Western Railroad Discussion > How many T.O. members actually work for a railroad?

I always wondered how many of you guys were employed by railroads or any closely related industry like the manufacturing of engines, cars or signaling equipment. My guess just from all the great inside information around here and photos from deep inside rail yards and train cabs that a lot of you guys do.This may have been a topic before but I couldn't find it it it was.Thanks to everyone who replies.
I am a transportation broker and I do a lot of business with Pacers container division but that as close as I get to the industry, other than that I'm just a foamer.

Hello,

I am a conductor for the BNSF out of Winslow, AZ. I work a regular pool turn to Belen, NM. I know a lot of "rails" don't like to give out to much information, but if it is not security sensitive, it doesn't matter(I have confirmed this with management).

Winchester:

I have worked for the Southern Pacific & U.P. since 1977 as a Conductor, in the Southern California area. I have stayed fairly close to "home", and have worked from Los Angeles and Bakersfield to such places as Yuma, Az, San Luis Obispo, West Colton, Fresno and Searles, CA, and just about all the places in between as well as branch lines.

Take Care, Stay Safe, Have Fun!

Larry

Engineer on BNSF AFHT is Belen but that's all I'm going to say. :)

Originally started with the PRR in 1966. Over the years I've worked for the C&NW, CSX, NS, BNSF, A&S,IMRL, GWWR, and with the IC as an engineer since 2000. Away from the industry from 1974-80, and again from 1984-94. 59 years old, only 26-years paid into railroad retirement though. So it goes........

Started back in 1974.....first railroad was the Mccloud River. First 6 months as a brakeman then went into engine service. Made my first trip as an hoghead at 19. Left there in 1977 and went to the Oregon California & Eastern Ry. Spent a year there as an engineer. Went down the road a bit and hired on with the BN in Klamath Falls as a switchman. After a year went back into engine service. Then went over to Amtrak in Portland in 1987. 32 1/2 years service now and a lousy 8 years left....Gezzzzzz

BNSF Conductor, Richmond, CA

Railroading is one of the few jobs that in my opinion has the best people working in it as far as enjoying what they do.I can't think of to many other professions that employees get involved in fan based communities like this one.When a man can run a train for 40+ hours a week and still enjoy running a model train in his garage on the week end that tells you something.(Which I know many of you guys do)I can't think of another industry that gets involved with people who like myself(just a fan) as this one.I only came across T.O. 3 years ago and haven't seen a better community of people yet
Thanks .

UP Conductor, North Little Rock, AR

I hired out with the BNSF as a conductor in April of this year. Currently I'm working in La Junta, CO.

Hired out as a yard clerk on the Rock Island in 1972. Worked until shutdown in March 1980. Then got on with the Santa Fe for 4 years until laid off in 1984.

Yardclerk

Amtrak following positions.

1998-1999 - Clerk Oakland, CA.
1999-2003 - Assistant Cond/Conductor, Oakland and San Francisco, CA.
2003-Current - Engineer working on Caltrain territory San Francisco to Gilroy, CA.

Recently interviewed for train dispatcher job in San Jose, hopefully I'll get the position, keeping fingers crossed.

Engr/Con with CSX, now in the shortline world.
TR

Your right, I love what I do as far as running trains is concerned, and I'm a HO scale modeler too. Right now I'm out on a medical from work, and sitting at home is boring, I really and truely miss the folks I work around daily. You may be in a mood at times, be grumpy and think you don't want to be there. But when your not there, and your sitting around for a while w/o having any interaction with your fellow co-workers, you then realize how much the RR means to you. I'm lucky though because atleast folks have been keeping in touch with me via telephone or e-mail, still not the same as actually being around your co-workers. Sometimes it's a love/hate relationship, but RR'ers are the greatest group of people one could ever wish to work around, and I mean it. Minus the ones that are just naturally miserable, they are in their own world.

winchester Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Railroading is one of the few jobs that in my
> opinion has the best people working in it as far
> as enjoying what they do.I can't think of to many
> other professions that employees get involved in
> fan based communities like this one.When a man can
> run a train for 40+ hours a week and still enjoy
> running a model train in his garage on the week
> end that tells you something.(Which I know many of
> you guys do)I can't think of another industry that
> gets involved with people who like myself(just a
> fan) as this one.I only came across T.O. 3 years
> ago and haven't seen a better community of people
> yet
> Thanks .

Worked as a hoghead in the Army on Steam & Diesel from 67 to 69.

Hired out on the SP as Fireman in 69 on the Coast/Western. Promoted in 72, qualified passenger in 75. Worked SF to LA via the Coast. Worked the Lompoc and Guadalupe switchers and the Gaviota Ghost when we had it on mileage, up the Ventura Branch. Also around the horn to Oakland. Mostly worked helpers and chain gang out of SLO and passenger to SBA.

They were out of engineers so I transferred to Dunsmuir in the 80s and worked south to Roseville east and west valley and passenger to Oakland. Worked north to K Falls and to Ashland/ Medford. Also worked out of K Falls to Wendel and north to Mowich.

They were short of engineers in Portland so I transferred there in the 90s. Worked north to Vancouver and south to Eugene. Was there a year or two before they sold off the branch lines so worked those too. The Hillsboro Local, The Whiteson via Rex Hill and McMinville and the Mac switcher that went all over. Also worked the Salem local that went out to Geer to West Stayton and south to Albany.


Nudge

hired out with amtrak in 2001 as a coach cleaner. Promoted to conductor in 2003, promoted to dispatcher in 05, left amtrak in 06, now work for bnsf

Yardmaster, NS Knoxville,TN.

Have worked as Labourer Hostler and Surpvisor for CP for 33 years

Night Carman (Switchman) for Grand Canyon Ry.

CSX engineer...Ohio