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Re: Conductor's training
Author: OPRRMS
Date: 01-25-2011 - 13:48
Question Wrote:
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> Recent news suggests that at least the rail
> industry is starting to recover. Does anyone know
> how many operating employees are still
> furloughed?
The Association of American Railroads used to publish month-to-month stats about this on their web site. You can search for it if you're so inclined.
When I last checked about 3 weeks ago, UP still had a combined total of over 200 furloughed trainmen and Reserve Board engineers in the Los Angeles Service Unit and about a hundred or so in the Roseville Service Unit. Those are the only places I look at, but I know most other areas have all T & E employee called back to work.
> Assuming the railroads may start hiring again by
> this fall, is there really any justification for
> anyone to pay $4,500 to $6,500 to a public or
> private school for a conductor's training program?
> And have to pay for some type of lodging for 6,9
> or 15 weeks in addition?
CSX apparently used to require that applicants for trainman's positions first take a railroad course that was offered by a university or something, but I don't know if that's still the case. CSX was the only railroad I know of that had such a requirement.
Neither UP or BNSF have such a requirement, and all new hires will go through the company's training course even if they're a graduate of a "Choo Choo U." That being the case, one might consider paying for such a course as a complete waste of money, plus you might miss out on a hiring window because of it. Additionally, I know of two shortlines that will actually reject applications from graduates of a well-advertised railroad training school in California.
> Does it really take that long to get through a
> class on the railroad operating rules? Does
> spending a few days coupling cars really qualify
> someone to be turned loose as a qualified
> condcutor? According to the proposed rules, a
> conductor can't be certified by a school since
> they have to qualify on knowledge of their
> territory.
I can't speak to what goes on at a training school, but each carrier establishes its own training program, thus the scope and duration varies from railroad to railroad. One thing I can tell you is that it involves a lot more than just taking a rules class and passing a test.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Recent news suggests that at least the rail
> industry is starting to recover. Does anyone know
> how many operating employees are still
> furloughed?
The Association of American Railroads used to publish month-to-month stats about this on their web site. You can search for it if you're so inclined.
When I last checked about 3 weeks ago, UP still had a combined total of over 200 furloughed trainmen and Reserve Board engineers in the Los Angeles Service Unit and about a hundred or so in the Roseville Service Unit. Those are the only places I look at, but I know most other areas have all T & E employee called back to work.
> Assuming the railroads may start hiring again by
> this fall, is there really any justification for
> anyone to pay $4,500 to $6,500 to a public or
> private school for a conductor's training program?
> And have to pay for some type of lodging for 6,9
> or 15 weeks in addition?
CSX apparently used to require that applicants for trainman's positions first take a railroad course that was offered by a university or something, but I don't know if that's still the case. CSX was the only railroad I know of that had such a requirement.
Neither UP or BNSF have such a requirement, and all new hires will go through the company's training course even if they're a graduate of a "Choo Choo U." That being the case, one might consider paying for such a course as a complete waste of money, plus you might miss out on a hiring window because of it. Additionally, I know of two shortlines that will actually reject applications from graduates of a well-advertised railroad training school in California.
> Does it really take that long to get through a
> class on the railroad operating rules? Does
> spending a few days coupling cars really qualify
> someone to be turned loose as a qualified
> condcutor? According to the proposed rules, a
> conductor can't be certified by a school since
> they have to qualify on knowledge of their
> territory.
I can't speak to what goes on at a training school, but each carrier establishes its own training program, thus the scope and duration varies from railroad to railroad. One thing I can tell you is that it involves a lot more than just taking a rules class and passing a test.
