Just curious... With the exception of the "long hours" and "being away from your family" what is the actual job of a conductor like? I mean everywhere I go, I read about how HARD the job is, but I never hear anyone say anything in regards to manual labor? I have heard people say it is not hard at all as far as the physical labor goes, (with the exception of carrying the knuckle every once and awhile) and that the hardest part of the job is and always has been the hours and loss of home time. Is this true? Perhaps the manual labor is even harder than the hours and no one ever mentions it? Anyone care to elaborate on this for me please? Thanks in advance to all that reply. NTG PS. What is the best job to go for in this industry today as far as Conductor, Engineer, Yardman etc. etc. Or are these positions something you just work towards and can't really choose when you start out?
Welcome to TrainBoard NTG. Great to have ya on board! There have been many good posts in the past on the jobs you mentioned. If you'd like to review them, just click on the word "search" near the upper part of the page, and type in conductor (or whichever). Just be sure to mark "search all forums" from the drop down window. I think you will find good information there. Good luck.
When you first hire out you'll be a brakeman, then after a certain amount of time worked as a brakie you'll be promoted to conductor. A lot of railroads today are training conductors working off the extra board to be an engineer with the goal of later in time of just having one list for the extra board in which to assign workers. Manual labor? Hanging on the side of a frt car for any distance isn't a real pleasure, nor is the amount of walking done to do your job. When "humping" or switching cars sometimes running alongside the car to pull the pin to uncouple the car can get quite tiring as well. Straightening a drawbar out to "make a joint" requires some strength and the constant throwing of switches tires one out as well. You don't have to be a "Charles Atlas" but you can'y be no "Olive Oil" either!
If you go to a passenger RR,you'll start as a ticket collector.Then brakeman,then conductor(hood ornament). Passenger is much easier than freight.
