Hold in Sheridan...?

[daddyo210]

Not sure if I am doing this right, and apologize ahead of time if I mess it up... This is daddyo's wife posting, he is at the conductor trainee position in Sheridan, and so far, so good I am wondering if anyone has a clue that might help me/us plan for the future once he completes training. I am understanding that it is not likely he will be able to hold in Sheridan...? I am in CA and he is renting a place short-term out there. We would like to be living together again in the not-so-distant future, but don't want to move out there just to have to move again. Moving is way too costly and painful to have to keep doing, especially with a small farm in tow! Anybody know if there is a chance of him coming back to CA, or if not, where there is likely to be steady work when he completes training? Thank you in advance

P.S. Don't tell him, but I miss him already!

[eaglestar]

Hello,

First off, this might get more answers in the "Employment" section.

I am currently in training at Sheridan as well (starting week 6, with a mark up date of 1/13/12)

I too have been looking at different locations in which to "chase" work, as we are reminded frequently that we may not be able to hold here upon promotion.

A quick look at the NH99 seniority roster (which we are on), shows no classes behind us in CA (yet, there are/were recently some job postings up). Here's the trick:

IF one is unable to "hold" (i.e. Not enough work) at their current terminal, or they get "bumped", they have cart blanche to bump anyone with less seniority than them in their seniority district (in his situation, system wide except North Lines.) For example:
Someone gets hired in Denver with a seniority date of 3/23, but they can't hold. Someone in Ft. Worth has a seniority date of 3/24. That person from Denver can bump the Ft. Worth person, who will bump someone with less seniority and so on.

THIS is the easiest way to get somewhere (albeit not the most pleasant). Otherwise, he will have to wait for a "bid" to open up for a CA terminal. You can't just "bump" someone because you feel like it. You HAVE to have been bumped out of your old terminal.

Should he decide to stay in this area, Gillette, WY, Alliance, NE, and Sterling, CO seems to always be hiring more people. Denver is always a choice too.

Best of luck

[daddyo210]

Thank you so much for the reply... the info is helpful. The process is so confusing and the future seems very uncertain, but I'm sure it will all iron out in the end. I'll take your suggestion and try posting in the employment section. Good luck to you as well out there!

[recklessendangerment]

I replied to this in the other forum as well, but when I saw the response over here I wanted to say something. Just to let you both know, IF you try and go work in Denver once you're out of training be prepared to not get paid for about 3 or 4 weeks of work. As of a month ago or so I know they were requiring people to do 22 days unpaid familiarization to get qualified for Denver.

[Komachi]

Well, let's see if we can get you a few more answers in the Employment Forum...

[COEN77]

I replied to this in the other forum as well, but when I saw the response over here I wanted to say something. Just to let you both know, IF you try and go work in Denver once you're out of training be prepared to not get paid for about 3 or 4 weeks of work. As of a month ago or so I know they were requiring people to do 22 days unpaid familiarization to get qualified for Denver.

That's not fair. On CSX a person can qualify on unfamiliar territory as a conductor qualifier (CQ) or engineer qualifier (EQ) getting a basic days pay time limit is determined by the TM. This can only happen if they've never been previously qualified on that territory. If a person was previously qualified then it would be without compensation. Under the FRA certification for locomotive engineers one must make at least one round trip a year to maintain qualifications. Not sure if the FRA certification for conductors will include this provision. With CSX these days they're trying to force the locomotive engineer to be the pilot for a unqualified conductor. That might work on the locomotive but it doesn't do anything once that conductor hits the ground.

[recklessendangerment]

On a move you make on your own (Bump or Bid) into a new terminal it is unpaid familiarization on BN Properties. I did 10 days worth to get qualified in Sheridan when I first wanted to go work back there. Worked 88 hours that half and All I got for pay was from the 2 days I had that weren't part of my familiarization runs, $70ish bucks after paying union dues and medical. It's rediculous.

[jz441]

That's not fair. On CSX a person can qualify on unfamiliar territory as a conductor qualifier (CQ) or engineer qualifier (EQ)......

There is more to this story... Former BN properties have always (per UTU agreement) had unpaid familiarization. The only exception was when a junior man gets force assigned to another terminal within the district... In this case, he would be entitled to paid familiarization.
On Santa Fe side, trainman are entitled to a brakeman's basic day for each day of qualifying.

Now, let me explain where the requirement for minimum number of trips came from... In the past, people would take only one trip in each direction, one day in the yard and say that they were "qualified" and ready to make the big $$$$. (I don't blame them... nobody want's to work for free). Railroad would let them mark up, and they were on their own. Some time down the line, someone would get in "trouble", and say that they didn't get enough familiarization... Carrier got tired of cleaning up derailments and costly service disruptions, and consequently enforced the minimal qualifying requirements.