. Field training lasted for 15 weeks. Basicly it boiled down to who your worked with. If you had some asshat oldhead who wouldnt give you the time or day, your ass rode in the 2nd unit hehe. But I was fairly cool with most of them (not 'one of the boyz'). I work by the rules in a safe manner.
It was time to mark up after all that training WOOT! Got another deploma and started the next nite on the extra board. Had my cellphone handy most of the nite ready to pounce on it for a job. Well I waited almost 2 weeks for my first call. Man I was rusty as hell the first nite. Be supprised how much you forget sitting at home on your ass. Things picked up alittle bit, getting work about 3 days aweek, never once breaking the garuntee which was at... $1300 every 2 weeks. Now try living off that in Chicago. After taxes, dues, T1/T2, taxes, medical it worked out to be 400 a week. I nearly quit to work at Mc Donalds fulltime which paid more. :/
So I got lucky with an interview with the CN/IC in Homewood, IL and hired out just a few days ago. Just completed the Conductor requalifying test they require you to take and pass. Passed it and off to a few weeks of training, mainly getting around and learning the teritory. What sold me was I was making $1300 per 2 weeks down the street at CSX with high medical and dues, to $2700 per 2 weeks with lower/better medical and union dues at CN/IC!!! Sure ill be working more, but isnt that why most people apply for work to actually... work? I'm not sure how things run or what the poeple are like, but money makes the world go round hehe. After 10 years in the military, I can adapt to any work envirement.
Anyways, just wanted to share with you my short RR career. If things are not to your liking, do something about it.
I started off like most who hire out at CSX through AMDG. Fork over the 4800 bucks, and AMDG will go to work on all of there checks required for you to be employed at CSX. Now that they have collected your money, your background check begins. Two classmates of mine who passed the course did not get hired out by CSX due to a background check unapproval. 4800 down the tubes for them. Next up was the strength test where we lost one guy, he was sorta a small guy, but still failed it. 4800 out the window since CSX declined him. Next up was the hair sample drug test where CSX declined 4 more for obveious reasons. Now we are in about week 3 with 4 people out of 12 to start with. Lets do some math shall we? $4800X12 is $57,600. Nice chunk of change made by AMDG where only 4 people where hired. Wonder if CSX is paying off AMDG? heh. Luckly I spent many years in the miltary to keep me clean and out of trouble.
Now that all of that garbage was out of the way, the 4 of us got our deploma's and went on to get another deploma from the Atlanta choo choo U. Now im hired out and still waiting on my first check in 12 weeks! Yep 3 months w/o a paycheck... life sucked but I figured things have to get better. Field training lasted for 15 weeks. Basicly it boiled down to who your worked with. If you had some asshat oldhead who wouldnt give you the time or day, your ass rode in the 2nd unit hehe. But I was fairly cool with most of them (not 'one of the boyz'). I work by the rules in a safe manner.
It was time to mark up after all that training WOOT! Got another deploma and started the next nite on the extra board. Had my cellphone handy most of the nite ready to pounce on it for a job. Well I waited almost 2 weeks for my first call. Man I was rusty as hell the first nite. Be supprised how much you forget sitting at home on your ass. Things picked up alittle bit, getting work about 3 days aweek, never once breaking the garuntee which was at... $1300 every 2 weeks. Now try living off that in Chicago. After taxes, dues, T1/T2, taxes, medical it worked out to be 400 a week. I nearly quit to work at Mc Donalds fulltime which paid more. :/
So I got lucky with an interview with the CN/IC in Homewood, IL and hired out just a few days ago. Just completed the Conductor requalifying test they require you to take and pass. Passed it and off to a few weeks of training, mainly getting around and learning the teritory. What sold me was I was making $1300 per 2 weeks down the street at CSX with high medical and dues, to $2700 per 2 weeks with lower/better medical and union dues at CN/IC!!! Sure ill be working more, but isnt that why most people apply for work to actually... work? I'm not sure how things run or what the poeple are like, but money makes the world go round hehe. After 10 years in the military, I can adapt to any work envirement.
Anyways, just wanted to share with you my short RR career. If things are not to your liking, do something about it.
