Pros
If you enjoy small work teams (i.e. Conductor and Engineer or both and Brakeman) that can agree on issuses and make decisions without violating rules or laws, and be safe about it, then this may be a great opportunity. For the most part, your individual skills, knowledge and level of competence could allow you to tolerate the duties that are planned. You have to opportunity to be on stage within any given community as a professional train crew weather switching in yard settings or transporting freight over the BNSF system. It's nice to know that the trust of the general public and those that are closely related to the industry are observing the unique talents and abilities to handle sometimes very dangerous and important freight.
Cons
With such a major demand on transporting by rail, an individual is made available at all times, with respect to the union agreements; when legally rested and available. Therefore, at times to have a fairly normal life style could be tricky. A typical work schedule may include but not limited to being away from home for 24 hours or more working on the road trips or 12 hours maximum working in the yards. You are required to get 10 hours of rest and made available to work when your rest time has expired; again with respect to the local union agreements. An individual with a very active life style could have trouble meeting this schedule, as extra-board workers are on call. If you are fortunate enough to get an assigned duty with set hours, concider yourself lucky, although the demand could disregard the 8 hours alloted to do your job therefore overtime sometimes is manditory and not optioned. If your not an outside all weather person, this is not the employment opportunity to concider. Granted there are office jobs, the high stress and demand and long hours could pose health issuses.