How does a person go about becoming a locomotive engineer?

Question

...always wondered....that and their pay scale. It is a job I've never heard much about.

Answer 1

All the above and one other thing.

Luck.

These are coveted jobs and the competition for them is considerable.

Answer 2

The railroad industry is one you do not hear much about. I have done some research about becoming a railroad engineer myself. And you cannot just become an engineer. The railroad it looks still does thing the old school way. Starting at the bottom and working your way up from there.
Now I am sure you can probably test out of some positions.
Here is a great website that will answer all your questions about the industry.
http://www.bnsf.com/careers/faqs.html
If memory serves me correctly, I think there are only two schools that offer training.
Here is another good website to help you. It is the Association of American Railroads.
http://www.aar.org/
Hope this helps. I wanted to become a railroad engineer myself. I am getting too old now, I think.
Good Luck.

Answer 3

That's what I always wanted to be when I grew up!

I'd talk to the human resources people at Norfolk Southern & CSX & Amtrak and see what information they can provide you. Small shortline railroads are coming back into play a lot more these days and I would think the supply of locomotive engineers is probably dwindling over time, so it might be a good potential career field. I would think it'd probably be easier to "break in" with a big company and then move to a smaller one later.

Answer 4

The best thing to do is apply for a job at a railroad ramp that is looking for engineers. They will send you to school. I work for CSX and they send trainees to Atlanta Georgia for like 6-8 weeks. There's also a year probation period on the job. The last person who said you'd have no life they are pretty much right. The hours are long but the pay is good. Think about what you want more. Money or family.

Answer 5

Union Pacific has a huge website about working for their railroad company. I forget what it's URL is, but they usually have brochures all over at colleges, high schools, and libraries within about 500 miles of their railyards. There's one around Rialto CA.

FYI, the website has lots of job descriptions, all of which include some of the least pleasant sounding job descriptions around, such as "Applicant must be able to lift and operate heavy machinery, and will be required to work indoors and outdoors in all kinds of heat and weather around dangerous moving machinery..."

I guess that would be true, seeing as how locomotives are dangerous moving machinery, but still...

Answer 6

At the UPRR here in North Platte they'll force you out of Switchman class to engine service on the third district. So yes its easy to become one. Secondly they have engineers that are 19 and 20 so the age restriction is a lie. Thirdly I hired with a gentlemen that is 47 and he and I became engineers this last year. They are not in anyway concerned about your age as much as your health, ability to see color, and criminal record.

Answer 7

Check out a website of a major railroad like Norfolk Southern or BNSF. Look under career opportunities and you can find out all you need to know. Everything from pay scale to everything involved in training.

Answer 8

Pay depends on who you work for and what runs your seniority can hold.

For Union Pacific western lines, the avg pay is 65-80k for pool jobs, and if you stay marked up 100+ for extra board jobs.

For UP, you must start off as a brakeman/conductor and when your seniority allows, you can transfer into a engine class.

Answer 9

Buy a black and white stripy hat and a set of blue dungerees

2 points Kaaaaching!

Answer 10

they do the locomotion