Leave a bunch of guys unsupervised and inevitably the outcome will be schlong jokes.
Badge Bunny, we need your help to keep us in line!
Badge Bunny, we need your help to keep us in line!
Oil field is going like gang busters right now.
Any specifics? I could sure use some leads!
And other occupations too. I work in Train Service. If you'd like more information about it feel free to ask. I will say this, it does have its ups and downs especially in the beginning. If you are interested, with many positions don't limit yourself to what is offered just in Tulsa. Some positions have system seniority. You could hire out and train in Nebraska (for example) and when done with training, work in Tulsa.
So, if you'd like to know more, especially about train service (switchman, brakeman, conductor, engineer), feel free to ask.
Good luck with your search,
Jim
Thanks Jim, I put in for several positions with several railroads, just waiting to hear something back. I was not accepted for a conductor position in Madill, oh well, others will pop up
I have a friend here in Tulsa who retired as a conductor. He has done well for himself and owns a couple of businesses. He says being a conductor was an awesome job, good pay and benefits and the ability to see countryside that few people ever see.
Good luck. I hope something turns up soon.
Good luck. I hope something turns up soon.
I was not accepted for a conductor position in Madill, oh well, others will pop up
Keep trying. I know several guys that had to apply multiple times before getting a position. The bad things is that right now many of the newest conductors are getting cut off. So, they'll have to go elsewhere to work or stay home and wait until they are recalled. A little hint. I'm not sure if this is explained elsewhere. You'll see that some of the conductor classes are listed as primary recal and others are not. Primary recall classes are on the former Santa Fe. If you accept one of those positions, even though you'll have system seniority, they can force you back to that location for 5 years. Classes that aren't primary recall are on the former BN. They are not subject to primary recall. Keep all of that in mind if you apply for a class far from home.
Also, if you get to the interview portion you'll get a speach that is supposed to tell you what the railroad is like. Unfortunately many of the guys that give this speach make it sound like a challenge instead of a no nonsense 'this is how it is.' I'll give you mine. We work when it is hot. We work when it is cold. We work in the middle of the night. We work in the rain. We work in the snow. Many positions are on-call. On call isn't like my sister-in-law the nurse complaining about being on call this weekend. With the railroad, on-call is 24-7-365. Train lineups suck. You may or may not have an idea when you are going to work. When they call you have an hour and a half or two hours to be there. This a big one, I was cut-off every year for the first 6 years I worked. Sometimes it was only a month or two. One time it was the better part of year. While it is possible you might hold other positions, the first position you are likely to start out holding is the switchman's extraboard. It is on-call. It does have a guarantee for how much you'll make a week but the guarantee for a new hire is only around $850 (if I remember correctly).
It does get better as time goes on. There are positions that have regular schedules and there are positions that pay really well, but, if you expect the above, you won't be disappointed.
Jim
This all sounds so familiar! My dad is a retired UP engineer.
Cool! Where did he work out of and when did he retire? I work for the BNSF but recently I spent some time running over the track between OKC and Shawnee. This is AOK track now. Before that it was UP and before that it was Rock Island. It is in really bad shape now.
