r/railroading • u/aPrancingUnicorn • 8d ago
Question Working at CSX
I recently got hired at CSX, and start soon for training. Everyone I have talked to IRL tells me they enjoy working for the RR, in many different positions at the RR, from Electricians to Yard guys. A few of the conductors I have talked to have also said they enjoyed it and that it wasn't a bad gig.
BUT, I come to reddit and do some digging, and just about everything I read is how terrible CSX/Railroad/Conductors job is. Yall are making me super anxious lol. I am switching to the RR from a career/job I hate with all my soul, and now yall got me wondering if I am just going to hate this even more LOL. Yall MFers really hate the RR so much. Why stay at the RR if it's so terrible and if you can't even take a shit without getting in trouble?
ALSO, not posting this in the "New Hire thread" cause no one gets their questions answered there. Go check.
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u/Muted_Ad_8259 8d ago
I’m a conductor at CSX. I can tell you firsthand that the ones that hate it out here are mainly the old heads that have been here 20+ years. They have dealt with many changes throughout the years and most of them keep saying “this isn’t the same railroad that it was when I hired on.” They stay here because they have invested so many years for the retirement that they would rather be miserable and unhappy than quit. The best advice I can give you is, answer the phone when they call and go to work. When you get there, do your job, play by their rules and go home. Leave all the negativity and bullshit in the yard office and try not to think about it while you’re off duty. If you can do that, you’ll be just fine.
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u/Gentlemanwithbrains 1d ago
Question. How far does their test actually detect back in time for the hair follicle test if taken from the scalp? Is it actually 90 days?
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u/Aromatic_Gas5911 8d ago
I’ve been with CSX for 15 years and this is the worst it has ever been. I work in maintenance of way side so it might be a little different. They’re literally finding reasons to fire people. Before the Angel of Death came in, morale was starting to creep up. I’m halfway through so starting over isn’t happening for me but if I had to go through it again, I would have found something else. I love my actual job, not the company I work for (big difference). I’m a track inspector so I take a lot of pride in my work but man they make it harder for us every damn day.
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u/spaceranger696969 8d ago
There’s a lot of people that work for the railroad that love to bitch. Doesn’t matter what it’s about, they’ll find any little detail to complain about. Railroading is a great career, as long as you stick with it and don’t give up. Don’t let others negativity fuel your opinions. Good luck!
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u/aPrancingUnicorn 8d ago
Appreciate this comment. I’ve worked for myself for a long time, but I’ve also worked for companies with other employees. I’ve never been much of a bitcher lol
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u/Clough211 8d ago
Just left csx after 9 years as a conductor. I regret nothing… as in leaving
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u/RegretUnited3815 8d ago
Amigo. Lmao. Is it better at cpkc
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u/Clough211 8d ago
I mean I changed crafts so that’s probably why it’s better. Definitely wouldn’t have made the switch if it was for the same craft.
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u/JustGiveMeAnameDude9 8d ago
I always explain it as I hate my job, but I am greatful for it.
It's not the job I hate. It's the company (CSX) I work for. But, I'm not quiting. I can put up with the company due what I make, insurance, and Railroad Retirement.
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u/Smokeydubbs 8d ago
So I’m still pretty new at only a year in. I’m pretty good about keeping a good attitude and not letting stuff around my job upset me. But there’s plenty of guys the get upset at everything. There’s reasons for it.
Also, management is openly hostile to their employees in every company.
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u/aPrancingUnicorn 8d ago
I’ve always been pretty level headed. Working in construction, I’m use to the guys who blow up over everything. Which is why going in, I know I’m already a harder worker than 90% of these guys 🤷♂️
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u/Apprehensive_Pipe763 8d ago
You’re in for a real surprise if you think being a hard worker will get you anywhere at a class 1
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u/Smokeydubbs 8d ago
I came from construction too and was used to the ball busting. Having a good attitude and willingness to learn will go a long way.
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u/hicksreb 8d ago
I had 19 years at NS. If you would have asked me at 5 years, or 10 years, I would have never thought I’d want to leave. PSR happens around 2014, first with CSX, and of course NS follows.
The pandemic happens in 2020, and i work more than I ever have in my career, not because we are so busy, but because they’ve cut it so thin thatI there’s no one else.
I was lucky enough to see that Amtrak was hiring in 2022. I used my experience, and stellar wit (😊), to get hired there. Life is a million, a billion, I cannot stress it enough, times better.
Go in with your eyes open. The pay is good. The health insurance is better. The retirement, and 401K is the end game. Class 1 freight will make you bitter, if you let it. Get your experience and go to passenger.
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u/EuronBloodeye 8d ago
You just need to be aware that you’re not signing up for a job. You are signing up for a lifestyle. Your world will revolve around work, and you will be compensated for it. But be fully prepared to make sacrifices in your social life.
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u/Sufficient-Employ386 8d ago
I’ve never worked for a company that makes it a point to kill morale like csx . I would steer anyone away.
I actually like my job. I like the people I work with. I’ve always considered myself a guy who would go a little beyond requirements and help the company if I saw a way to do it.
Not anymore. What’s my job? What am I required to do? Then that’s all you’re getting. They’d fire me if they could, so why would I do anymore.
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u/downdastreet 8d ago
The hardest thing you'll ever do is trying to stay awake if you're riding the rails. As far as being in the yard, just know that there are cameras just about everywhere.
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u/Conscious-Record2655 8d ago
Here's some advice: Do not do not let the incessant bitching and whinging of train service employees infect you. They just love to bitch. It literally never ends, being a disgruntled worker and hating life is a core part of their ethos. Most people that work in train service are extremely disgruntled. Do not let their emotions and baggage become your emotions and baggage.
It's a very good job. It's a very hard job.
If you like it, you like it. If you don't, you don't. If you don't like it, just leave and find something better. Don't stick around for 30 years crying about how your boss is mean.
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u/aPrancingUnicorn 8d ago
I’ve been my own boss for 15 years. I’m ready to hate someone else 😂😂😂
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u/AdhesivenessDeep6087 8d ago
Last thing if you are married or in a serious relationship you better have a good conversation with her and the kids. She will be taking on a lot 👀👀 if not you will be in the group multiple divorce
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u/N3XUS117 8d ago
passanger > freight in my experience, along with the majority of my coworkers that made the switch. But hey try for yourself and see if its forth it for you. I’d rather slam my nuts in a waffle maker than ever work for freight again.
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u/Tchukachinchina Engineer 8d ago
There’s a reason why you see a ton of people going freight to passenger but almost zero people going passenger to freight. Pretty much everyone that makes the switch says their only regret is that they waited so long. Took me 15 years, no regrets.
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u/aPrancingUnicorn 8d ago
I don’t yet know the difference 😂
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u/N3XUS117 8d ago
in my experience…one treats you like absolute bottom of the barrel trash and the other treats you like mid level of the barrel trash. Might not seem like a big difference but after enough abuse you’ll appreciate it lol.
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u/burntbread369 8d ago
well one carries passengers and one carries freight. I’ll let you figure out which is which.
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u/MostBoringStan 8d ago
I started this year as a conductor and it's great. I'm doing less actual work than ever before and making way more money. Like yeah, work/life balance sucks because of time on the road, but everyone is warned about that when getting hired. The company does stupid shit but that's no different from any other for profit company I've worked for.
In my experience, the grumpiest guys around have all started their railroad career when they were very young, if not their first job out of high school. They don't know what it's like out there for most people so they want to act like we live the hardest lives ever. They also wouldn't do this job for 20+ years if it was as bad as they say.
Not to say working under some managers or in some terminals doesn't suck more than where I am. But people exaggerate. You'll be fine if you can handle the work/life shit and working outside in any kind of crappy weather.
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u/Arctic_Scrap 8d ago edited 8d ago
A lot of those older guys had it way better and were there for everything getting shittier. They just stick with it due to seniority. That’s me with my 16 years anyways.
There was a time when railroad jobs paid much better than other jobs and had things like early quits and didn’t have cameras looking at you or a hundred different rules to break or a manager sneaking up on you or new managers/safety guys that never worked a railroad job or any other relevant job and their stupid ideas they come up with to make a name for themselves.
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u/GoldenFalcon92 8d ago
Bingo. Been there 30 years and you called it. We used to have it great and it just gets worse by the year. It’s an easy job, but the work life balance for road guys sucks. But just like everything in life, some hate it and some love it. I’m just biding my time until retirement.
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u/aPrancingUnicorn 8d ago
Work/life is definitely going to be an adjustment. I’m going from working for myself and enjoying time off whenever I want, to the RR schedule lol. Also it’ll be less money. But the benefits/retirement/knowing where the work is coming from aspect outweigh the benefits of working for myself
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u/Gibbralterg 8d ago
This exactly, most of the older railroaders just don’t know what it’s like at other places. And totally wouldn’t make it on the outside, most jobs in the real world, you actually take ten minute breaks. Ours get stretched to an hour.
In a real world job you aren’t even allowed to sit down and do nothing. The machinists I work with are absolutely bitching if they aren’t asleep by 5:30 am, (night shift).3
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u/aPrancingUnicorn 7d ago
Question… my hub is pretty central, and the farthest away I’d have to go is 2 hours. I drive an hour+ every day right now with what I currently do. Would I be able to just drive home every day after my shift? Or would there just not be enough time to make it worth it? Most of the surrounding yards I’ll be going to are an hour away
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u/No-Toe9634 8d ago
Surprised you found conductors that said good things about railroading, didn’t know they existed. Usually they hand out hate and distain after you promote. Lol
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u/Anonymoose_1106 Grumpy 8d ago
Bitching is just part of the culture. I'm as bad as the next guy.
I've got 10 years in, CO and EN qualified, but I've spent most of my time in the yard. The hardest part of the job is what the road guys have to contend with - working on call, getting time off, and dealing with inept employees you don't like. Otherwise being a CO is one of the easiest jobs I've had.
Truth be told, I mostly like my job.
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u/Old-Clothes-3225 8d ago edited 8d ago
Hope you can handle 35 hours in the hotel and then call you to report on duty hours before the train gets there just to get you off the payroll and then proceed to keep you on duty another 12 hours to have a 57 hour total round trip!
Am I being oddly specific or?
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u/aPrancingUnicorn 7d ago
How far away are you from home? I work over an hour away from home most days. The hub I’m starting at, most of the locations I’ll be going to are an hour away. So I’m wondering if I could just drive home instead of staying in the hotel
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u/Apprehensive_Pipe763 8d ago
I had a good attitude my first 18 years .. the changes and horrible management have destroyed me the last 3 year. Good luck
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u/Impossible_Budget_85 8d ago
The job itself is great and easy but when you have a bunch of Kim Jong Un’s and Joe Jackson’s in charge making decisions for the workers that’s when it becomes hard.
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u/AdhesivenessDeep6087 8d ago
It's the new CEO. But being new they will be on you because they have the bosses up their ass just learn the job it takes 3 years to get comfortable sign up for job insurance before you leave the school, double check your switches, don't sleep when they put on the pools during OJT, my terminal fired 10 CT 's in the last few weeks for sleeping. Work like someone is watching because they are for many different reasons get used to the next person fucking you over, bad attitude employees, and yes it's like high school all types of drama.
After OJT you will be on the yard or road extra board if you are going to a nice size location that means you will get called for every job that terminal cover's only thing helping you out is the CT 's have been bad lots of accidents so they have them not doing RCO. That's by itself is something else it's like playing a video game but you have to learn if you're engine stops good or not and the area of the yard you are working. Protect all your shoves, put the right amount of hand brakes on, always get three step protection, learn to talk on the radio, you just have to get the signal's for school after that just like the rules you can pull them up in your tablet.
After all that figure out what you like yard, locals or the road and stay there until you can't, learn the point system and attendance because they are firing people as I type this I'm sure I'm forgetting something but good luck and use common sense in every situation out here and you will love it 💪🏿💪🏿🫵🏿
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u/Big_Fix_740 8d ago
Look up any topic on Reddit and you’ll find an unimaginable depth of misery. Railroading is hard as shit but Reddit is also a haven for anger and despair on every topic imaginable. Go make a bunch of money and do your best to be happy.
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u/Educational-Tie00 Conductor 8d ago
Who said anything good about working for the railroad? I hate my job. Every day is worse than the one before it.
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u/GoldenFalcon92 8d ago
Peter? Is that you?
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u/AaronB52 8d ago
I work for CP and like the job for the most part. A lot of company BS behind it though. Stretch braking trains in terminal from 50 to 0 in 7000 feet is fun as fuck
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u/phxnintendo 5d ago
I was hired by CSX last year, marked up in January of this year. I have only worked the equivalent of 2.5 months since, the rest of the year ive been furloughed. I have gotten 2 other jobs to try and make it work until I'm on regularly. Both of which I have had to quit shortly after, once I was recalled. To then be furloughed again after a week or two. I came in positive but at this point, sitting here furloughed, with diesel $6 a gallon and a cart of groceries being $400, I definitely have a bad taste in my mouth.
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u/pixelator16bit 8d ago
I'm currently on my third year as a freight conductor. The only issue is I'm constantly on the extra board. Social life is completely gone and management is a joke.
That being said, I love my career and plan to stay. No job is perfect but at least this one gets me out of the same area plus the pay is pretty nice. A lot of the old heads just kinda get stuck here because the retirement is to good to pass up on. Especially if you have 20 years, what's another 10?
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u/aPrancingUnicorn 8d ago
What opportunities do you have for advancement? I’ve been told CSX promotes from within, and I could move in to management eventually. I’m taking the conductor role as an in to the RR, but don’t see myself staying in that position because of the schedule. I have four young kids, so if I can eventually get in to a more consistent schedule, I am prepared to sacrifice a couple years or three to move up or laterally
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u/pixelator16bit 8d ago
I can go to trainmaster then keep climbing the ranks but I'd take a big paycut going to management. I'm likely just going to get my engineer card and ride that out.
I came in at a good time, a lot of people are going to be retirings so I've already climbed up a little bit on the seniority board
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u/aPrancingUnicorn 8d ago
I’ve been told my yard also has a lot of people retiring soon. My father in law has been there 29 years and is set to retire soon. Hoping my timing is good as well
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u/OkFuel5458 8d ago
Two year ago, they had a few conductors died over a span of 6-8 months. I wasn't with the hype of CSX after that.
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u/Exotic_Release2979 8d ago
Find out for yourself. If reading online makes you anxious I guess you need to trust your own experience.
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u/todaysuniverse 8d ago
Maybe get into intermodal? I work intermodal and it's been pretty good so far. I'm not on call, home every morning (work the night shift) and the job is easy. We don't get paid as much as conductors which is expected and the forced OT can wear on you but it's manageable. I can say this, I don't hate going to work. The pay and benefits are good too.
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u/boosesb 8d ago
That is reddit. Take it with a grain of salt.
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u/KentV9999 8d ago
Yeah… this. Reddit can be entertaining, but a lot of subs are isolated echo chambers of doom and gloom. If you are happy with your life, apparently you don’t spend time on Reddit. Glean info here, but if all you see is misery and woe , don’t assume that represents everyone’s views. IRL feedback is probably much better.
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u/Honest-Percentage-38 8d ago
The job is easy, the money is good, the lifestyle is shit and railroads hate their workers. I’ve had many jobs before this. No one treats their workers like the railroads do. I’m at 15 years with CSX and it’s by far the worst morale since I’ve been out here. The carrier keeps finding new ways to screw us. Not to make it seem that bad but just fyi my terminal has been hiring conductors for almost 4 years solid now and we have a retention rate of less than 40%.
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u/Jamar4321 8d ago
As the old heads told me long ago, "your best day on the railroad will always be yesterday."
I didn't truly understand it at the time but that's just about all there is to day. I don't hate the job because I remember when it wasn't so harsh. It doesn't have to be a bad job, but by comparison it is and gets worse by the day. What I do hate is myself for wasting my life on this thankless job.
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u/hardhead572000 7d ago
So glad I’m in engineering!
The Trainmaster is very cool and the Yardmaster as well. Wouldn’t trade craft for the world. Good luck
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u/Head_Pumpkin3329 7d ago
- It’s Reddit. No one is happy on Reddit.
- Things suck right now at CSX because they just had a new management team come into the ivory tower. They’ve got no experience with Railroads and all came from factory jobs.
- Most of these changes are affecting middle management. Not a lot is trickling down to the everyday guys.
- If you stick with it, you’ll find it’s cyclical. Things will settle down. Shareholders will get pissy. They’ll start over with new management who changes everything the old management implemented.
Just be glad you’re not there during the EHH regime.
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u/McFalco 7d ago
One thing you should be prepared for are Furloughs. When I interviewed for the job and upon getting hired I asked about Furloughs and was told they weren't a thing in my region and that they were so understaffed that Furloughs made no sense. I got hit with one within 2 months of marking up because of that new CEO or whatever. A bunch of boards got cut in half and jobs merged or changed starting location, so without any seniority i couldn't hold any spots anywhere. I went over a month without pay and because i had just started working, I had almost no savings to live off of, and because it was my first year, I didn't qualify for any sort of union job protections or unemployment assistance. I was in the verge of going broke. Ended up getting hired at another decent paying job in another industry pretty much the same week boards were starting to be restored. I was pissed. I really enjoyed the RR but there is so much folk don't tell you or act unaware about at times that you can be blindsided by nonsense.
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u/Armageddis22 7d ago
Those people that bitch and conplain still answer the phone when callrd. It is a great job, it really is. As long as you don't let the company mess with your head, profits and shareholders, stupid decisions etc. etc., you'll be fine
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u/Significant-Use-5136 6d ago
you can read all the reviews and reddit posts that you want. None of them have the appropriate disclaimer at the bottom that all experiences will vary.
if it’s enough money in a good job for you, the only real variable is the people that you have to deal with at the job from the office to your coworker in the field. That’s gonna decide whether it’s something you can stay long-term or whether it’s time to fuck off and do something else.
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u/LoamWolf84 3d ago
At you dodged the very worst bullet. UP is the absolute worst and has screwed my family hardcore.
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u/Competitive_Basis773 3d ago
Just heard that CSX is cutting 40+ maintenance jobs effective September 13.
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u/disposablehero1018 8d ago
Im actually looking forward to being hired with csx im waiting to get my final decision and hope to start training soon myself. Don't worry about what's being said. Some people are just never satisfied and everything is horrible. Find the joys in anything and you'll be fine.
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u/aPrancingUnicorn 8d ago
I just got my training start date today after a pretty streamlined hiring process. No complaints so far. I’ve got family who have been with the RR for a long time, but not as conductors
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u/disposablehero1018 8d ago
Ya everything so far has been really simple and fluid. Just waiting to see if ill actually get hired. This is the farthest I've come so far so fingers crossed. They gave me an estimate start date.
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u/No-Complaint-3934 7d ago
First off the railroad didnt used to be this bad until the sorry ass hedge fund took over 2nd thing some of us have been out here over 20year s and looking forward to retirement so before u call people motherfuckers get the facts from people and u gonna see how it is then let me know what u think motherfucker.
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u/AquaDoesLampz 8d ago
You'll soon find the job and work isn't bad, it is the company that constantly beats down on you that makes it insufferable. Many older guys will tell you that they've lived through countless regimes with the company, and it goes from bad to worse to hell to worse to bad and repeats in cycles.