Union Pacific Regional Track Laborer

I'm a furloughed conductor and have been given the chance to transfer to be a regional track laborer and keep my conductor seniority until called back. However I live in MN and the job is in LA so I want to make sure I know what I'm getting into

The pay rate listed on the website is $22.70 an hour. Is this starting or after a certain time period? How much travel is there? Is there classroom training like I went through to be a conductor? How many hours do you work? Average yearly salary? What's the chances of being furloughed from this position as well? Is there still a lot going on in the south in winter?

I know it's a lot of questions. I'm waiting for a manager to get back to me but it's taking forever, and I want to hear from another source that's not trying to keep me off a furlough board.

I think it would be cool to see a different part of the RR and country, until I get called back to train service. However I have to be somewhat sure that the money will be worth it (maybe $60K a year?) and that I'm not going to be 1800 miles from home and be furloughed again.

Any help would be great! Thanks guys!

Any help??

I don't work for Union Pacific, but to answer your one question about training, I can guarantee you that you will have to go through some form of Roadway Worker Protection training, whatever flavor that may be at UP. That is something that is required by the FRA for all MOW employees. On my railroad, trackmen typically make the lowest hourly rate of all the engineering departments, but they get the most overtime, so they can make quite a bit more at the end of the year. Assuming the work is plentiful, you'll probably be able to work until your body hates you.