Western Railroad Discussion > UP vs BNSF furloughs?

Wich railroad is more likely to lay you off in the slow part of the year UP or BNSF. Where would a rookie conductor have a better chance of working year round.

What type's of jobs do most rail's get when they are lay-ed off or furloughed. Do regionals or class 2 railroads lay off as many men as a class 1 would?
thanks for the info

In the Denver area the BNSF has furloughed more men than the UP as of Jan/Feb. 2003. UP appears serious about hiring and keeping them working, but some furloughs have occurred on the UP. Unfortunately, this is a problem with railroading that new men have to be prepared to weather.


Work safely, don't lay off and save some money for those rainy days!

Just my two cents worth.

Right now I think they area calling folks back to work on both RR's in anticipation of increased shipments of duct tape and plastic sheeting....

As has been discussed ad naseum, you will get different answers depending on one's experiences on their property. Moving around is also an issue, some terminals are short of people (generally not the "nice" places) and no one will travel far to mark-up. I know there are exceptions to that, but you take your chances with all railroads. If you want it, you gotta go for it and stay with it.

I wish I had your magic answer, one that would either get you fired up for hiring out, or one that would run you off from RR employment. But I'm still working on world peace, oil prices and the stock markets...

Isn't it "whirrled peas"?? Hey my industry (computers; I work at Itty Bitty Machines Company" is getting about the same way. When I "hired on" there was a POLICY that I..B..M has never "had a layoff"... Go Figure!

chabang wrote:

> Wich railroad is more likely to lay you off in the slow part
> of the year UP or BNSF.

Probably depends on the location. UP currently has trainmen furloughed at Roseville, West Colton, and El Paso, and maybe other places that I'm not aware of.

> Where would a rookie conductor have a
> better chance of working year round.

My guess would be somewhere that has a relatively steady traffic base year-round.

> Do regionals or class 2 railroads lay off
> as many men as a class 1 would?
> thanks for the info

The folks I know who work for regionals and short lines have led me to believe that employment is usually more steady on these types of carriers, because the management is able to more clearly anticipate their employment needs.

Here is how it goes.

BNSF has systemwide senority, UP does not. BNSF's senority does exclude various areas, like Washignton and parts of Minnesota. Both railroads will lay you off, when it gets slow, you are just a number.

Back in 2000, UP had 75 conductors layed off in the LA Area, in Jan. 2001 they hired 40 conductors. I went to the interview, along with 3 of my friends. 1 got hired, by March, when he finished his student trips, he got layed off. He was layed off for a year, before they called him back. He told them to get lost, and went back to his old job.

Now back in 2002, BNSF layed off 2000 employees system wide, and some employees that didn't get layed off at first, were layed off a month later, when people from Arizona & New Mexico bumped them (that is a draw back of systemwide senority). Some LA employees that were bumped, were able to go to Texas to keep working, but not many. It took close to 8 months for everybody to be called back.

So there you have it.

BTW- I finally did get hired by a railroad, but a shortline, so when it gets slow, I might only work 2 to 3 days a week, but I won't be layed off.

....
Foamer

chabang wrote:

> Wich railroad is more likely to lay you off in the slow part
> of the year UP or BNSF. Where would a rookie conductor have a
> better chance of working year round.

All class 1's are just as likely to cut you off as the other. It's more dependant upon location than railroad. For instance, here in KC on the UP, they are still hiring and we are a wee bit long, I'd say, but there are still a bunch of people that need to be trained on RCO, hostler, hump, etc. So far, they haven't laid anyone off yet.

> What type's of jobs do most rail's get when they are lay-ed
> off or furloughed.

Most go back to what they did before they hired on the railroad. I worked for a local farmers co-op, and when I got cut off the first time (4 months), I went back there.

> Do regionals or class 2 railroads lay off
> as many men as a class 1 would?
> thanks for the info

Having now worked for a regional and a class 1, I can answer this one well. When I worked for the IMRL, I was cut off twice. The first for 4 months, and the second for 2 days, so don't think they care any more for you than the big guys do. Also, now on the IC&E, they have 6 employees in Kansas City cut off now. Some have moved to Davenport at their own expense to keep working. All regionals may not be the same. Those without a guaranteed extra board (guaranteed a minimum paycheck whether you work or not) may just let you sit on the extra board only making $600 a month.

imrl