In the Transportation Department, you will have many obstacles during your career. Some come with the job because of the 24/7 service requirements. Let's face it, about 2/3 of the U.S. economy travels by rail. Management will provide the rest of the problems. First, though pay is very good in the end, you will spend a great deal of time with payroll, labor relations and your union rep trying to get properly paid for your work. The carrier does not honor agreed work rules and accurate payroll is a constant struggle. Second, due to the management structure you are treated as the enemy not a team member by local and middle management. Almost all infractions carry suspension time from seven to thirty days. You are offered "job insurance" that will help you pay bills while you miss work after being disciplined. Only job I know of where this is needed. You arrive everyday wondering if you will have a job when you get off because when ANYTHING goes wrong, accountability ends with you. Management is almost never responsible for mistakes. The attitude is basically, "How can we put this on the transportation employee?" CSX has thousands of work rules that are engineered to be impossible to follow at a 100% level. This way local management can intimidate you to speed up to unsafe levels in order to meet their performance numbers and easily punish you when you fail or refuse to put their production requirements ahead of safety. The Union tries to fight this daily but the reality is that Railroad Unions have very little power or influence anymore. Third, your life will revolve around the railroad. You will work almost all holidays, nights, weekends, birthdays, etc., etc. Attendance policy is barbaric at best as absence is only excused by way of Urgent care facility or Hospital Emergency room. Literally! Almost everyone in this department has divorced at least once and the lack of schedule will eliminate any possibility of child custody. You will struggle to spend time with family and friends even if you are able to hold things together throughout your career. Your fellow employees will be your family and friends because they are the only ones who will understand.