Eastern Railroad Discussion > Starting NS Conductor Salary?

Does anyone out there have a general idea of what a first year conductor can expect to make in a year. I know that NS pays 80% of $19.00 through $17.00, but with overtime and other factors, how does that translate into annual salary.
thanx

Wow starting as Conductor ???
what happend to brakie ???

I'm with CSX, so things may be a little different. Annual income can varie greatly from one man to the next depending on what kind of service he/she is working in. Work all year on the yard xtraboard, or a 5 day/week yard job and it may only be around $31,000/year @80%. However, someone on the road extraboard, or able to hold a pool turn can make somewhere in the neighborhood of $45,000 to $55,000 per year at 80%. It just depends on where you are working out of, what job, how much you lay off etc. And, right now, remember that if you're near the bottom of the board, you might not get to work all year, so be sure and put some money away!
TR
Savannah GA

Jaap wrote:

> Wow starting as Conductor ???
> what happend to brakie ???

Same thing that happened to the caboose.

Jaap, Brakeman and Conductors both fall under trainmen for all intensive purpose of training and extraboards on the NS Northern Region. Brakeman are called off the Road conductors extra list, while utility men are called off the yard boards up here. Conductors are conductors, no change there. My first full year on the NS I was half-year trainee @ $500/week and the rest 80% conductor, but laid off most of Nov and Dec. that same year. With lack of retirements and RC coming -v- the fact the workforce won't be as strong to come out and work this lifestyle but anything less then what we get now...it'll only get worse. So if you're coming out to work for the railroad, I hope you don't have much to lose. And like the other guy said...save what you make early, because you never know when a heavy layoff is coming or how detrimental it can be to your pocket. And most certainly don't go think b/c you made $45,000 in your first year it's OK to go buying brand new sports cars, that is unless you still live with Mommy & Daddy. Just my $.02


Jaap wrote:
> Wow starting as Conductor ???
> what happend to brakie ???

I started with NS in Feb of 96'. Training pay is different now then when I trained. Made $200 a week for the first nine weeks then went to $400 and then finally $500 a week before I was marked up. As was stated before, alot depends on what type of board you are on (yard or road), what type of terminal you work at (lots of trains or just a handfull of yard jobs and locals), and how much you lay out. My pay has been as follows....

1996 $24,610 trained for six months then worked
yard board for six months. Rarely mark
off.
1997 $38,120 worked road extraboard for three
months then had a regular job on one of our
lowest paying pools.
1998 $45,903 one month as conductor on regular
job, then went to engineer school.
Qualified end of October and went to extra-
board.
1999 $55,856 engineer's extraboard entire year.
2000 $68,809. Engineer's extraboard 10 months
of the year. Regular job as engineer on
one of the higher paying runs the other
two months.
2001 $67,231 Engineer's extraboard all year.
2002 On pace to make between $65k and $70k
again.

Increasingly growing not worth it for the conditions. Here's my trail at CSX:

'94 - hired July 26th - about $11K
'95 - $31K
'96 - $40K
'97 - entered engine service Feb. - $42K
'98 - $50K
'99 - $60K (CR nightmare)
'00 - $65K (still CR nightmare)
'01 - $49K (total sick markoffs = zero)
'02 - behind '01 - remotes, fewer road jobs, etc., more people flowing over from shared assets

Gonna get worse, not better. Wouldn't recommend hiring out to anyone at this time.


Randy

Thanks for the info
You guys do not paint a very bright picture. I wish I had asked this question before I went to a training session.
Oh well, I leave for Atlanta next week, there is no turning back now.

It just depends on what's happening at your location how you make out when you hit the property. Seniority is everything and can determine whether you work or not. I was the youngest man working in my terminal last winter and was only one more cut from being furloughed. By sheer luck, the cut didn't come and I held on until I could get set back up to engineer and working steady again. A lot of it is luck of the draw, willingness to relocate and put up with the craziness, traffic and to some extent, the local supervision. Keep an open mind going to the training, you might be suprised.