Finally going to get paid

[FreightTrain]

So, why is it that it takes 5 years to drive a train when the companies are paying top dollar for operators?

Justification of high pay?

Labor union bureaucracy?

Job security?

Elitist choo choo demeanor?

Or just a tough task for the mouth breathers?

None of the above. Being an engineer is seen as a promotion and you have to put your time in and learn other positions first. You can't walk into it off the street. You have to crawl before you walk.

[Denny]

So, why is it that it takes 5 years to drive a train when the companies are paying top dollar for operators?

Justification of high pay?

Labor union bureaucracy?

Job security?

Elitist choo choo demeanor?

Or just a tough task for the mouth breathers?

[FreightTrain]

Do you often contradict yourself, or is this just for our entertainment?

I respond to your points you don't respond to mine.

[Denny]

I do most my posting from my phone and it's hard to proof read on long posts.

Denny likes to talk shit but he won't argue valid points. He just likes to point out a misspelled word and side step the issue.

I try to respond to the majority of your points, but I believe your hatred of unions keeps you from seeing that.

Do you often contradict yourself, or is this just for our entertainment?

[FreightTrain]

No, you just ignore my valid points on top of the others. You haven't answered shit.

I try to respond to the majority of your points, but I believe your hatred of unions keeps you from seeing that.

[Denny]

I do most my posting from my phone and it's hard to proof read on long posts.

Denny likes to talk shit but he won't argue valid points. He just likes to point out a misspelled word and side step the issue.

No, you just ignore my valid points on top of the others. You haven't answered shit.

[FreightTrain]

Just an observation, but why do the two accomplished railroad fellow's find it difficult to spell or use correct grammar?

I do most my posting from my phone and it's hard to proof read on long posts.

Denny likes to talk shit but he won't argue valid points. He just likes to point out a misspelled word and side step the issue.

[The King]

Facts are facts. We just hired 30 conductors last week. Most are 18-21 years old. Going to be making some big money for there age. Guess that is why they passed on collage.

LOL your joking right.

Correct, it was a bit of sarcasm directed toward dewayne6243. Admittedly, they are going to make some good money for their age. Now, back to your post:

I'll be totally honest with you. I grew up in a railroad family and the one thing I was sure of was I didn't want to work for the railroad. So I went to college. I was 30hrs away from graduating when it hit me. All my friends were graduating college and walking into jobs that paid a whopping 30k to 40k a year. I said fuck that. I knew where I could make 7k a month right off the bat so I quit school.

Now years down the road those same friends are barely making 45k to 50k after getting kicked in the nutts by the recession and almost having to start over at the bottom. Meanwhile I'm making over 10k a month.

Will those guy who have a college degree ever catch up and pass me on income. They might, but they might not. Also how many years are they going to have to put into their careers before they brake into the 6 figure amount. They might pass me in income but over a lifetime I will make more money than them.

Anyone with half a brain knows that unless you specialize in some sought after field like engineering,medical, or investments and are top of your class you won't walk into a job paying 80k to 90k right out of college living in Texas. But even nurses and PA's don't make that kind of money right out of college.

"brake?" is that trainspeak?

[Jimbo]

Just an observation, but why do the two accomplished railroad fellow's find it difficult to spell or use correct grammar?

[Denny]

Once you get to the point of training to be an engineer it takes 6 months. They don't hire people off the street to be engineers. You start at the bottom and work your way up so you learn everything along the way because your going to need the experience when it's your time to run.

I guess you never crawled as a baby. Just stood up and started running one day.

Thus, my "bullshit bureaucracy" comment. I can pull a bum off the streets and have him licensed and flying rotary in less time.


And I was up and running WAY before 5!

[FreightTrain]

The next time you two are in a room together, instead of sucking each other off, why don't you try to get a story straight?

Once you get to the point of training to be an engineer it takes 6 months. They don't hire people off the street to be engineers. You start at the bottom and work your way up so you learn everything along the way because your going to need the experience when it's your time to run.

I guess you never crawled as a baby. Just stood up and started running one day.

[Jimbo]

I had to look, after I chuckled at the "buttons" comment. I suppose it depends on the machinery.

[Denny]

LOL your joking right.

No... no he's not.

[Denny]

Except the google search doesn't tell you that you start off as a brakeman than get promoted to switchman than conductor and than finally engineer. Each position requires training and testing and can take over 5 years of on the job training before you get to sit down behind the throttle. You also have to know enough rules, regulations, and laws that when put into a book it is twice as thick as a bible.

On top of that you have to have a railroad that is willing to hire and train you. Anyone can go to flight school and get a pilots license and fly. The weekend warrior isn't able to get licensed by the FRA.

Put the bong down Denny, who said 5 years? Takes 6 months of training to be an Engineer. It is not a degree, just a license.

The next time you two are in a room together, instead of sucking each other off, why don't you try to get a story straight?

[FreightTrain]

Ever considered going to collage to improve your career prospects?

LOL your joking right.


I'll be totally honest with you. I grew up in a railroad family and the one thing I was sure of was I didn't want to work for the railroad. So I went to college. I was 30hrs away from graduating when it hit me. All my friends were graduating college and walking into jobs that paid a whopping 30k to 40k a year. I said fuck that. I knew where I could make 7k a month right off the bat so I quit school.

Now years down the road those same friends are barely making 45k to 50k after getting kicked in the nutts by the recession and almost having to start over at the bottom. Meanwhile I'm making over 10k a month.

Will those guy who have a college degree ever catch up and pass me on income. They might, but they might not. Also how many years are they going to have to put into their careers before they brake into the 6 figure amount. They might pass me in income but over a lifetime I will make more money than them.


Anyone with half a brain knows that unless you specialize in some sought after field like engineering,medical, or investments and are top of your class you won't walk into a job paying 80k to 90k right out of college living in Texas. But even nurses and PA's don't make that kind of money right out of college.