Questions from someone trying to get into railroading

I am trying to get on at a few different railroads and I have a few questions I hope some of you can answer for me.

#1. This may sound stupid but does a locamotive have a restroom in it?

#2. I have read alot about the "on call board" are you really away from home that much?

#3. I have seen one pay scale on one of the railroad's web site talk about being paid a flat rate per day is this common?

#4. If there are railroads that pay per hour what is the average starting hourly wage?

#5. I have seen on several of the railroad's web site talk about being away from home for any where from days to weeks at a time, where do you sleep?

#6. I have seen on several of the railroad's web site talk about being away from home for any where from days to weeks at a time. How much time do you spend each day actually traveling on the railroad?

#7. I have seen on several of the railroad's web site talk about passing a physical. how rigid are the standards? I am a diabetic, on oral medications only, not insulin, is this a major hinderance?

#8. I have seen on several of the railroad's web site talk about passing a physical. how rigid are the standards? I also have sleep apnea which is treated by sleeping with a portable CPAP (Continuios Postive Air Pressure) machine, is this a major hinderance?

Welcome to the boards lets see what I can answer for you.
1 yes all locomotives have restrooms in them ( except for little switchers but you will never run one in the lead on a road train and if your in the yard theres no worries)However if you really want to use them is hte main question. Some can be nasty.
2.I guess that depends on the line and if the boards are turning and burning.Most of the time I am at home ( will get into this later) but when on the road boards I spent a day or two at home and one on the road. Now if your at peak season or your just short handed you can go every 8 hours! But usually when you get to the away from home terminal it takes a bit to get back ( longest in a hotel AFHT was 36 hours) but its not bad.
3 Yes on a lot of roads you get the 100 mile day. Its not bad really when you add in the claims you can put in ( my favorite is short arm pay for not having two brakemen) plus meals away initial terminal delay etc etc. so it all adds up quick
4 Local line here in my town ( I work about 30 miles from here) pays 14.00 an hour to start. Most do the basic day claim.
5.In a hotel the railroad provides for you. I like the ones I have been in so far, they have come a long way from YMCA's and rooming houses for men only! Hell I can even get room service adn after a while the hotel people get to know you and its kinda like home away from home. I have never spen weeks or even days away but that doesnt mean it cant or wont happen.
6 not much your on the train 12 hours max ( I know if the damn van cant find you then it may be longer) then in the hotel till your turn comes up .
7 Not sure you will have to ask about that to whichever railroad you interview with.same with question 8.

My job now is an extra board Hostler. Simply put I am a engineer in the yard responsible for moving power from the service tracks out to the trains. In simpler terms I sit ina shack waiting for power and trains drinking coffee and BSing ( which is what ALL railroaders do well) while sometimes getting to go out and move some power. Is it a high paying job? No. But its one of the best I have ever had on the railroad.
Good Luck in your quest.

ANytime!

If you are away from home for so long how do you prepare when leaving home:

#1. How much clothes do you pack?

#2. Where does you "lugage" get stored while traveling?

#3. Obviously you can't carry enough food to pack a sack lunch each day if you are away from home for weeks at a time, so where, how and when do you eat? (I cant imagine you stopping to go into McDonalds)

route_rock wrote: 1 yes all locomotives have restrooms in them ( except for little switchers but you will never run one in the lead on a road train and if your in the yard theres no worries)

Not exactly true, there are many railroads that try to save money by not having toilets, NS has many without toilets, the MBTA's Commuter Rail in Boston doesn't have them either.

route_rock wrote:2.I guess that depends on the line and if the boards are turning and burning.Most of the time I am at home ( will get into this later) but when on the road boards I spent a day or two at home and one on the road. Now if your at peak season or your just short handed you can go every 8 hours! But usually when you get to the away from home terminal it takes a bit to get back ( longest in a hotel AFHT was 36 hours) but its not bad.

Again this depends where you work, here when working on the main-line we get paid after 16 hours in the hotel at a straight hourly rate not to exceed 24 hours and then you can request to be dead-headed home if you reach 24 hours in the bag, but usually it never comes to that.