There were several conductor trainee positions posted on the BNSF website recently for the Spokane, WA area. I applied for one and I'm praying I get called. What does it take to get hired? Is it necessary to take a NARS conductor prep course or does anyone without prior rail experience have a fair shot? Just wondered. Also, if anyone who's a conductor or knows about the job can speak about the schedule. They state on-call 24/7 for a conductor position. Does this mean you have zero idea when you'll be called for the next load, or will management give you an approximation of when the next load should be ready. Let's say you finished a 12-hour job and went home at 6pm. Would management tell you that evening to expect a call around late afternoon the next day to come in? Just wondering how much "head's up" you're given. I know you have 90 minutes to respond to a call. Besides showing up with your field gear, this must also mean you bring your food with you or you'll starve! That's what I assume, at least. Well, I hate to assume, so I'm wondering if someone could fill me in on some of the job particulars like I mentioned. I would be grateful. Thanks in advance, Chad
Look back at some older post you will find many of the answers you seek. But I give ya a couple for free. lol. NARS-I never had it, got hired first try. I have never meet anyone who has gone (or who will admit to going) to NARS. (Not counting when BNSF use to send you there). As far as knowing when you will go to work. You know when they call you, 90 minutes to get there. You may be able to guess when you are going to go to work by the lineups, but until they call you never know for sure. I have seen lineup's be wrong by days, I have tied up and had the lineup say I was going back to work 4 hours before I tied up, I have also seen the lineup come out right, but even the sun shines on a dog's........ Be ready for a 24/7 job. Day=Work. Night=Work. Weekends=Work. Christmas=Work. Kids Birthday=Work. Wedding anniversary=You may want to lay off for that one. I have gone to work and been back home in 3 hours, I have had 20 hour trips to the away terminal and back. I have also been gone for 4 days, snowed in at Gillette no less. Adam
HA! I have a friend who forgot to lay off... I had the pleasure of working with him that night...... 3-4 years ago and his Wife still reminds him of it and the dog started charging him rent:tb-wink: The railroad... just the dynamics of the way it functions makes it an interesting workplace. Hiring as a Conductor does not mean you'll be working as one... most "FNG's" ( I'll let you figure that one out ) usually end up working in the yard for some time before they can hold a Conductor job. The yard is a lot different, the regular jobs have a set schedule and the extra board has "calling hours" in which you are required to answer the phone (on ex-ATSF is 0430-0759, 1230-1559 and 2030-2359) Outside those hours you do not have to answer the phone. Road(Conductor/Brakeman) extra boards are 24/7, very unpredictable and some have rest cycles(11/4, 5/2, 7/3 etc...) Through freight jobs are regular assigned jobs that get called "in turn" and you can judge within a few yours of when you will go to work by watching the lineups... I'm sure Kevin M. will chime in here, he works in that neck of the woods.
Chad, First of all good luck with the application. Spokane is a great place to work and as a new guy you will not have to worry about working as a conductor. I hired out in Spokane March of 2006 and only work as a condutor on holidays, otherwise I am still switching in the yard. We do have calling hours on the switchman's extra board so you only have to worry about being called between 5-8, 1300-1600, and 2100-2359. When you can work the road though it is 24-7 and does suck to be caught off gaurd at (insert crappy time here) and called for a train. We also have a 2 hour call here for the road jobs which is nice at 2 AM. If you have any questions specific to Spokane/Hauser drop me a line. Kevin M
