Short Line Job

I am currently considering taking a job with a shortline but the pay seems to be considerably less. Since i am trying to get going on this career at age 39 so i can get a decent retirement. Would it be benefical to take this job with hopes the experience could bring me more money per hour at a Class 1 at a future time or once Im at the regional am I stuck?

As we have mentioned on this board many times before, most of the Class I's prefer NOT to hire people with experience from other railroads because they want to train you their own way and feel it is often easier to take someone off the street with no experience as opposed to somebody from another railroad. This is done because sometimes people with experience from another road tend to keep doing things their previous employer had them doing, which is not always the way the new company does things.

There are of course some advantages to short lines, which usually mean less time away from home, many don't work weekends, and most of them do not work any holidays.

That seems strange considering when I went to a NS hiring session they told us that once we recieved our Engineers License we would be bombarded with offers from other railroads trying to lure us away?

Yes, once you have your license it is different. I thought you meant as a conductor.

Oh sorry, I guess nobody stays a conductor for very long do they?

CSX Conductor wrote:As we have mentioned on this board many times before, most of the Class I's prefer NOT to hire people with experience from other railroads because they want to train you their own way and feel it is often easier to take someone off the street with no experience as opposed to somebody from another railroad. This is done because sometimes people with experience from another road tend to keep doing things their previous employer had them doing, which is not always the way the new company does things.

There are of course some advantages to short lines, which usually mean less time away from home, many don't work weekends, and most of them do not work any holidays.

As "we" have mentioned? Do you have a turd in your pocket? Most of the class-1's DO prefer experienced individuals. I guarantee you that I have worked for more class-1's than you have, 5 to date, and your info is incorrect.

Sorry to get you all worked up Mr.Greenwood but I thought that the NS was that way....I know CSX has that state of mind because they feel that people with some experience can come across as know-it-alls. In my opinion they should hire people with experience first, then those with none.

CSX Conductor wrote:Sorry to get you all worked up Mr.Greenwood but I thought that the NS was that way....I know CSX has that state of mind because they feel that people with some experience can come across as know-it-alls. In my opinion they should hire people with experience first, then those with none.

All worked up? Not at all. Let's just post factual information and not what applies to ONE railroad. I can't tell you how many times I've seen people post that NO class-1's hire engineers off the street. WRONG! Most do not, SOME do though. I was hired off the street for the IC in 2000.
The fact that there's any number of railroad training schools with a waiting list of individuals willing to plunk-down $4,000.00+/- for training indicates the carriers prefer those with rudimental training. Railroading isn't rocket science, however, a certain amount of time/training is necessary to become even remotely competent.

BigMike wrote:Oh sorry, I guess nobody stays a conductor for very long do they?

BigMike,
There's a handful of carriers (IC, BNSF, A&S) that continues to pay what's known as productivity. This payment came about as a result of the elimination of flagmen, head brakemen, sometime in the 80's. These guys would never consider engine-service as this would cancel their productivity pay. This annual payment amounts to an additional $12-15,000.00/yr. We're not talking chump-change here.

The following roads have/will hire an experienced railroader:

AMTK
BNSF
CNIC
CSXT
CP/HHUS
FEC
KCS
NS
UP

All are "big" roads, and if you are in the right place, at the right time, you can get hired, as long as you haven't been fired, from some other job. (a "bad-attitude" seems to haunt some guys, forever) I am always amazed at guys who seem to believe they can't/won't be hired, due to having experience. Oh well, that leaves more work, for me...............

GOLDEN-ARM wrote:The following roads have/will hire an experienced railroader:

AMTK
BNSF
CNIC
CSXT
CP/HHUS
FEC
KCS
NS
UP

All are "big" roads, and if you are in the right place, at the right time, you can get hired, as long as you haven't been fired, from some other job. (a "bad-attitude" seems to haunt some guys, forever) I am always amazed at guys who seem to believe they can't/won't be hired, due to having experience. Oh well, that leaves more work, for me...............

Having worked for 5 of those listed G-A, I'll have to say: Yes sir, that's correct!

I have two of them, and with Conrail being gone, I couldn't include them, although they too hired experienced men, from other roads. On my way, to try for a third, with two of them being listed on my short-list for try-outs hiring engineers today............

Man if I could just get a break without trying to rob a store for the 4500 for Conductors school.....LOL

BigMike...pack your bags and head west. UP is hiring for their Roseville (CA) service unit and I think they are also looking for guys for North Platte, NE. Free training. Go check www.up.com for other places they are hiring.

I dont mind heading west but are my problems going to be the same there as far as difficulty getting hired?