Passenger Trains > Amtrak Passenger Engineer Trainee

Seattle is hiring and I am looking to purchase the materials to help me study to become a Passenger Engineer Trainee.   I would like to start studying the material now so I become familiar with the terms and definitions in advance of the training.  Any information would be much appreciated. Thank you!

Practice pronouncing the noun CON-sist instead of the common verb con-SIST.

Do not waste your time and money studying. The people in HR who will make the hiring decision know NOTHING about locomotives or train handling, so you will NOT impress them. Except maybe as a nut case and get your application sent to the shredder. The local Road Foreman or Trainmaster may be part of the screening/intervierw process but if you are an "off-the-street" candidate they will have no expectations for you to know things, either.

​I was told by an Amtrak HR person some years back "We don't care if you can railroad, we can teach you that. We can't teach you to be a good person and a good employee."

If you are hired, you will be sent to the Training Center in Wilmington, DE and filled with every kind of information about locomotives you can imagine.

​Best thing you could do right now is talk to a few of your railroader friends and acquaintances about what working for the rairoad entails in your personal life. Be sure you understand exactly what you're getting into.

Best of luck,

NZ
Amtraker
 

Do they take inexperienced people right off the street to be locomotive engineers or
must you already be an Amtrak employee?

Englewood Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Do they take inexperienced people right off the
> street to be locomotive engineers or
> must you already be an Amtrak employee?

Seems to depend on the region/terminal, and how desperate they are for bodies. They seem to TRY to promote from conductor/AC positions first, then they'll take certified engineers from other carriers, then hire off the street if necessary.

trainjunkie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Seems to depend on the region/terminal, and how
> desperate they are for bodies. They seem to TRY to
> promote from conductor/AC positions first, then
> they'll take certified engineers from other
> carriers, then hire off the street if necessary.

Nope.  Amtrak has a pure scoring system based upon a test and interview.  By design, no special consideration is given to current railroad employees except that the employees might be able to answer the questions better seeing as they have more experience than Joe Schmoe off the street.  That said, the scoring is subjective and if the interviewers like you they can inflate your score, and if they don't like you they can score you low.

Don't bother studying until you have the job offer.  The interview has nothing to do with how much you know about railroading, and sounding like you know too much could actually get some interviewers to mark you down.  Think about your life and have several specific examples of experiences which you could relate to the railroad ready to discuss.

This includes working nights, weekends, holidays.  Working with heavy equipment.  Working in very rules/regulations-heavy environments.  Working with Unions.  Things of that nature.  Specific examples are the key.  

After you have a job offer, THEN come back here and ask about what to study.

let us know how it goes

OTG Wrote:
  Amtrak has a pure scoring system based
> upon a test and interview.  By design, no special
> consideration is given to current railroad
> employees except that the employees might be able
> to answer the questions better seeing as they have
> more experience than Joe Schmoe off the street.


Another reason not to ride............................

I've been retired for a few years, so maybe things have changed, but Amtrak always hired engineers from within, not off the street.  If they're hiring off the street, go for it.  If not, try to get on in some other capacity, then apply for engineer trainee.  Either way, good luck.

OTG Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Nope.  Amtrak has a pure scoring system based
> upon a test and interview.

Well, that's interesting since it is contrary to what a number of friends and acquaintences employed with Amtrak have recently told me. But I suppose it's constantly evolving. Interesting nonetheless.

It seems that if you are already experienced with RR work, understanding the lifestyle, knowing how to work with heavy equipment, working in very rules/regulations-heavy environments, and working with unions would be advantageous over non-railroaders. True?

There have been a number of engineers hired locally during my career.  Not a single one came off the street.  The only one not a conductor came from BNSF and was a known commodity.  Your mileage may vary.

Mary McPherson
Dongola, IL
Diverging Clear Productions

Kansas City crew base has taken some very good A/C's and made engineers out of them.
Very depressing to see some outstanding employees, who were really very good dealing with the public,
and have them isolated in the cab.  Tit for tat, I suppose.  Still a valuable employee, but If I was the manager,
I wouldn't have wanted to lose some of these people.  Money talks though.

DIVERSITY DIVERSITY DIVERSITY will be tops on the interview process ... how well do you interact with others (aka are you a team player)... do you have prejudices ... of course that answer is a RESOUNDING NO !!! ... how do you handle confrontation ... what would you do in certain situations ... just some of the topics that will arise in the interview ...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/21/16 19:45 by Out_Of_Service.

WRONG

That was not my experience AND NOT what I was told!! I worked for Amtrak for about 10 years in the engineering department before I tried to get transferred/hired into locomotive/train service. Both what I saw and was told was that first priority in engineer hiring, came from the ranks of Amtrak's Conductors then the assistant conductors, then qualified engineers from the Class 1 freights,. hiring from off the street was ALMOST NEVER done

CB

OTG Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> trainjunkie Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Seems to depend on the region/terminal, and how
> > desperate they are for bodies. They seem to TRY
> to
> > promote from conductor/AC positions first, then
> > they'll take certified engineers from other
> > carriers, then hire off the street if
> necessary.
>
> Nope.  Amtrak has a pure scoring system based
> upon a test and interview.  By design, no special
> consideration is given to current railroad
> employees except that the employees might be able
> to answer the questions better seeing as they have
> more experience than Joe Schmoe off the street.
>  That said, the scoring is subjective and if the
> interviewers like you they can inflate your score,
> and if they don't like you they can score you
> low.
>
> Don't bother studying until you have the job
> offer.  The interview has nothing to do with how
> much you know about railroading, and sounding like
> you know too much could actually get some
> interviewers to mark you down.  Think about your
> life and have several specific examples of
> experiences which you could relate to the railroad
> ready to discuss.
>
> This includes working nights, weekends, holidays.
>  Working with heavy equipment.  Working in very
> rules/regulations-heavy environments.  Working
> with Unions.  Things of that nature.  Specific
> examples are the key.  
>
> After you have a job offer, THEN come back here
> and ask about what to study.

Generally, Amtrak prefers to hire conductors/ACs for engine service. They have also occasionally hired people from the Mechanical Dept. or even Station Services directly into engine service. A few times, trainees have been selected from "off the street," including former military and big-rig truck drivers. Frankly, those who don't have operating experience often fail. I think it's because there's just too much for someone without the background to absorb. If someone has been a conductor/AC, they already have experience dealing with train operation, operating rules, etc. One can frequently be "upwardly mobile" at Amtrak. People who started as ticket clerks, train attendents, and dining-car waiters have in many cases advanced to engine service, although they virtually always worked as conductors in between. Also, if you have seniority in another craft, you have something to fall back on if you fail engineer training--and quite a few people do. 

Thanks for you information! What I want are the training materials- the actual textbook they use, so when I go to Willimgton I have a knowledge base to work with. I want to start learning now, so I am not overwelmed when I get there. I don't want to end up another statistic.

I understand what you are saying about the job interview.  However, I would rather utilize my time and money getting familiar with the technical terminology that Amtrak Engineers must know. If I study now and learn the basics, I have a better chance passing the course and being an asset to the company instead of a liability. Do you know where I can find the training textbook or how to get in touch with the course instructor to request some study options?

 I have a dedicated responsibility to myself. So working for Amtrak is an ideal career in my view. 

Yes, they are and they seem to be recuiting this as an entry level position.

Thank you for your comments. I appreciate the valuable interview tips and will focus on those aspect of securing a position.