CSX Conductor/Engineer reviews

not much time for family

Even though you can make up to 100k plus being an engineer or conductor, it is not as good as it seems. You may be on a train 12 hours then go to a motel for up to 16 hours or more. Then get called for 12 more hours on a train back home. The job may pay 300 or so a trip, so thats around 600 for 40 hours being away from home. Management at walmart probaly makes more than that. Also the csx management try as hard as they can from day 1 to fire you. I have been there 8 years and have seen some of the best workers harassed and fired. Usually the managers are out of collage and dont know anything about railroading. It is a hard and dangerous job like it is but it makes it even more stressful knowing there could be someone in the bushes watching you. People ask me, why do you stay there if it is like that? The answer is because once you get use to the money it is hard to leave. Also the hours will suck, but I cannot blame them for that. They tell you up front that this is not a 9-5 job. But they do not tell you that everyday you work for them that they are trying there best to fire you.