Realistic salary expectations?

Is it realistic to think I will be making 100,000/year one day working with the railroad as a conductor/engineer? I am going through the pre-hire process now with UP.

Eventually you will make that much and more, but not at first. You will be lucky if you get to work year round the first few years.

Realistically your first few years if the work is there and you can hold a spot some where you can make $40-60k a year maybe a little more. When your reach the full 100 percent pay scale you can possibly make $75-100k! But 100k is if you get the opportunity to work a LOT. Your seniority will effect how much you work.

It's not impossible to make $100,000+ once a person has seniority. Location matters high milage runs pay the best. Staying marked up never taking time off produces that kind of earnings. Like the others stated that won't happen for a few years. I worked runs that were 250+ miles averaging 6 trips (12 trains) every two weeks making $85,000+ (today $100,000+) but after decades the effects took it's toll spent most of the time on the road and lodging there wasn't much of a life other than railroading. Last 8 years on the road went to a 72 mile run (basic day rate is 130 miles) still made $65,000+ had some time at home. The last 2 years worked was on a pusher (helper job) 5 days a week made around $70,000+ with overtime. It's all about seniority and the ability to hold the right jobs.

Thanks for the replies. If all goes well, I will be working in Saint James, Minnesota with UP. Does anyone know the phone number to the union HQ. I have a few questions I would like to ask them.

Have you gotten officially hired yet? You have a lot of superficial questions (with all due respect) in terms of the job. I mean, you had to have an idea of what you would be making per year when you signed up, right? To be worried about this right now seems like "counting the eggs before they hatch". I myself am waiting for the final offer. I passed all the tests and am scheduled to start on the 20th Jan. but asking about wages and union stuff seems like you are thinking too much about the details, man (with all due respect, again!!!) I hope that all works out for you and that you make that tall money that you are asking about!

-dh

Making 100k or close to that figure is a lot easier to obtain on the passenger railroads. More partial to the commuter lines of the Northeast US or Amtrak. Remember most places have a 5 year wage progression to reach the top level of pay.

From what I've read from class railroaders prior posts, most unions have sacrificed or bargained their extra pay arbritrary towards a general wage increase( just a flat hourly wage). The railroads used to have to pay out a lot more penalty claims for doing work outside the scope of an engineers or conductors working agreement.

That's a fact most penalty claims have been eliminated the past decade. The new generation on some railroads hitched themselves to the railroad with yearly performance bonuses. Since it's inception most years haven't been bad. Last year was a different story seems they weren't to happy with the outcome. That's the risk of these contracts. Most oldheads would of preferred the higher pay rate increase seeing there permanent we were the minority. Like everything over time one must step down let the next generation take over.

Dannyh1977, I've never gotten so much respect in a single reply.

freightguy wrote:Making 100k or close to that figure is a lot easier to obtain on the passenger railroads.

That all depends what railroad you hire out with... BNSF and CN (former IC) are at the top of the pay scale. Folks on the pools who stay marked up are making $120-140K.... Conductors extra board guarantee is now $4500/half. That's $108K...

That all depends what railroad you hire out with... BNSF and CN (former IC) are at the top of the pay scale. Folks on the pools who stay marked up are making $120-140K.... Conductors extra board guarantee is now $4500/half. That's $108K...

News of that newer agreement traveled back east pretty quick I guess about 10 years or so on CN/IC. Sounds good especially the wage in most of that territory, IIRC correctly was it overtime after 10 hours. I was maybe thinking of trying for CN when I was a bit younger...

Sorry, I don't have the details on CN, since I work for BNSF. The wages listed above are for the former ATSF territory.

freightguy wrote:That all depends what railroad you hire out with... BNSF and CN (former IC) are at the top of the pay scale. Folks on the pools who stay marked up are making $120-140K.... Conductors extra board guarantee is now $4500/half. That's $108K...

News of that newer agreement traveled back east pretty quick I guess about 10 years or so on CN/IC. Sounds good especially the wage in most of that territory, IIRC correctly was it overtime after 10 hours. I was maybe thinking of trying for CN when I was a bit younger...

CN/IC did away with milage went to an hourly rate gaurenteed 10 hours overtime after 10. It did away with the separation of road & yard service. A crew can get off the road if time left can switch cars in the yard, work industries ect....It eliminated majority of penalty claims.