Here at CN Yardmaster is a unionized job. We are both yardmaster and conductor. So when I get called in the tower, I sometimes work as conductor with the people switching in the yard. So I know what they are going through. I always say thanks or good jobs to the yard crew at the end of the shift.
I used to work for CN and the yardmasters I dealt with were awesome. It was easy to form great relationships with the people in the tower as long as you were willing to learn the job and not be a total liability.
Hey, gotta ask you. I was considering working as train conductor for CN/CP or maybe Via rail when I finish my studies, is getting a job "easy"? I know they're posting everywhere that they need people, but sometime it feels like you still have a 1/15 000 chance of getting a reply.
@@alexisstarnino1517 At the moment getting in is pretty easy, it’s not what it used to be where you had to know someone to be even considered. As for CN or CP it pretty depends on your own preferences, the job is pretty much the same. For VIA rail they only hire trained locomotive engineers. They don’t have conductor anymore.
@@Alex229Qc Merci, do you think that will be the same in 2 years? Im finishing some DEP so Ill finish in late 2024 (Weird that it's so close). Personally if you had the choice would you go to CN or CP?
@@alexisstarnino1517 Depends where you live. If you’re located east of Toronto I would say CN. If I was you and that your plan is really to work as a conductor, I would apply today. If you start in 2 years you’re gonna be behind all the people hire during that time.
I’m applying to CP currently for a conductor position. I’ve always wanted to work for the railroad as long as Ive had memories. I tried once years ago and had 2 interviews but in the end was passed over for more qualified candidates. Now I’m ready to try again and I’m just hoping to get another chance. I need to make a change in my life. I’m tired of the same old same old and always trying to catch up instead of getting ahead. No wife or girlfriend. No kids. I figure if I’m gonna do it, now would be the time.
@@tannerheins3379 you got it brother! It took me 6 years and 6 interviews and I finally got it. If they turn you down go back and apply again asap. 👍🏼👍🏼 best of luck man. You’ll do just fine!
@ The sub I’m applying for seems to have a massive turnover rate. I check in at least twice a year in my particular area and there are Always conductor positions available. I’m hoping to use that to my advantage. Your videos help. Seriously.
@ love to hear that man, a lot of people go work for the railroad and realize it’s not for them which was one of the reasons I made the channel and the videos to help people understand the life. You have been after it that long and you’re here there is no doubt you know the life and prepared. They would be stupid not to hire you.
I had a 27 yr career in Telecoms on the UK Railway and the Underground network.I retired to Canada 7 yrs ago.You cant work that amount of time keeping trains running without it seeping into your blood.I was very lucky to see the end of the old school network like the wired lever signal boxes etc.Theres was not a more welcoming sight in winter as the lights of the old boxes,you get in side and the signalman always had the kettle on for tea and he ALWAYS had a cat :0]
Ive always loved the idea of working kn trains. My grandfather moved his family to the city I now live in, to work on the turntable. They laid him off 2 years later, and he died 1 year after that at 42. Since then, the rails are all gone, and I'm a carpenter, have been for 22 years. Own by own business at 39, yr 12. But sometimes, I wanna try something new
Mostly correct. Trains do stop in extreme heat and cold depending on track type, CWR or not. Also known to shut sections of roads down for windchill (-50). The rest is spot on. Once you make it beyond those first five years, it's officially a career.
I spent 10yrs @ NS as a CO, RCO, & YM and I left for an office job 😂. Needless to say I'm otw back to the rails, to work with the same guys I had previously slung steel with on the switching lead. I've missed the brotherhood and the smell of fuel oil since I left 🥂
Spot on with a lot of information. You have to have that special someone that will understand your odd schedules if not then most definitely it won’t work at all!!
Do some videos on other crafts. Non RR employees only think of engineers and contractors. I’m a signal maintainer and can’t count the nights I’ve been out at 2 3 or 4 a after a 8 hr shift (10hrs rest) tracking a TOL in thunderstorm /lightning storm to try to keep train delays down. I watch the weather and when there’s thunderstorms coming I go to bed early to get rest because I know I’m gonna get called.
If your significant other is needy or isn’t empathetic,the railroad is NOT the career you wanna dive into! If they’re not understanding that y’all may have to celebrate an anniversary on another day or that you won’t make every holiday dinner…..You better run far away from the railroad 😂
I been on the railroad with CP for almost 4 years. Not a conductor but I work out of town 7+ days at a time. Most grateful for my supportive fiancé and family.
THIS. When I started another guy and I worked out local divorce rate not including 2-3 times over guys at 75%. It's really a young single mans game IMO.
I worked on the rails at CP for 3 years. I agree it’s in your blood. But holy heck was that the worst three years of my life. CP is by far the worst company I’ve ever had to work for! everyone was miserable and there wasn’t that much camaraderie. I count my blessings weekly that I had a back up and I was able to get out. I’ve been gone now for almost 6 years. It is definitely no way to live your life. I hope that company burns to the ground.
Years in Oakville Ont at the Ford plant A CP crew had finished their work and there was nothing else to do The CN Yardmaster allowed them to go home A CP Trainmaster showed up and had the crew report back to sit the rest of their shift sitting in the crew room
CP's life in the day video was better than the others I've seen, more realistic in the details too. Not all their vests, gloves, etc were brand new and sparkly clean.
this job is different in that from day one in new hire class, they don't draw you in by talking about the positives... they make every attempt to drive you off by talking about all the NEGATIVES... dealing with the positives is easy... but can you stomach the NEGATIVES of the job... if you can then welcome aboard
@@25mfd I was a kid out of High School when Penn Central hired me in the track dept. Yes, I do remember the 'Old Heads' STILL BITCHING' about whether the paychecks would 'Bounce' but I didn't think much about it. I was just a kid and happy to have a job. Working on the tracks we often drove spikes into the ties but I wasn't any good at it. It was only by 'Accident' that I actually hit the spike on the head. The former 'Pennsylvania Railroad' Old Heads' hated the former 'New York Central' Old Heads on a daily bases. Thievery was rampant. There were guys in my 'Track Gang' that only showed up on 'Payday' and of course the gang timekeeper 'Got His Cut' of the money. Got to work early one morning and our Track Supervisior told me to get our gang's bus and take it over to the fuel pumps 'AND PARK ON THE EAST SIDE'. I told him that I had driven the bus the day before and it didn't need gas. He ABRUPTLY REPLIED "JUST GET THE FCKING BUS OVER THERE RIGH NOW!" Didn't argue, took the bus to the fuel pumps, and parked on the east side. Moments later the 'Track Supervisor' pulls up on the other side of the fuel pumps in his wifes personal car and shielded view from the main office and fills her car up with gas. ALCOHOL WAS STANDARD OPERATING PROCEEDURE EVERY DAY!. I didn't drink. I was only 19 and had no interest. But, one day we were out somewhere(?) on the mail track(I'm native to Huntington Beach, Calif)'Tamping Ties' at an interlocking and unexpectantly the Section Foreman YELLS at ME "HAVE YOU BEEN DRINKING?" I thought "Oh no, he thinks I've been drinking and now my railroad career IS OVER !" I replied "NO SIR!" Then he said "GOOD".....then walk down the main to where those other guys are working and if a train shows up make sure they get out of the way because they're 'ALL STINKING DRUNK' !" One day I was told to go with this other trackman and get a dumptruck load of pavement to fill pot holes at street crossings. Well, we got a load of asphalt, went to a couple of crossings, and then drove to the suburbs. This guy I'm working with backs the dump truck up a dirt road that lead to an old wooden house and then starts dumping the load of asphalt. He asked me to spread it around with a shovel and then he compacted it driving the dump truck across it several times(It was his house!). From there we went to the Ice Cream Store and he bought me ice cream and then we slept until it was time to take the truck back and go home. Changing subjects......it was reall easy to see why Penn Central was BANKRUPT and then 'Absorbed' by the US Gov as a part of the ConRail group of other failing railroads. Ref your comment "....early years ROUGH..." to me there really wasn't anything rough except for working outside, in the snow, at night, lighting the switch heaters on the hump in a snow storm. The only other things that were rough were some of my fellow 'Trackmen'. Seems like one day one of them gets sent to State Prison and then the next day another former trackman get released from State Prison. Didn't have any problems with them and actually felt more secure having them around since we worked outdoors in deserted areas or slum housing next to the main track. That's it for now. Wes †
@@wes5150. really COOL COMMENT... and wow the guys boozing it up even into the mid to late 70s STILL???... i hired on in 93 and only "heard" stories about the guys were shit-faced all the time... we had a really dive bar called the cardinal club next to the yard... old guys told me the crew callers would call the guys to work right out of the bar, straight off the bar stool guy is 3-sheets -to- the- wind drunk and there he goes back on duty
When you get the call, what information do they tell you? “Show up at 7 and you’ll be taking a train to Memphis then sleeping then working a train headed back home “ Are you ever gone for three or four days at a time or more?
@@Railroad_TalkNOutdoors And you can expect to either work the yard that day, or ride a train to someplace within 10 hours, get off sleep, and then come back or maybe go somewhere else?
So I used to play highschool football u know the big linemen type. 2 years later I'm just your average guy working a 9 to 5 job. I got real interested on working on the railroad at NS but I stop going to the gym. so my question is how physically fit do I have to be.
We have a full gym in our terminal here at CN, We get our workouts before and after work, Good times working out together and going out after to save the railroad.
@@lucky_4852 When hired on you do a physical examination, It’s nothing major if you can bend over and squat you will be the perfect candidate, When hired on you will be expected to bend over a lot for management if you catch my drift 😂
Once you get enough seniority to hold a local. Then you will have a schedule. But you better believe it will be the worst local on the worst shift with the worst days off lol.
@@Railroad_TalkNOutdoors sounds tough. I wish I could be a conductor because I love trains and want to move them, but I can't imagine the stress and difficulty of the job
Well I haven't received my official start date with NS and CSX just asked today. I was looking to see which one was a better culture, better morale etc.
CSX has a better culture, but it's not by much at all. All class 1's pretty much operate the same way. It really comes down to your management in the area you hire out.
i used to work METRA back in the 90s off and on... i worked for the chicago and northwestern and had to cover any openings there when i worked the road board... i didn't like it, it's not like freight railroading... but if you do hire on, go to engine service as FAST as you can... my sister is an engineer there and she makes well over 110K/year
@@SkepticalGames14 also as far as being a METRA trainman goes... you'll just punch tickets and collect fares as i'm sure you already know that lol... one thing though, be careful to make an effort to collect ALL FARES... METRA puts spotters on the trains to see if all the fares are being collected... not uncommon for the guy collectors to see a cute little thang and wanna give her a free pass on the fare. frickn spotter sees that and your busted... also the other passengers will turn you in at the drop of a hat so be careful... also you have to hit the platform at most every stop meaning you have to get off the train and onto the platform where applicable to observe passengers getting on and off the train...METRA really cracked down on that after the rachel barton incident
I don't doubt anything this fellow says. And I also struggle every day with wanting to return. But I DO raise an eyebrow at why anyone would willingly help those absolute pricks at CP make a video portraying the company as just peachy...really hunky-dory. CP seeks legitimate sadists for their new-school managerial approach. (We had one good trainmaster for a year or so and then he said "Screw this," and returned to his home terminal and marked up.) That said, CP also does a shit job training new conductors. For example, in our class they gave us some elementary videos about the Westinghouse Air Brake system. But that's it. Little in the way of testing if I recall correctly. A couple coworkers who had come from UP described how UP had classes with actual triple valves, brake cylinders and such, cut in half so everybody could REALLY see and understand what's happening inside that system, how quality of the seals matter, how the retainer valves work, etc. Perhaps I missed a video, but I'm curious about the differences in how each major carrier teaches its new hires. We had eight weeks of OJT training, and it wasn't nearly enough to make someone a qualified brakeman - let alone a conductor. But as all conductors know, more is learned in your first year "trained" than OJT ever could. Okay, but CP kept hiring wave after wave of classes, saturated the boards, and then suddenly traffic dropped off and we didn't learn shit because we weren't working. I remember in my first winter I didn't work for nearly three weeks! With a 90-day probation period, CP failed to wash out a LOT of bad eggs...one of whom very nearly killed myself, herself, and two other trainmen at 40mph. And if I recall correctly, the class above me in seniority was sent to engineer school after only a year or so, which meant that despite being some great engineers among them, many would admit they never learned how to really switch and the other nuts-and-bolts of working on foot. I also vividly remember one time in the classroom when I trained, the instructor wasn't reaching everyone about the differences between TWC, ABS, and CTC. There was too much confusion. During a smoke break outside, all the guys were like, "So do you understand this...and that...or why that other thing...?" "Not really...I think he means...um..." Right then and there, I explained it completely differently. "Guys, TWC is just two sticks of steel over crossties and all you have are visual markers identifying official points. On ABS, something changes: There's an electrical charge pumped into the rails. You can't feel it, can't hear it, but it's there. One's charged positive and one's charged negative. When steel connects the two, it shorts out. So at every signal, there's an insulated joint that creates electrical "blocks," and any equipment occupying that block will be full steel and it will short out that block. The nearby signals react and govern the block being occupied accordingly." When I said this, all the lightbulbs went on (no pun intended) and the class did much better." This isn't to say that I'm smarter or anything (I'm not), but CP's approach to teaching this stuff was too technical and impractical. We're just regular guys who hunt, fish, weld, build houses, work on cars, etc. CP needs to make the textbook side much more practical. I sure hope CP's gotten better, but I doubt it. Nothing was surprising about that chick up in Alberta (I think) who had the lawsuit and cited poor CP training.
Daniel what you just explained about school at CP is what I have based my channel around.. “keep it simple stupid” common phrased used by a fishermen down here and it works. Once you start getting complicated the attention span shortens rapidly lol. As for training for me to compare to yours, I was in class 3 weeks, OJT was 8 weeks but I was rushed due to the board being so short handed. I agree with you, 8 weeks for not enough, i was lost but I did learn a lot real quick
This guy drank too much the CPR Koolaid. There are many great paying jobs out there, especially in the Oil industry that pays over, 120k and having weekends off and every 2nd Friday off and overtime is paid double, not like in CP that only pays time&half, and that they furnish boots twice a year not like CP which gives 250$ and work clothing ain’t included. But hey it could be fun, but don’t count having time with family. If you only care about money, and working the rail and fixing locomotives than this is your hobby, CPR is for you. Oh another thing, CPR worst Human Resources, basically it should be called unhuman resources, plus staff have no clue in what they are doing!
I came from the DM&E.* They had some fairly reasonable managers who weren't out to fuck everyone and anyone. To the extent that railroad management actually can, they were fairly reasonable in fostering good trainmen. For the first few years I was there, we had a really great trainmaster named Lee - I'll leave his last name out. He was management, to be sure, and that's fair. But he wasn't out to fuck everyone out of their mortgage over some arbitrary nit-picky bullshit. He's a real old-timer, a solid guy. We could all shoot the shit together and there wasn't that typical "I need to prove my dick is bigger than yours" attitude from him like from other railroad managers. On the flipside, there's a certain CP superintendent that came from the DM&E...let's call him...O, I dunno..."TJ." He holds an opinion among CP trainmen that would get anyone fired and/or arrested if accurate sentiments were revealed. But technically he came from the IC&E in Mason City if I recall correctly. Anyway, total Nazi. Like...weird. Probably has Third Reich memorabilia on display in his basement. Anyway, the DM&E wasn't necessarily as great as I'd like to remember. *(CP bought DM&E in 2008 and I hired out in 2011. But I assure you all, the DM&E didn't REALLY become CP until...eh...around 2014? Maybe 2015? I'm so fortunate to have learned how to work an old-school railroad. SD40's reigned supreme, much of it ex-MILW. And I'm sure glad I got to run'em. Calling them "the engineer's locomotive" is true. The DM&E was - and hopefully still is - one of our last vestiges of 'the old world.' My father hired out on 'The Omaha' (CStPM&O) in 1980 and remembered the DM&E line back when it was still actual CNW and he'd set out and pick up in Waseca on the Northwestern's former M&StL main. In fact, one of my earliest memories as a toddler was visiting my mother's grandmother in Sleepy Eye, Minn, and my father walking me down to the street's end (5th Ave NE) on a gloomy overcast winter's day to the tracks...probably around 1988? 1989?...to a long line of gray cylindrical CNW hoppers and my old man saying something along the lines of, "Huh...so this is the DM&E" (or something like that). Totally different seniority and operating district, but certainly a huge factor for his work in Mankato that he otherwise never would have seen. Sleepy Eye was always one of my favorite towns to pass through. Quintessentially southwestern Minnesota, real American heartland. So anyway, when I hired out, my father told me it'd be like stepping back in time on the DM&E. He was right...and I'm so glad I did.
@Daniel Qualy yeah there is this Super there now let's call him DS he did all the same shit as us back in the day broke all the rules that people typically break well if it is the same TJ I'm thinking of he's now the GM and DS really loves polishing his thing to keep his job... I really wish I was there still
All carriers are the worst companies on the planet to work for. No family life. Attendance policy is insane. Constantly cutting jobs to increase profits.
The entire time there was someone in a white pick up truck watching every move looking to give a fail
My sons first night in yard training is tonight in Edmonton. He is 34 and really looking forward to it.
Hope he does well.
I bet he did the 'soup kitchen' job ;)
Here at CN Yardmaster is a unionized job. We are both yardmaster and conductor. So when I get called in the tower, I sometimes work as conductor with the people switching in the yard. So I know what they are going through. I always say thanks or good jobs to the yard crew at the end of the shift.
I used to work for CN and the yardmasters I dealt with were awesome. It was easy to form great relationships with the people in the tower as long as you were willing to learn the job and not be a total liability.
Hey, gotta ask you. I was considering working as train conductor for CN/CP or maybe Via rail when I finish my studies, is getting a job "easy"? I know they're posting everywhere that they need people, but sometime it feels like you still have a 1/15 000 chance of getting a reply.
@@alexisstarnino1517 At the moment getting in is pretty easy, it’s not what it used to be where you had to know someone to be even considered. As for CN or CP it pretty depends on your own preferences, the job is pretty much the same. For VIA rail they only hire trained locomotive engineers. They don’t have conductor anymore.
@@Alex229Qc Merci, do you think that will be the same in 2 years? Im finishing some DEP so Ill finish in late 2024 (Weird that it's so close). Personally if you had the choice would you go to CN or CP?
@@alexisstarnino1517 Depends where you live. If you’re located east of Toronto I would say CN. If I was you and that your plan is really to work as a conductor, I would apply today. If you start in 2 years you’re gonna be behind all the people hire during that time.
I met a cp guy once who got his furlough notice after 13 days out of training class. Can’t forget about that reality too.
BNSF is known for this as well down here in Birmingham
@@Railroad_TalkNOutdoors wouldn’t surprise me at all. All my friends and family that work there call it FNBS
I call it that as well
I’m applying to CP currently for a conductor position. I’ve always wanted to work for the railroad as long as Ive had memories. I tried once years ago and had 2 interviews but in the end was passed over for more qualified candidates. Now I’m ready to try again and I’m just hoping to get another chance. I need to make a change in my life. I’m tired of the same old same old and always trying to catch up instead of getting ahead. No wife or girlfriend. No kids. I figure if I’m gonna do it, now would be the time.
@@tannerheins3379 you got it brother! It took me 6 years and 6 interviews and I finally got it. If they turn you down go back and apply again asap. 👍🏼👍🏼 best of luck man. You’ll do just fine!
@ The sub I’m applying for seems to have a massive turnover rate. I check in at least twice a year in my particular area and there are Always conductor positions available. I’m hoping to use that to my advantage. Your videos help. Seriously.
@ love to hear that man, a lot of people go work for the railroad and realize it’s not for them which was one of the reasons I made the channel and the videos to help people understand the life. You have been after it that long and you’re here there is no doubt you know the life and prepared. They would be stupid not to hire you.
@ I hope they see it the same way. In a couple of months I should have my answer. I think 2025 is gonna be the year for new beginnings.
Retired December 2021 started March 1980 loved working for CP
Nice to see young people involved.
I had a 27 yr career in Telecoms on the UK Railway and the Underground network.I retired to Canada 7 yrs ago.You cant work that amount of time keeping trains running without it seeping into your blood.I was very lucky to see the end of the old school network like the wired lever signal boxes etc.Theres was not a more welcoming sight in winter as the lights of the old boxes,you get in side and the signalman always had the kettle on for tea and he ALWAYS had a cat :0]
Ive always loved the idea of working kn trains. My grandfather moved his family to the city I now live in, to work on the turntable. They laid him off 2 years later, and he died 1 year after that at 42. Since then, the rails are all gone, and I'm a carpenter, have been for 22 years. Own by own business at 39, yr 12. But sometimes, I wanna try something new
Mostly correct. Trains do stop in extreme heat and cold depending on track type, CWR or not. Also known to shut sections of roads down for windchill (-50). The rest is spot on. Once you make it beyond those first five years, it's officially a career.
Once a railroader always a railroader.
I spent 10yrs @ NS as a CO, RCO, & YM and I left for an office job 😂. Needless to say I'm otw back to the rails, to work with the same guys I had previously slung steel with on the switching lead. I've missed the brotherhood and the smell of fuel oil since I left 🥂
Spot on with a lot of information. You have to have that special someone that will understand your odd schedules if not then most definitely it won’t work at all!!
as someone who railfans the CP in the Midwest I can confirm if the weather does get to bad or the Mississippi river gets to high they do stop trains
CP owns lots of track in Upstate NY.
Never forget my first day on track. That rail dust is definitely in my blood.
Do you have any videos of radio calls? Example the steps to coupling a locomotive to a rail car? The step before coupling over the radio? Thanks!
I’ve gotten a “good job” once, and that’s my crowning achievement for my career 😂 never heard that again since
They never tell me good job, I just get another switch list and pushed back out the door ha
Funny, CP is advertising job training for conductors down here in Bangor Maine.
They can hire 300 but after 6 months you'll have like 10 or 15 sticking around.
Do some videos on other crafts. Non RR employees only think of engineers and contractors. I’m a signal maintainer and can’t count the nights I’ve been out at 2 3 or 4 a after a 8 hr shift (10hrs rest) tracking a TOL in thunderstorm /lightning storm to try to keep train delays down. I watch the weather and when there’s thunderstorms coming I go to bed early to get rest because I know I’m gonna get called.
I have seen lighting hit the rail
Cool as hell
I have also 🤣. That’s why I won’t touch it lol. I don’t play with lightening.
Absolutely SHOCKING !
Great video, just got hired on CP, start training next Monday
If your significant other is needy or isn’t empathetic,the railroad is NOT the career you wanna dive into! If they’re not understanding that y’all may have to celebrate an anniversary on another day or that you won’t make every holiday dinner…..You better run far away from the railroad 😂
I been on the railroad with CP for almost 4 years. Not a conductor but I work out of town 7+ days at a time. Most grateful for my supportive fiancé and family.
THIS. When I started another guy and I worked out local divorce rate not including 2-3 times over guys at 75%. It's really a young single mans game IMO.
You should give some commuter rail lines a try, it’s more manageable in terms of schedules
I worked on the rails at CP for 3 years. I agree it’s in your blood. But holy heck was that the worst three years of my life. CP is by far the worst company I’ve ever had to work for! everyone was miserable and there wasn’t that much camaraderie.
I count my blessings weekly that I had a back up and I was able to get out. I’ve been gone now for almost 6 years. It is definitely no way to live your life.
I hope that company burns to the ground.
Years in Oakville Ont at the Ford plant A CP crew had finished their work and there was nothing else to do The CN Yardmaster allowed them to go home A CP Trainmaster showed up and had the crew report back to sit the rest of their shift sitting in the crew room
Just retired from the railroad, 1998-2022. Put up with alot of crap my last year there but proud to call myself a railroader .
I'm an old head and touching the rail while working hoses is a big no for me!! If you get dirty while working you are doing it wrong!!
CP's life in the day video was better than the others I've seen, more realistic in the details too. Not all their vests, gloves, etc were brand new and sparkly clean.
this job is different in that from day one in new hire class, they don't draw you in by talking about the positives... they make every attempt to drive you off by talking about all the NEGATIVES... dealing with the positives is easy... but can you stomach the NEGATIVES of the job... if you can then welcome aboard
That’s how it was for me Claud, they threw all the bad news at your first and I remember guys just getting up and walking out lol.
@@Railroad_TalkNOutdoors yep not uncommon for a few guys to walk off... which is actually a good thing as it's not for everyone
Can you describe what the the day to day is like for the mechanical labor position (Fireman&Oilers)? I just did the video interview for that position.
1978-2016 was my career at the railroad.
Man, you saw a lot change during your career Lars. That’s amazing. Hope you’re enjoying your retirement
What a coincidence. BNSF 1977 to 2015 although I did work several months for the Penn Central in Toledo in 1975.
@@wes5150. how was it working for penn central... i heard those early conrail years were ROUGH... i heard guys weren't getting paid, checks screwed up
@@25mfd I was a kid out of High School when Penn Central hired me in the track dept. Yes, I do remember the 'Old Heads' STILL BITCHING' about whether the paychecks would 'Bounce' but I didn't think much about it. I was just a kid and happy to have a job. Working on the tracks we often drove spikes into the ties but I wasn't any good at it.
It was only by 'Accident' that I actually hit the spike on the head. The former 'Pennsylvania Railroad' Old Heads' hated the former 'New York Central' Old Heads on a daily bases. Thievery was rampant. There were guys in my 'Track Gang' that only showed up on 'Payday' and of course the gang timekeeper 'Got His Cut' of the money. Got to work early one morning and our Track Supervisior told me to get our gang's bus and take it over to the fuel pumps 'AND PARK ON THE EAST SIDE'. I told him that I had driven the bus the day before and it didn't need gas. He ABRUPTLY REPLIED "JUST GET THE FCKING BUS OVER THERE RIGH NOW!" Didn't argue, took the bus to the fuel pumps, and parked on the east side. Moments later the 'Track Supervisor' pulls up on the other side of the fuel pumps in his wifes personal car and shielded view from the main office and fills her car up with gas. ALCOHOL WAS STANDARD OPERATING PROCEEDURE EVERY DAY!. I didn't drink. I was only 19 and had no interest. But, one day we were out somewhere(?) on the mail track(I'm native to Huntington Beach, Calif)'Tamping Ties' at an interlocking and unexpectantly the Section Foreman YELLS at ME "HAVE YOU BEEN DRINKING?" I thought "Oh no, he thinks I've been drinking and now my railroad career IS OVER !" I replied "NO SIR!" Then he said "GOOD".....then walk down the main to where those other guys are working and if a train shows up make sure they get out of the way because they're 'ALL STINKING DRUNK' !" One day I was told to go with this other trackman and get a dumptruck load of pavement to fill pot holes at street crossings. Well, we got a load of asphalt, went to a couple of crossings, and then drove to the suburbs. This guy I'm working with backs the dump truck up a dirt road that lead to an old wooden house and then starts dumping the load of asphalt. He asked me to spread it around with a shovel and then he compacted it driving the dump truck across it several times(It was his house!). From there we went to the Ice Cream Store and he bought me ice cream and then we slept until it was time to take the truck back and go home. Changing subjects......it was reall easy to see why Penn Central was BANKRUPT and then 'Absorbed' by the US Gov as a part of the ConRail group of other failing railroads. Ref your comment "....early years ROUGH..." to me there really wasn't anything rough except for working outside, in the snow, at night, lighting the switch heaters on the hump in a snow storm. The only other things that were rough were some of my fellow 'Trackmen'. Seems like one day one of them gets sent to State Prison and then the next day another former trackman get released from State Prison. Didn't have any problems with them and actually felt more secure having them around since we worked outdoors in deserted areas or slum housing next to the main track. That's it for now.
Wes †
@@wes5150. really COOL COMMENT... and wow the guys boozing it up even into the mid to late 70s STILL???... i hired on in 93 and only "heard" stories about the guys were shit-faced all the time... we had a really dive bar called the cardinal club next to the yard... old guys told me the crew callers would call the guys to work right out of the bar, straight off the bar stool guy is 3-sheets -to- the- wind drunk and there he goes back on duty
you can do the things you love when you get to retire early at 55 lol outside off that
When you get the call, what information do they tell you? “Show up at 7 and you’ll be taking a train to Memphis then sleeping then working a train headed back home “ Are you ever gone for three or four days at a time or more?
Either automated or crew call, they’ll call and tell you the train number, engineer name, and time to report to work.
@@Railroad_TalkNOutdoors And you can expect to either work the yard that day, or ride a train to someplace within 10 hours, get off sleep, and then come back or maybe go somewhere else?
@@jamessicard6682 you could do anything on the extraboard lol. You can work 12 hours before you’re required by law to stop
So I used to play highschool football u know the big linemen type. 2 years later I'm just your average guy working a 9 to 5 job. I got real interested on working on the railroad at NS but I stop going to the gym. so my question is how physically fit do I have to be.
We have a full gym in our terminal here at CN, We get our workouts before and after work, Good times working out together and going out after to save the railroad.
It’s not super physical. You’ll be able to handle it just fine. We’ve got guys that are out of shape doing this job
@@tbb236 yeah I was just wondering if there was some physical testing that I'll would have to pass 😅 thanks
@@lucky_4852 When hired on you do a physical examination, It’s nothing major if you can bend over and squat you will be the perfect candidate, When hired on you will be expected to bend over a lot for management if you catch my drift 😂
Are you ever not on call as a conductor? Is there seriously no days where you get to just be home and relax?
Once you get enough seniority to hold a local. Then you will have a schedule. But you better believe it will be the worst local on the worst shift with the worst days off lol.
@@Railroad_TalkNOutdoors sounds tough. I wish I could be a conductor because I love trains and want to move them, but I can't imagine the stress and difficulty of the job
I got hired on at NS but was just asked to interview for CSX? Which is the better choice?
Whichever one has the better quality of life
Well I haven't received my official start date with NS and CSX just asked today. I was looking to see which one was a better culture, better morale etc.
CSX has a better culture, but it's not by much at all. All class 1's pretty much operate the same way. It really comes down to your management in the area you hire out.
@@Chosen2banonymous not sure which one is better, You hit d nail on d head when it comes to management
@@Chosen2banonymous a
Can I become locomotive engineer after conductor as promotion
Seems cool
I do plan to apply for Metra in the future any tips?
i used to work METRA back in the 90s off and on... i worked for the chicago and northwestern and had to cover any openings there when i worked the road board... i didn't like it, it's not like freight railroading... but if you do hire on, go to engine service as FAST as you can... my sister is an engineer there and she makes well over 110K/year
@@25mfd alrighty thanks man
@@SkepticalGames14 also as far as being a METRA trainman goes... you'll just punch tickets and collect fares as i'm sure you already know that lol... one thing though, be careful to make an effort to collect ALL FARES... METRA puts spotters on the trains to see if all the fares are being collected... not uncommon for the guy collectors to see a cute little thang and wanna give her a free pass on the fare. frickn spotter sees that and your busted... also the other passengers will turn you in at the drop of a hat so be careful... also you have to hit the platform at most every stop meaning you have to get off the train and onto the platform where applicable to observe passengers getting on and off the train...METRA really cracked down on that after the rachel barton incident
@@25mfd alrighty
@@25mfd what happened to Rachel barton?
Please can someone tell me NS hires Canadian passport holders
I don't doubt anything this fellow says. And I also struggle every day with wanting to return. But I DO raise an eyebrow at why anyone would willingly help those absolute pricks at CP make a video portraying the company as just peachy...really hunky-dory. CP seeks legitimate sadists for their new-school managerial approach. (We had one good trainmaster for a year or so and then he said "Screw this," and returned to his home terminal and marked up.)
That said, CP also does a shit job training new conductors. For example, in our class they gave us some elementary videos about the Westinghouse Air Brake system. But that's it. Little in the way of testing if I recall correctly. A couple coworkers who had come from UP described how UP had classes with actual triple valves, brake cylinders and such, cut in half so everybody could REALLY see and understand what's happening inside that system, how quality of the seals matter, how the retainer valves work, etc.
Perhaps I missed a video, but I'm curious about the differences in how each major carrier teaches its new hires.
We had eight weeks of OJT training, and it wasn't nearly enough to make someone a qualified brakeman - let alone a conductor. But as all conductors know, more is learned in your first year "trained" than OJT ever could. Okay, but CP kept hiring wave after wave of classes, saturated the boards, and then suddenly traffic dropped off and we didn't learn shit because we weren't working. I remember in my first winter I didn't work for nearly three weeks! With a 90-day probation period, CP failed to wash out a LOT of bad eggs...one of whom very nearly killed myself, herself, and two other trainmen at 40mph. And if I recall correctly, the class above me in seniority was sent to engineer school after only a year or so, which meant that despite being some great engineers among them, many would admit they never learned how to really switch and the other nuts-and-bolts of working on foot.
I also vividly remember one time in the classroom when I trained, the instructor wasn't reaching everyone about the differences between TWC, ABS, and CTC. There was too much confusion. During a smoke break outside, all the guys were like, "So do you understand this...and that...or why that other thing...?" "Not really...I think he means...um..." Right then and there, I explained it completely differently. "Guys, TWC is just two sticks of steel over crossties and all you have are visual markers identifying official points. On ABS, something changes: There's an electrical charge pumped into the rails. You can't feel it, can't hear it, but it's there. One's charged positive and one's charged negative. When steel connects the two, it shorts out. So at every signal, there's an insulated joint that creates electrical "blocks," and any equipment occupying that block will be full steel and it will short out that block. The nearby signals react and govern the block being occupied accordingly." When I said this, all the lightbulbs went on (no pun intended) and the class did much better." This isn't to say that I'm smarter or anything (I'm not), but CP's approach to teaching this stuff was too technical and impractical. We're just regular guys who hunt, fish, weld, build houses, work on cars, etc. CP needs to make the textbook side much more practical.
I sure hope CP's gotten better, but I doubt it. Nothing was surprising about that chick up in Alberta (I think) who had the lawsuit and cited poor CP training.
Daniel what you just explained about school at CP is what I have based my channel around.. “keep it simple stupid” common phrased used by a fishermen down here and it works. Once you start getting complicated the attention span shortens rapidly lol.
As for training for me to compare to yours, I was in class 3 weeks, OJT was 8 weeks but I was rushed due to the board being so short handed. I agree with you, 8 weeks for not enough, i was lost but I did learn a lot real quick
MOW for 6 years
"good job"?????... "great work"?????????... do they even say those things to TE&Y employees???????????????
This guy drank too much the CPR Koolaid. There are many great paying jobs out there, especially in the Oil industry that pays over, 120k and having weekends off and every 2nd Friday off and overtime is paid double, not like in CP that only pays time&half, and that they furnish boots twice a year not like CP which gives 250$ and work clothing ain’t included. But hey it could be fun, but don’t count having time with family. If you only care about money, and working the rail and fixing locomotives than this is your hobby, CPR is for you. Oh another thing, CPR worst Human Resources, basically it should be called unhuman resources, plus staff have no clue in what they are doing!
CP trainmaster don't really say good job only very certain ones do DM&E Assistant Superintendent will but not the actual superintendent.
I came from the DM&E.* They had some fairly reasonable managers who weren't out to fuck everyone and anyone. To the extent that railroad management actually can, they were fairly reasonable in fostering good trainmen. For the first few years I was there, we had a really great trainmaster named Lee - I'll leave his last name out. He was management, to be sure, and that's fair. But he wasn't out to fuck everyone out of their mortgage over some arbitrary nit-picky bullshit. He's a real old-timer, a solid guy. We could all shoot the shit together and there wasn't that typical "I need to prove my dick is bigger than yours" attitude from him like from other railroad managers.
On the flipside, there's a certain CP superintendent that came from the DM&E...let's call him...O, I dunno..."TJ." He holds an opinion among CP trainmen that would get anyone fired and/or arrested if accurate sentiments were revealed. But technically he came from the IC&E in Mason City if I recall correctly. Anyway, total Nazi. Like...weird. Probably has Third Reich memorabilia on display in his basement. Anyway, the DM&E wasn't necessarily as great as I'd like to remember.
*(CP bought DM&E in 2008 and I hired out in 2011. But I assure you all, the DM&E didn't REALLY become CP until...eh...around 2014? Maybe 2015? I'm so fortunate to have learned how to work an old-school railroad. SD40's reigned supreme, much of it ex-MILW. And I'm sure glad I got to run'em. Calling them "the engineer's locomotive" is true. The DM&E was - and hopefully still is - one of our last vestiges of 'the old world.' My father hired out on 'The Omaha' (CStPM&O) in 1980 and remembered the DM&E line back when it was still actual CNW and he'd set out and pick up in Waseca on the Northwestern's former M&StL main. In fact, one of my earliest memories as a toddler was visiting my mother's grandmother in Sleepy Eye, Minn, and my father walking me down to the street's end (5th Ave NE) on a gloomy overcast winter's day to the tracks...probably around 1988? 1989?...to a long line of gray cylindrical CNW hoppers and my old man saying something along the lines of, "Huh...so this is the DM&E" (or something like that). Totally different seniority and operating district, but certainly a huge factor for his work in Mankato that he otherwise never would have seen. Sleepy Eye was always one of my favorite towns to pass through. Quintessentially southwestern Minnesota, real American heartland.
So anyway, when I hired out, my father told me it'd be like stepping back in time on the DM&E. He was right...and I'm so glad I did.
@Daniel Qualy yeah there is this Super there now let's call him DS he did all the same shit as us back in the day broke all the rules that people typically break well if it is the same TJ I'm thinking of he's now the GM and DS really loves polishing his thing to keep his job... I really wish I was there still
@Daniel Qualy I'm assuming you worked put of DM&E North and Not DM&E south. Also RIP Redo And Osborn in out of DM&E South Sav terminal
All carriers are the worst companies on the planet to work for. No family life. Attendance policy is insane. Constantly cutting jobs to increase profits.