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How to become a train engineer?
Tell us everything we need to do to become a train engineer!
Note: Given the growing interest in the transportation field, we're inviting our experienced professionals to share their knowledge.
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3 answers
Donald knapik
VP/ Founding Member at DO iT, LLC
80
Answers
Paoli, Pennsylvania
Updated
Donald’s Answer
Good afternoon,
Your question will require a rather comprehensive answer and as a former Engineer, Designated Supervisor of Engineers on the Northeast Corridor, General Manager of the MBTA (Boston) Rail Commuter Service, Vice President for Customer Service for Amtrak on the Northeast Corridor and Product Line Director for Acela Service, I 'm pleased to hear of your interest in a railroad career and will give you some ideas on how you might get started.
The position of Locomotive Engineer is a very desirable position in the railroad industry. It has good compensation, health and other benefits and is covered by the Railroad Retirement System. Generally speaking, the first candidates for engineer positions will be employees of the railroad who have demonstrated that they are reliable employees in other parts of the industry, have excellent work performance and understand the conditions they would be working in, and understand the responsibility for the safe and efficient operation of trains. While there are many safety systems on trains today, the judgement and knowledge required of the engineer cannot be understated. These positions also come with great responsibility. These are predominantly union positions which will require you to join a labor organization. All positions require a physical exam and annual (and periodic) screening for drugs and alcohol. There is great competition for these positions. There are few positions that will give you the experience you need. Working on transit systems, commuter trains, or bus transit would be looked at favorably as related experience. Formal training if available will also be helpful. It is sometimes much easier to access these positions as a current employee of a railroad. And, most require a year in a position before making a transfer. A company starting a new service will be different so it would be important to understand how they would be hiring.
Training for engineers is" generally" done by the railroad you work for. Even engineers with prior experience will generally be required to attend and successfully complete training on a new railroad. There are some community colleges that offer courses in railroad operations that may give an applicant a "leg up" in getting hired, but learning about equipment, safety rules, operational rules, physical characteristics ( speeds, placement of signals, locations etc) and qualification / certification will all be required. You will find that most railroads will require high scores in training (in general subjects 85% and in critical knowledge 100% (For tests on of all signals you might encounter and their operational meaning). There will then be a period of on the job training, where you would be assigned to a qualified engineer until you had sufficient experience and had demonstrated proficiency in all the ares in which you received training. The length of time required varies greatly among railroads, think many many months for a brand new engineers. Your compensation will be gauged by the union agreement you are working under. You would then the certified after successfully making several qualification trips.
As a new engineer, you will generally establish "seniority" in your craft when you become certified, although this may vary depending on the railroad. The reality is, that the engineers last hired will work on a "spare board" which means being available to work jobs with a few hours notice.
As you gain more seniority, you would be able to hold regular jobs with assigned days off and specific runs (the routes you would operate over). It may take years before a new engineer will be working "normal hours". On freight railroads runs are often long, require a layover at a crew base and a long rune back. Commuter lines work mainly Monday through Fridays with less service on weekends. Regional and High Speed service are, in my opinion, the most desirable, and have the best schedules. Please keep in mind that many railroads operate 24 hours a day / 7 days a week. They operate on Holidays and they expect to have crews to operate those trains too. It takes a certain amount of dedication to "pay your dues" before you get to the "good life". Be ready to compromise your social life when required. Here in the Northeast, crews get a two hour call .... for a train that starts at 600A, that means you would get the call at about 330A. It's not for everybody.
The engineers on the Amtrak "Acela" Trains operated on the Northeast Corridor will generally be the most experienced engineers, have undergone specialized training, passed train simulator train and testing, an on train evaluation and certification. That said, these engineers take vacation, get sick or take time off for various reasons and those jobs are filled by spare engineers who are qualified. There is an Amtrak Training Center in
Wilmington, DE where most training for train service (conductors) and engineers takes place. When high speed trains operate in California, I'm sure there will be similar requirements.
Once you are established as a reliable, skilled, safe, experienced engineer, you may be able to get a position as a training engineer, supervisor of locomotive engineers or other management position on your or another railroad. I think as mass transit grows, the demand for engineers will be good. From the engineer who operates a switch engine in a rail yard , to an engineer who operates a train at over 150 MPH over long distances, it is, for the right person, an excellent career, a job that is personally satisfying, socially important and environmentally friendly. In my case, I would often tell people, "I don't have to work here, I get to work here".
Good luck on your further exploration of this career.
Don Knapik
Find and talk with current railroad employees to find what conditions are like on local railroads. By all means, ride some trains if possible to observe and get the feel of the actual operation.
The Railroad Retirement Board keeps a listing of railroad jobs that are available throughout the USA and some in Canada. Many will also have job descriptions or the location and type of work available.
Knowing the operating and safety rules, the routes and equipment on the railroad you hope to work on helps in an interview.
Look at schedules to see when trains operate on the railroad you are considering so you have an idea when you would be typically working.
Find a knowledgeable railroad employee who might mentor or coach you, especially when you get started. Many are pleased to be asked.
Your question will require a rather comprehensive answer and as a former Engineer, Designated Supervisor of Engineers on the Northeast Corridor, General Manager of the MBTA (Boston) Rail Commuter Service, Vice President for Customer Service for Amtrak on the Northeast Corridor and Product Line Director for Acela Service, I 'm pleased to hear of your interest in a railroad career and will give you some ideas on how you might get started.
The position of Locomotive Engineer is a very desirable position in the railroad industry. It has good compensation, health and other benefits and is covered by the Railroad Retirement System. Generally speaking, the first candidates for engineer positions will be employees of the railroad who have demonstrated that they are reliable employees in other parts of the industry, have excellent work performance and understand the conditions they would be working in, and understand the responsibility for the safe and efficient operation of trains. While there are many safety systems on trains today, the judgement and knowledge required of the engineer cannot be understated. These positions also come with great responsibility. These are predominantly union positions which will require you to join a labor organization. All positions require a physical exam and annual (and periodic) screening for drugs and alcohol. There is great competition for these positions. There are few positions that will give you the experience you need. Working on transit systems, commuter trains, or bus transit would be looked at favorably as related experience. Formal training if available will also be helpful. It is sometimes much easier to access these positions as a current employee of a railroad. And, most require a year in a position before making a transfer. A company starting a new service will be different so it would be important to understand how they would be hiring.
Training for engineers is" generally" done by the railroad you work for. Even engineers with prior experience will generally be required to attend and successfully complete training on a new railroad. There are some community colleges that offer courses in railroad operations that may give an applicant a "leg up" in getting hired, but learning about equipment, safety rules, operational rules, physical characteristics ( speeds, placement of signals, locations etc) and qualification / certification will all be required. You will find that most railroads will require high scores in training (in general subjects 85% and in critical knowledge 100% (For tests on of all signals you might encounter and their operational meaning). There will then be a period of on the job training, where you would be assigned to a qualified engineer until you had sufficient experience and had demonstrated proficiency in all the ares in which you received training. The length of time required varies greatly among railroads, think many many months for a brand new engineers. Your compensation will be gauged by the union agreement you are working under. You would then the certified after successfully making several qualification trips.
As a new engineer, you will generally establish "seniority" in your craft when you become certified, although this may vary depending on the railroad. The reality is, that the engineers last hired will work on a "spare board" which means being available to work jobs with a few hours notice.
As you gain more seniority, you would be able to hold regular jobs with assigned days off and specific runs (the routes you would operate over). It may take years before a new engineer will be working "normal hours". On freight railroads runs are often long, require a layover at a crew base and a long rune back. Commuter lines work mainly Monday through Fridays with less service on weekends. Regional and High Speed service are, in my opinion, the most desirable, and have the best schedules. Please keep in mind that many railroads operate 24 hours a day / 7 days a week. They operate on Holidays and they expect to have crews to operate those trains too. It takes a certain amount of dedication to "pay your dues" before you get to the "good life". Be ready to compromise your social life when required. Here in the Northeast, crews get a two hour call .... for a train that starts at 600A, that means you would get the call at about 330A. It's not for everybody.
The engineers on the Amtrak "Acela" Trains operated on the Northeast Corridor will generally be the most experienced engineers, have undergone specialized training, passed train simulator train and testing, an on train evaluation and certification. That said, these engineers take vacation, get sick or take time off for various reasons and those jobs are filled by spare engineers who are qualified. There is an Amtrak Training Center in
Wilmington, DE where most training for train service (conductors) and engineers takes place. When high speed trains operate in California, I'm sure there will be similar requirements.
Once you are established as a reliable, skilled, safe, experienced engineer, you may be able to get a position as a training engineer, supervisor of locomotive engineers or other management position on your or another railroad. I think as mass transit grows, the demand for engineers will be good. From the engineer who operates a switch engine in a rail yard , to an engineer who operates a train at over 150 MPH over long distances, it is, for the right person, an excellent career, a job that is personally satisfying, socially important and environmentally friendly. In my case, I would often tell people, "I don't have to work here, I get to work here".
Good luck on your further exploration of this career.
Don Knapik
Donald recommends the following next steps:
Krista King
Pre-Sales Solution Consulting
6
Answers
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
Updated
Krista’s Answer
Try reaching out to a local railway station and ask for recommendations. Or look up job descriptions and see what is required of that position as it could guide you to understand where to look and what to look for. Good luck in your search!
Trisha Borme
Talent Acquisition - Hiring
15
Answers
North Kingstown, Rhode Island
Updated
Trisha’s Answer
I just met someone in our town whose son is going to a college in Ohio where they specialize in training engineer professionals. Train is included. She mentioned the library is filled with tools. I thought it was so cool. It's called UNOH. Check it out.