# Railroad Careers



## Guest_Shotgun7_* (Jun 11, 2007)

Hey everybody,

I'm coming up on my senior year of high school and need to know now how to make my railroad career work. I plan on being an engineer for BNSF, but at the same time enroll in ROTC during college to be a helicopter pilot. I've heard that it's better to start the railroad first to gain seniority, but with ROTC in college, i obviously can't do that. Does anybody know if it's possible to get a railroad job at the same time as getting a military job?? If not, what would be the best possible way for a military officer to eventually be promoted to a railroad engineer?

Thanks,

Paul


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## blueman271 (Jun 13, 2007)

Guest_Shotgun7_* said:


> Hey everybody,
> I'm coming up on my senior year of high school and need to know now how to make my railroad career work. I plan on being an engineer for BNSF, but at the same time enroll in ROTC during college to be a helicopter pilot. I've heard that it's better to start the railroad first to gain seniority, but with ROTC in college, i obviously can't do that. Does anybody know if it's possible to get a railroad job at the same time as getting a military job?? If not, what would be the best possible way for a military officer to eventually be promoted to a railroad engineer?
> 
> Thanks,
> ...


I too am a military man that is looking to break in to the railroad ranks once my enlistment is over. Having said that though, I really dont know too much about how to go about doing so as I still have upwards of four years left on my enlistment. As far as working for both the railroads and the military at the same time, I'm inclined to think that that is going to be damn near impossible. For one you are expected to give your branch of service a certain amount of time after graduation from ROTC and trust me they are going to get every second of it. Secondly you are going to be expected to spend every waking moment learning your job and the ins and outs of the service, not working a part time job.


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## Save Our Trains Michigan (Jun 14, 2007)

You need to hire in with the Railroad 1st to establish seniority then to become an engineer it is done also by seniority on the BNSF you will hire out as a conductor and might stay as a conductor for a few years it all depends on where you hire out and how many engineers they need at that location.

And an engineer is really not a promotion at all the conductor is still the person in charge of the train most people become engineers to get off the ground and out of the weather. an engineer's job is to move the train down the road but must follow orders given by the conductor unless the conductor gives you a order that you dont think is safe then you need to talk to the conductor about it.


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## Sam Damon (Jun 14, 2007)

Guest_Shotgun7_* said:


> I'm coming up on my senior year of high school and need to know now how to make my railroad career work. I plan on being an engineer for BNSF, but at the same time enroll in ROTC during college to be a helicopter pilot. I've heard that it's better to start the railroad first to gain seniority, but with ROTC in college, i obviously can't do that. Does anybody know if it's possible to get a railroad job at the same time as getting a military job??


You need to think out of the box. There is a way to hold down a military gig and a railroad job at the same time. It's called the Army National Guard. (Note: the Army Reserve, or USAR does not have helicopter units.) This is the Army on the "one weekend a month, two weeks a year" deal. Of course, given the Iraq situation, or a similar one, Guardsmen find themselves spending a lot more time on active duty. Guardsmen also respond to state disasters; Army reservists tend not to.

If you are hired by the railroad, and then join the military, by law, the railroad has to hold your job for you. Read here for more details (link is a PDF). I'd wait until after I passed probation to join, but there's nothing stopping you from joining if you've got the slot.

The key word there is "slot." There are only so many slots for helicopter pilots, and you've probably found out already those slots are very competitive. If you get the helicopter pilot slot, and can survive ROTC, there's no reason why you can't hold down a railroad job if you're motivated enough.

Have you ever thought about being a warrant officer, as opposed to being a commissioned one?


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## Guest_Shotgun7_* (Jun 15, 2007)

How do I become a warrant officer? I've seen plenty of warrant officer crew chiefs, but haven't much heard of warrant officer pilots. Could I still fly with that rank?? How would I obtain it?


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## Sam Damon (Jun 18, 2007)

Guest_Shotgun7_* said:


> How do I become a warrant officer? I've seen plenty of warrant officer crew chiefs, but haven't much heard of warrant officer pilots. Could I still fly with that rank?? How would I obtain it?


Yes, indeed, you can be a warrant officer helicopter pilot. The Army's warrant officer program pretty much revived when the need for helicopter pilots ramped up during the Vietnam conflict.

To find out more about how to fly helicopters as a warrant officer, link here, and click on the civilian applicant link. That will give you some idea of the type of individuals they're looking for. The Go Army website also has some general information. You will need to see your friendly neighborhood military recruiter in any event. I should also add that the better physical shape you're in, the better your odds of making it through the course successfully.

Becoming a chopper pilot via the warrant officer route is not easy. It's not supposed to be. I have been told there are quite a few mind games that are played on the warrant officer candidates. But there is one very real benefit of being a warrant officer in the Army, as opposed to a commissioned officer: enlisted people can't mess with you, and commissioned officers usually choose not to.

Of course, there is a catch. Depending on what's put in your contract when you sign, should you wash out of warrant officer school, you may have to serve a hitch in the military as an enlisted person. Talk to people! Ask questions! If you don't know what you're signing -- don't sign it. Good luck. PM me if you have further questions, and I'll try to answer them as best I can.


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## had8ley (Jun 18, 2007)

Save Our Trains Michigan said:


> And an engineer is really not a promotion at all the conductor is still the person in charge of the train most people become engineers to get off the ground and out of the weather. an engineer's job is to move the train down the road but must follow orders given by the conductor unless the conductor gives you a order that you dont think is safe then you need to talk to the conductor about it.


WOW !!! I would not go to a BLE meeting and make that statement...and if you disagree with the almighty conductor what good is it going to do to "talk" to him about something he has decided to do ????? I've been a switchman, brakeman, fireman and engineer and NEVER heard anything like this.

P.S. I almost forgot; I was a conductor too...


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## Guest (Jun 18, 2007)

had8ley said:


> Save Our Trains Michigan said:
> 
> 
> > And an engineer is really not a promotion at all the conductor is still the person in charge of the train most people become engineers to get off the ground and out of the weather. an engineer's job is to move the train down the road but must follow orders given by the conductor unless the conductor gives you a order that you dont think is safe then you need to talk to the conductor about it.
> ...


Well this is the way it is where i work like i said the rule book says 50/50 but MGT is still saying the conductor will take all the heat and has to keep engineers in line.


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