Do train crews go on same routes and how far do they travel

Will most train crew know the tracks they drive on right and left and go there several times. And how far away from there home base will they travel as well? Also how many places or directions do they go from home base? And how long are they usually gone for?

The crews usually qualify on the route they drive.

In my area, one of the routes is between Los Angeles and San Luis Obispo, a distance of about 220 miles. Another route is between Los Angeles and Bakersfield about 185 miles. The crews around here will travel on both lines. A third direction is Los Angeles to West Colton and the fourth is Los Angeles to Long Beach. A crew member can go to all four places.

Usually they go one direction one day and about 8 or 9 hours after they arrive at the destination they'll turn around and come back, then go where there next assignment takes them.

great question and answer, great to know

Well, the crews where I am running are running between 150 miles to 275 miles.

As far as knowledge of track...
The truth is conductors only have 2 'learning' or 'training' trips and pretty much the same for engineers excluding their qualifying runs and schools.

Average time away from home terminal (AFHT) is probably 14-16 hours with the limit being 10 hours due to FRA regulations for conductors now, and a max of 28 hours for me personally.

thanks again.. good to know.... I am holding on to hope that UP will get something close to me sometime.

2000_LS1 wrote:Well, the crews where I am running are running between 150 miles to 275 miles.

As far as knowledge of track...
The truth is conductors only have 2 'learning' or 'training' trips and pretty much the same for engineers excluding their qualifying runs and schools.

Average time away from home terminal (AFHT) is probably 14-16 hours with the limit being 10 hours due to FRA regulations for conductors now, and a max of 28 hours for me personally.

10 Hours at AFHT so what happens after 10 hours?

cifn2 wrote:

2000_LS1 wrote:Well, the crews where I am running are running between 150 miles to 275 miles.

As far as knowledge of track...
The truth is conductors only have 2 'learning' or 'training' trips and pretty much the same for engineers excluding their qualifying runs and schools.

Average time away from home terminal (AFHT) is probably 14-16 hours with the limit being 10 hours due to FRA regulations for conductors now, and a max of 28 hours for me personally.

10 Hours at AFHT so what happens after 10 hours?

Here its 16 hours and then you start getting "Held away" pay. You could still sit there forever or they might deadhead you back on the bus depending on what crews they need where.

Sandman,

The AFHT hotel in Poci, The Red Lion is the best in the hub by my standards! The plush bed, 4 pillows on each bed, nice shower and room puts the Oak Tree to shame! I enjoy my lay-overs and all the held-away in the world when I'm your town.

There are times when the conductors will get called out with different engineers than that of their own home terminal. For instance, one of the pools is from Ogden to Elko as well as from Salt Lake City to Elko. It does happen every now and then that an Ogden crew will go to Elko, and the conductor will get called back to home via Salt Lake City with a Salt Lake City Engineer. Same goes for Ogden to Green River. We also have a pool from Salt Lake City to Green River.

slchub wrote:Sandman,

The AFHT hotel in Poci, The Red Lion is the best in the hub by my standards! The plush bed, 4 pillows on each bed, nice shower and room puts the Oak Tree to shame! I enjoy my lay-overs and all the held-away in the world when I'm your town.

I bet! I live right near there. When you are going up Alameda right before going under the freeway, I live on the hill to your left, or above the Sizzler there.

That was also where my BIT and CIT classes were. Had about a mile commute to class. It was great.