Railroad Conductor REACTS: Canadian National Conductor Recruitment Video

Canadian National has been posting conductor jobs online recently so I had to take a look at their recruitment video and just see how honest they're being with potential candidates. Becoming a railroad freight conductor is a big deal and a big commitment not only for you but for your family also. You will spend more time out on the rails than you do at home with your family. This is something CN has failed to mention in their day in the life conductor video on their website.
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[@Railroad_Talk]

Which company is next?! Reply To this comment with your answer 👍🏼.

[@Raspi454]

BNSF

[@amandas3752]

Kansas City Southern please

[@josephhigdon2204]

What is the manure supporting the engineer. Engineers follow a ten cent light bulb and try to hassle waitresseswith their good looks and fat ass. Weekends nights and holidays, no time for her horses. Fast paced, never sat in a siding for 9 hours. Never had to deal with anyone in management that lied straight to your face. It is nothing more than propaganda. The pay just keeps getting worse. Air hoses, in the days we called it snapping weenies

[@blowmeyotbweknowugoodfklit2549]

The 2 fittings are called glad hands.

[@Jjj-uu1sc]

​@@josephhigdon2204 Not true, CN Engineers make $56 hr., Conductor $50 making more than ever before. Unbelievable earning potential!

[@mangore623]

Well, having read these comments here, I’d like to point out a few facts of life: All jobs suck, and all good jobs entail making similar sacrifices and require a high commitment level. If you’re a mechanical engineer you spend four years in university learning about shit that will never see the light if day again when your university education ends. You live like a pig in shit for four years, and have zero life. When you graduate, your REAL training begins, and you’re not earning huge amounts of money. You bounce around from employer to employer, and if you fuck up on anything, all that invested time energy money is gone instantly. Most engineers have a life going from feast to famine. How about a police officer? Good money, but your life is so shit that it makes the shit offered by CN look like a holiday on a cruise ship. How about a career at sea? Same shit. Complete commitment, no life, and you spend years starving waiting for a full-time job to appear. My stepfather is a doctor, or the absolute pinnacle of shit jobs. Listen, guys, there is NO magic job out there that gives you tons of money without a lot of bullshit attached. If you want to have money, pick a job that you hate the least, and embrace the sucky bullshit.

[@shizuohewajima4146]

Best life advise ever !

[@jeramiahnguyen1800]

Worked for CN for a while. You’ll make 100k starting out the door. Great pay, highest paying railroad out there. Some conductors were making $130-150k a year. Still a class one however, with a lots of BS.

[@chrisrich7281]

Well from your experience working with this company do you think that’s company to good company to work for it I’m thinking about taking consideration of applying for it but also I will have to relocate what do you thinks?

[@jeramiahnguyen1800]

@@chrisrich7281 it’s a hard life, but the money is great. Just have to decide what you want

[@mountainclawoutdoors]

Decide what you want There is no decision, make us our money. That's it, you worker

[@blowmeyotbweknowugoodfklit2549]

@@jeramiahnguyen1800 work on a service rig just as good a money maybe be better work even harder and sleep in my own bed every night.

[@josefiol9520]

hello how can I do to work in a service rig? can I contact you via email? Have a great night 👍🏻

[@jaggeh3340]

CN and CP are the closest options I have been interested in. CP really pushes the "no life outside of work" up front, but neither company really explains how the pay works during training and for the 45 required trips after/during training. Hard to plan for it and I remember an acquaintance dropping out during the training period because they couldn't afford the lifestyle at first.

[@ConductorDon]

You are heavily pretaxed at the railroad. You will probably only take home 50 to 55 percent of your gross pay.

[@jaggeh3340]

@@ConductorDon we live in Canada, the government taxes us 40% up front. The pay might just move you into a higher tax bracket unless it's something else.

[@dknowles60]

@@ConductorDon but the gross pay is very high

[@bradbradshaw8639]

training from start to finish is gonna be around 5-7 months at cn, after taxes you'll probs get paid like $1400 biweekly while training. hope this helps

[@dknowles60]

@@bradbradshaw8639 that figure cant be right a new burger king worker in my town will get 1000 after taxes bi weekly

[@discos_out_murders_in6899]

Something I would like to note to people interested in becoming a Conductor, if you're working the road there will be times where you have to do yard work before you leave your terminal. Train Master will give you a switch list of what cars you need, this will sometimes mean going from one yard to another yard to get the others. This can include bad order cars that need to be set out on a different track. Long story short don't always expect things to go smoothly at this job. Still do the job safely but know your rights, if you're stuck doing yard work to build your train and it takes 5 hours to do so that is still time on your ticket for the day.

[@discos_out_murders_in6899]

Also fuck CN

[@txscos2631]

Im 20 years old and been a conductor in Winnipeg for cn for about 8 months now not including training time. I honestly cannot complain much about the training process or job. Fantastic job if you’re single and young, and by the time you have a couple years seniority you’ll be able to hold a scheduled yard job. Pay is fantastic, holding a yard job for a year estimate around 80k-90k Canadian, road would be around 110k-130k average I’d say. I haven’t yet had to experience layoffs, I’m on shortage right now in Prince George Canada making shit tons of money so if you can handle getting shipped away for a couple months it’s pretty rewarding. Not really sure why some people hate cn so much, at least as of right now. Management is very approachable, they let you work at your own pace and don’t bug you much, at least in Winnipeg that’s the case ;) would recommend this job if you can adapt your sleep easily. Update: I got fired with a clean record and now am starting with CP soon

[@alb12345672]

I am in upstate NY there is a Selkirk,NY yard one of the largest yards in the US tons of CP and CSX trains there. Some CN. I wonder if those trains go all the way thru Canada. Big RR industry with jobs around here.

[@pulkpuller]

Anyone who says campus is a good training center is 🤡😅 nothing like reality

[@heinjordaan9258]

What’s the work like in Prince George?

[@txscos2631]

@@heinjordaan9258 there’s cn side and there former bcr side, both are owned by cn(obviously) but they have separate agreements. Cn side does east and west runs,former bcr does north and south runs. Cn side is way more pay but you sacrifice time off, only 14 hours rest after every shift but you do have a call window, former bcr every time you work you can take 72 hours off if you so choose. Way more freedom. If you hire on you probably won’t get to choose which side you get put to, but in my opinion both side are good! Lots of road shifts on both sides but bcr has lots more yards.

[@bossguy8301]

Hey bro I have a interview with cn tomorrow for a conductor position in vancouver bc how long will it take for me to have a set schedule im 42 years old is it worth it at my age for the job thanks man

[@EqualizerPG]

Shes bucking for manager. Former CN Trainee here. Your gonna have a lot of money, no life. And if you have a spouse its not likely they'll stay with you living this life. "Fast Paste Environment" equals management yelling at you to work faster, safety be damned. I miss the money but quitting we the best idea I ever had. Toxic workplace isn't strong enough to describe CN Rail.

[@ConductorDon]

I actually found the money disappointing. Really sucked making 4- 4.2k every 2 weeks and only taking home 2.2 to 2.4k

[@Wergrun]

@@ConductorDon are you sure? Im a CT at NS and made about 2.2k and took home 1.8k. Onmy best check it was like 3.1k and 2.3k

[@jonnycando]

@@Wergrun It’s real but it’s blood money, you don’t want a CN/CP style agreement!

[@jaggeh3340]

@@ConductorDon 8k a month pre-tax is impressive. Taxes already take 35-40% of my cheque anyway so paying another 10% for union dues and retirement isn't that bad of a wage. My non railroad pay last month would have been over 7k but after taxes I only took home 4k. No union dues, no retirement fund, no stock options. Gotta be something else going on to be disappointed with the railroad.

[@benjlar1902]

not all true, and how do you miss the money on training rate?

[@brtecson]

if a glad hand locks too easy, it didn't lock and it'll leak. at least that's what i tell my trainees as a double/triple trailer truck driver trainer. it seems like there's a lot of similarities between trucking and railroad work. but railroad people work harder and rightfully get paid more, credit where credit is due. thanks for the upload

[@Railroad_Talk]

You're right, working around trailers now. If that glad hand isn't snug you can hear it leaking. There are a lot of glad hands that have smaller leaks on a train but as long as that pressure gets to the required pressure they will let it roll

[@pulkpuller]

@@Railroad_Talk let it roll in the summer not now … car man on shift changing a ton of gaskets today

[@Railroad_Talk]

@@pulkpuller oh yeah i bet they’re a lot more vital than down here. I can’t imagine how long it takes to get that flow down 🤣

[@pulkpuller]

@@Railroad_Talk I just walked a 119 car stretch all t box. A couple dozen gaskets and a few shoes. A hundred or so cable ties through glad hands for peaking prevention since were around -10. We will keep yard air on as long as the air is within 10 cars of the head end because transportation won’t walk more then that 😆

[@ConductorDon]

It's not always necessarily going to be physically demanding. It depends on what job you have to work. I probably spent about 80% of my time sitting in a seat staring out the windshield. Knuckles really aren't that bad either. You don't have to carry them by hand to the separation. If you can lift a bag of quickrete at Lowes, then you can lift a knuckle.

[@25mfd]

how's it going donald... i thought i saw you wrote a few months ago you gave up on the railroad... yea buddy join the club, i was 10 years in and bailed... had enough... they kept taking helpers off the switch engines, then started taking whole switch engines off... i wondered if the place would still be there when i retired... i hired on in 93, if i was still there now i'd have 29... with another 8 to go before i could retire... i can honestly say i don't see that place surviving another 8 years so i'm happy with my choice... although i do admit i miss working there, i truly became a railroad man at heart... but for my own personal experience, the toxic culture coupled with the overall employment uncertainty forced me to look elsewhere for work

[@ConductorDon]

@@25mfd I was actually really proud to call myself a railroader and took pride in what I did. If they hire at my local terminal in the future, I might try to go back. I lived over 2 hrs from the terminal I worked at and would have to start driving when I was 2nd out to make it on time. There weren't any vacant apartments close by and the ones that were available were way to expensive. The final straw was the fact they were actively hiring at the terminal 30 minutes from my house and I asked multiple times to transfer there. Management seemed on board with it when I initially asked. After asking for an update the 4th time and once again being told they needed to "wait 1 more month," I finally came to the conclusion they were just stringing me along. At that point I decided I was done. I'll never understand why they thought it was worth losing me over that considering how desperate they are for people. They would have lost a conductor, but the other terminal would have gained one right away that would have only needed to CQ for a few trips and then could go straight to work. It wasn't going to put my hire terminal in a bind either, because they literally had 40 cubs there and at least half of them would've been marked up within a month or two. Like I said, if they hire out of that terminal again, I'll probably apply and would consider going back if they offered it to me. It definitely would be a much harder decision now though since I actually know what I'd be signing up for this time.

[@25mfd]

@@ConductorDon oh man yea i've been down that same road, leaving early when i get close to being first out... i lived in milwaukee but worked the pool which was in adams wisconsin ( 3 hr drive)... they give a 2 hr call so yea had to scoot up there early... although i did tell the caller to add a notation to my record to give a long call... that did help some... but unlike your situation i bid to work that pool and wasn't forced... although i was forced to work in another terminal that was a hour and a half one way drive... not too bad but not really fun either... but yea railroading is tough it takes some getting used to... for me one of the issues i had early on was what to wear in the winter... i tried MANY different things and combination of things before i found what worked for me... but it's too bad it didn't work out for you... if it had worked out you could have shared your experiences on your channel... would have been cool to have a guy right there on the inside sharing his info about the railroad and how it works... after watching joeys vids and seeing the questions people ask, i'm surprised at just how many folks are interested in railroading and how it works

[@jackiechan_wtf4041]

I applied for the conductor position for the Steven's Point WI yard. During the Zoom interview, the manager told everyone, and im not joking as quote, "if we pay you a dollar, we want a pound flesh from you", meaning its gonna be shitty, but the pay is amazing. $41/hr staring and after 1 year, your making max pay of $48/hr. Is it worth it? Sure, if you dont have family.

[@Railroad_Talk]

Hey gotta respect his honesty lol. Beats what some of these other carriers did or use to do 🤣

[@sfckrbec]

I came out looking for a second retirement. I'll retire in 3 after 10 years at 60 years old and my second retirement that will replace social security and do a little better. I would never recommend that a young person like her ever hire on. I believe in 10 years the conductor will be off the train, I also believe that in 15 years the engineer will be working in a ground based booth similar to a simulator, while a ground based conductor will be doing the work, either way the job will not be the same and I believe they will find a way to make the money not the same as well. The companies will do their best to contract out the work and make our jobs go away. I firmly believe that we are in the same boat as the last generation of stage coach drivers.

[@matthewmatthew7753]

Glad hand. Is what is on the end of the air hose.

[@heidi22209]

I got a 5 dollar bet says, she isn't an employee anymore.

[@Railroad_Talk]

Maybe so, i would assume she’s in management if she is lol

[@heidi22209]

@@Railroad_Talk H.R. for sure. They have no soul.

[@justwowmanplays2941]

Another user said they had worked with her in Winnipeg during their time. The update is, she is no longer with CN; left to become a city cop in Winnipeg.

[@donmcmillan4388]

It’s not a job it’s a way of life. Be prepared to work crazy hours and having to be on call to make the top dollar. 36 years as a conductor and happily retired.

[@crashandburngaming5103]

My son is in training right now, this is not what he says about trainers lol. And training in general is “shut up and do what I tell you too”

[@wolvesden2770]

The air hose thing she messed up is called a gladhand

[@wolvesden2770]

Also they got a green vest to do this video. They've been with the company less then 2 years, she knows nothing.

[@camaleon18]

What is the pay actually like now in 2023 for a conductor?

[@Railroad_Talk]

Better, i would say start out now is around 70-80k at NS, any other class 1. 90-100k

[@Aceeagle2022]

The rail road is always hiring conductors for more than one reason it’s a good job if your single and not much of a family institution like any company you only get to see what they want you to see I know how cn and cp run there companies and I believe that it is t the safest way or environmentally friendly look up how many derailments happen a year and double it not all are reported they put less money into track structure and wait for derailments to fix up there track so please don’t let anyone blow smoke up your buts

[@90scarguy]

That video was hilarious 😂

[@JohnSmith-lw2bm]

Glad hand air coupling.

[@17Blast]

How safe is it to work with CN?

[@markkays9857]

it's a glad hand

[@furiousmack]

Fat conductor is efficient conductor

[@cwby1978]

You said CP??????? This CN

[@emekaobani1240]

which company would you recommend? CP or CN.

[@mangore623]

Well, I’ll give CN credit for not glamourizing the job, as she clearly states the degree of commitment required, and the marshalling of cars in shitty weather isn’t inviting by any stretch of the imagination. The negatives are choosing a female, as she’s not representing the the majority of the workforce; her stating that she likes to “keep fit” when she’s the same weight as an elephant; and the failing to connect the glad hands correctly. She’s a diversity hire trying to encourage other diversity hires to join the company, which makes it uninviting for 99.9% of everyone else thinking of signing up. This recruitment video gets a C- from me.

[@lesterlattig]

Why, are you, as an ex-conductor, is so destructive towards the RR industry?

[@Railroad_Talk]

Cause my brothers and sisters are still out there being mistreated. I have had several friends die or almost die due to their poor training programs. If i save our life this channel served it’s purpose.

[@Railroad_Talk]

Great question by the way. I know my response may come off wrong.

[@ShayneCaesar]

Sounds an awful lot like trucking….😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@theraven9156]

Update: the girl Meagan in the video left CN to become a winnipeg cop. I worked with her a couple times at CN

[@Nick-ty3dg]

Im looking to apply as a conductor at CN and have questions. Do you know where I should look to get some info?

[@WAL_DC-6B]

@@Nick-ty3dg Perhaps check with a certain Winnipeg, Manitoba police officer.

[@russiandrivers9986]

You Winnipeg some, you Loseipeg some

[@pauljensen5699]

"I enjoy fitness on my off day" A most interesting euphemism for sleeping.

[@Railroad_Talk]

🤣🤣🤣

[@heidi22209]

I was thinking the same. Lol

[@annyer262]

fitness for her horse. It would get fit carrying her heft!

[@annyer262]

fitness for her horse. It would get fit carrying her heft!

[@michaelmcmillan1425]

@@Railroad_Talk LOVE your Honesty Bro!!! You keep it a BUCK!!!

[@CR3271]

6:35 you nailed it. My ex worked in a show barn for a while. The daily chores were intensive, and going to a show was a full day commitment, sometimes multiple days. She couldn't mention anything about being on call 24/7 in this video because it would directly contradict the whole idea of showing horses as a regular hobby.

[@Joe-d7m6k]

Shoveling more manure about CN, then she ever had to shovel out of the horse's stall .

[@johnwiemer5663]

This video was shot in Winnipeg at Symington yard. Shes a Canadian so she doesnt have to worry about the 2 man crew dilemma yet. Also a green vest in Canada means shes been on her own less than a year so shes still in the CN honeymoon phase.

[@codyandrew2029]

We have to worry just as much about it here. Might take a bit longer but the company will push for it sooner or later

[@benjlar1902]

they wanna take the road conductor in the states because they think PTC is a replacement. we dont even use ptc here, yet. still a while away. they work against themselves by running 12k foot trains theres just no possible way, trains break apart too often to not have a conductor

[@25mfd]

@@benjlar1902 back in 2014 the BNSF wanted to create a new position called a "master condr"... this new position would take the condr out of the cab permanently and he would be assigned an area to cover in case of an incident like a break in two

[@benjlar1902]

@@25mfd theres a sub ive run on that has 20 grade crossings in 230 miles. wouldnt work

[@25mfd]

@@howardjamespatterson4119 engr only ops is just a pit stop for the carriers... they're looking past that to NOBODY in the cab... just read an article that says CSX is testing a remote-controlled locomotive system called trip optimizer...(you gotta love the unassuming name they gave their job stealing system)... and CSX is big time bragging about it

[@Traveler007]

Worked for UP and CP. For those thinking about railroading it is extremely challenging work life balance, believe me. You will miss everything with family. You can never really plan anything because the phone will ring unexpectedly ordering you to go to work. The callers/schedulers will call you in the middle of the night trying to trick you into taking trains that aren’t yours. The schedules that they provide online are supposed to give you a roundabout time your train leaves. Good luck with that it’s never accurate. At least once a week you will be caught short and go in dog tired. On top of that you have train, masters, etc. watching your every move. Everyone I worked with exception of a few hated their lives. Divorces and substance abuse run rampant. I was so lucky to get out of that situation because I was miserable. I never got in trouble and always showed up early for work. But everyone around you is doom and gloom. So what you can make $100,000 a year. It is so not worth it. They literally own you. The unions are extremely weak and disorganized. If you get in trouble, usually their hands are tied. Lots of people getting permanently fired(ive been in 5 unions in my life) I have kept in contact with a few people back at the railroad and they’re all wishing they had something better to go to. Also, you have to pay for or should pay for Can insurance. If you don’t know what that is, it is insurance for when you get fired. It’s like unemployment insurance for the railroad. Everyone has it and it can run a few hundred dollars a month. You’ve been warned !!

[@nickwelchoff4677]

Totally agree with you. Worked for the FEC in Florida. All the guys I worked with were divorced & hated there jobs. I was on call 24/7 you can never plan anything. I lasted 2 years. I was so relieved the day I quit.

[@daveyboy_]

How can there be substance abuse when ur tested?

[@bluegrassman3040]

@@daveyboy_some people risk their job sometimes after they’ve been hired in, by using drugs. As long as they don’t get hurt or hit with a random, they skirt on by. My uncle retired from CN, and he told me some of the people that worked out of Memphis would start buying drugs after they were making that good railroad money. Then they would get hurt and loose their job, because they failed their drug test.

[@saintbrando]

Railroading is in the blood. It’s not for everyone. It’s not a place to go because “YOU NEED A JOB”. 27 years in the industry and I’ve seen many people come and go.

[@davejustice7464]

Yes she Didn't make that hose properly but she wouldn't have gone in emergency the air would have never built up

[@Kansas-Trains]

1 quick note that all subsidiary Railroads of the CN work as separate roads under the umbrella of CN RAIL and they all work under local contracts and not under the national agreements. I know because I worked for the GTW under the CN RAIL umbrella.

[@25mfd]

the national agreement short changes workers on arbitraries like dead heading from your away terminal to your home terminal but instead of getting a days pay, you only get time consumed... nice little rip off there... or working a yard engine and being told to tow in a dead road freight that's 25 miles outside of yard limits but NOT getting any extra pay for doing so (both of these scenarios are courtesy of the 1985 p.o.s. national agreement)

[@matthewgroulx3083]

CN is bargaining under the national agreement…..

[@jamesbutson6347]

Yeah, I work for a subsidiary terminal as supervisor. I supervise a crew loading vehicles onto rail cars, have a lot of duties but insuring a safe environment, locking and flagging out switches and obtaining RC numbers are some of my main duties. I get paid much less then a CN yard supervisor and am out in the yard far more then CN supervisors / superintendents … darn subsidiaries.

[@carlparks3034]

How about sunny and 105 on the railroad😂😂😂

[@chancepettis7723]

Ain’t no way she got time to be riding horses when she’s off work! I call cap! I barely have time to shit, shower, shave, snack, & sleep. (Only get 10 hours after you tie up till they call you back to work)

[@chancepettis7723]

“It’s always sunny & 75 on the railroad” ☀️ lmao you funny g

[@Railroad_Talk]

I remember those days being on our pool turn. They will let you sit out of town for 20+ hours but as soon as you get home 10 hours later they’re calling you right off your rest..

[@padenshaw5504]

Ex CP Railway Conductor here out of Calgary. Great work, decent pay. Perfect job for a bachelor with no family or friends. Most employees are overweight and appear much older than they are.

[@chrislang6698]

what made you quit? im currently working with cn as a trainee,.. about 6 months in.. starting to dislike this job

[@samueljack5779]

@@chrislang6698 just got hired at CN, relocate to Jasper, currently working at fort mac clearing 83k a year, is it a good thing to switch

[@adrianang1545]

@@chrislang6698 how come you dislike it?

[@chrislang6698]

@@adrianang1545 I work at the yard in Toronto. The hours are not good, the days off are terrible. It can take years to get a steady night shift job with Tuesday/Wednesday off... The culture seems to be us vs them with management with many rednecks. Seems like you have to know 1000 different rules and because you're working many different jobs on the spareboard.. Sure you can make decent money, but it costs you your life and health!

[@camaleon18]

@@chrislang6698why disliking it? I’m looking to get into it

[@r.ouellette6192]

Im think 3 years make money build equity and dip out to start my farm in Canada elsewhere. I worked as a cook for 10 years 5 to 14 hours doing short orders and preparation... I have nothing to show for it. The pay was garbage and I worked 50 to 70 weekly.

[@davejustice7464]

They don't tell you start at 75% takes your 5 years to get a 100%

[@acura8080]

csx is starting conductors at 100%

[@benjlar1902]

idk where you worked but as soon as you qualify your 100%

[@jeremygriffith3357]

Csx only did the100% if you were currently working their when the contract negotiations were settled. NS starts you off at 80%. I'm currently a conductor

[@acura8080]

@@jeremygriffith3357 csx is still doing the 100%

[@79random]

100% after your training at cn

[@lordmalachi6]

How would these videos compare to a short line conductor? Are the schedules as chaotic and on call based on a road that never leaves the state? (Looking at Watco in WI) I'm pretty sure I couldn't physically handle the job anyway, as a fat 30yo with bad joints, back, feet, and shoulders.. but it's fun to think about.

[@daywalker________7677]

Those brake pipe glad hands were definitely not locked together as you specified. I guess attention to details in recruitment videos is completely unnecessary.

[@Railroad_Talk]

It’s an honest mistake I guess lol. I have mentioned glad hands on my channel for years and that slipped right out of my head and i went with flange lol.

[@daywalker________7677]

@@Railroad_Talk All good. At least you definitely know what you're talking about, especially when it comes to the consequences of cutting in that particular trainline.

[@wainber1]

There’s no doubt that less traditional jobs than the 9-to-5 ones have become commonplace. That said, it’s important for railway companies to give anyone higher to do a safety-critical job, if shift work is involved, more notice than just 3-5 hours or so. Working in rail yards, not just driving trains, involves a lot of danger.

[@trainsofsouthwestmichigan03]

My dad worked for Grand Trunk from 1989-2002

[@ppoutine]

I worked at CN for a few months and it was a mixed bag. Pay was good, the work itself was honestly kinda fun (who doesn't like playing with trains?), but the hours are trash and everyone is miserable. Would be a lot better if they gave you more off time and actually let you have a life but apparently that costs too much for a multi-million dollar company.

[@cprs5000]

Hi great video yes working for the railroad is a life decision it can't be rewarding and the pay is very well however it is grueling I know quite a few people who work on the railroad and have said that

[@25mfd]

a standard railroad P.R. puff piece, in this case, heavily flavored with CN herbs and spices... so yea i didn't expect her to stray too far from the "company propaganda line" at all... she stayed right on track

[@LindaPituccini]

Hey guys, I am on the last step to recruitment for BC, When they talking about salaries, the range that i can find on web is between 90k and 100k per year, now the most important question is : is this amount based on regular 8h working day and the extra hours will increase it up more, or it cover al the 10-12h workdays with shifts and everything? In first case its a great deal, but if those 100k pet year includes ALL workforce & hours to put in its not at all. I have also an option to go with CSX, but it seams they have a worst management ever....

[@diegohorton869]

I hate being on a train more than 5 min. I’m a hump foreman with Fri Sat off. Road work is for the new hires 😂.

[@79random]

🤣🤣🤣 truth. I'll take the pay cut and have a life

[@athanasioskyriazopoulos3000]

Hello guys. I have an oncoming interview for locomotive engineer apprentice. Do you think it’s a stable job or I always have to be afraid of being fired even if there is no serious reason? Thank you. The interview is with CN

[@wardencobb7442]

From all I've seen on this channel and stories I've read on Reddit: the shift work changing daily, being on call and terrible managers trying to get you fired all the time lead me to turn down my offer to be hired. What's the point of having money if you have no life, no wife, no time with your kids, no friends, no free time, no sleep, no nothing? Sure, it might be good for some people -but holy shit this sounds fucking terrible. I know I can do this job with training, I know I can put up with awful managers, I know I can learn and comply with all regulations, I know I'm physically fit -it's the shitty schedule that I'm saying no to. Why is it so bad? I thought their shift work was like nights for a few months and then switches... There's no way in hell this is a safe way to work being that tired all the time.

[@Railroad_Talk]

The main perks I can see just doing it temporarily, 1. Pay off debt quickly or create a large nest egg before leaving and looking for a new job. 2. Experience and looks good on a resume. That’s really about it. It’s not for everybody that’s for sure. It’s a crazy lifestyle

[@wardencobb7442]

@@Railroad_Talk I feel mixed about having to say no to the offer I recieved. The money is lucrative. The work looks enjoyable and I think I'd be great at it. I can't justify the schedule though -and I don't see why it's like that and nobody's fixed it. Maybe if you're interested in teaching that part it would be good content? Anyways, I'm not going to be a railroader and put up with that lifestyle. I could do graveyards every day and swap it throughout the year but I can't handle on call everyday with changing times.

[@chickamaugafisherman1034]

Man I just received an offer from csx and your videos have been great showing what to expect.

[@ConductorDon]

Good luck man. Going to Debutts I assume?

[@antdjones05]

Congrats. What city?

[@chickamaugafisherman1034]

@@ConductorDon yes sir

[@almo9674]

Where

[@chickamaugafisherman1034]

@@ConductorDon you care if I reach out to you and ask you some more questions? seems like your familiar with the area and stuff.

[@Artisan1.618]

I was wondering if Freight Conductor was as intense as Ironwork but the fact that she can do her job in mittens is a dead give away Conductor is much easier!

[@jithupunnoose5643]

Really I'm glad to see these videos, you are doing a good job

[@germanwarrior6463]

I am not a fan of government or government control, but I think they should step in and stop the railroads from eliminating the conductor's job for safety reasons. The railroads already have eliminated two jobs in the past. I think this is nothing more than slowly doing away with human control to robots or unmanned engines. It is more than greed, I think. Just my opinion.

[@michaelzilkowsky2936]

"I am not a fan of government or government control, but I think they should step in and stop the railroads from eliminating the conductor's job for safety reasons." Good point, and it applies to the trucking industry, too. In all of the whining and gnashing of teeth that took place in the aftermath of the Bronco bus accident, with gov't and industry people vowing to 'do something' -- usually more training -- they all studiously avoided the one thing that would have made a difference: paying drivers by the hour. it was bad enough that the driver involved in the accident was a new arrival not only to the country but to the industry (I believe it was his second week after getting his license (from a license mill run by fellow new arrivals)), stack that on top of the fact that this was the first time he was ever in that area AND he sat in Carrot River for five hours as his load of peat moss was being loaded. Imagine what was going through his mind.....where am I.....what the best route to get where I am going.....how long is it going to take for them to load me!?.....I am not being paid while I am sitting here......🤬🤬 Much, perhaps not all, of that could be eliminated or at least minimized by drivers knowing that they're getting paid while they're sitting, and that if it takes five hrs to load the truck that is not their problem, they only have to drive for six or seven hrs until their clock for the day runs out but they've been paid for 13 hrs (which I believe is the max driving time in Canada). Customers and dispatch would have to be a lot more diligent because the responsibility for stuff arriving on time would be on their shoulders, not the driver's because he can only drive X hrs a day. 'no, I can't get loaded in Saskatoon thursday night and be in Seattle for noon on Saturday, despite your car GPS saying it is only 19 hrs to Vancouver.'

[@chooch4544]

LOL let me hear that when she's had to go out in -50 with wind chill, it isn't nice and lol been there done that now retired.

[@Railroad_Talk]

Man I couldn’t imagine.. this Alabama boy is spoiled lol 🤣

[@Byzantios1]

Just a few thoughts: I worked at CP for a few years as a dispatcher. The railway is not a job, its a lifestyle. Forget the 9 to 5. If they have a way of replacing human worker with technology, they will do it in a heartbeat. Railways are ALWAYS looking for ways to cut costs. That said, you can learn much about rail transport. intermodal ops and transportation and logistics in general.

[@Wergrun]

I might be in a super small minority too but I cant stand the idea of 30years railroading and 60 to retire. Fuck that PLEASE tell me I can opt out I’d rather have the money now.

[@pulkpuller]

Why would you work that long …if you are young and work a Cn invest the max stocks and don’t touch them. There is no reason 15 years in you won’t have 300 grand in your portfolio on top of wages !

[@Wergrun]

@@pulkpuller i wouldnt and won’t, i want the money now for exactly the reason you gave. And also a side business

[@anb7408]

They could sum up the entire video by saying: “if you are a railroad conductor, your life will suck 24/7!”

[@DVblast05]

Former CN conductor here , cn job means no life

[@Mostopinionatedmanofalltime]

There’s men in the can better looking than most of these railroad chicks.😅

[@BigDaddy0605]

If we don't strike in a couple weeks, we deserve all the fucking that's coming from the railroad in near future 🤷 have some brass and #VoteNo

[@ConductorDon]

At this point, I hope it happens for you guys. There's way too many ignorant f**ks out there that really need to see what would happen if rail traffic suddenly stopped nationwide.

[@eshyne1]

Strike is never going to happen smh I'm surprise they have let this go on as long as it has. All this voting is pointless, and is really just a courtesy to us. They could end it and except the contract without us even having a day so

[@cedarthetree9041]

Thumbnail is a little clickbaity, don't you think?

[@Railroad_Talk]

That’s the goal of a thumbnail. One of the main metrics KZbin looks at is CTR (click through rate) the higher the more they push your content to new viewers.

[@Outlaw4-3]

on the DM&E part of CP the conductors make about 42 an hour now i'm sure the SOO line will be making like 52 an Hour I miss the job but i don't miss the CP managers they're Aggressive in testing

[@olilam70]

i am a conductor for Mont-joli hahaha you clicked that at 23 secondes

[@jamesfilip3712]

CN, constantly looking to pull you from service.. what a great place to work NOT

[@AllanLoveJr]

In this day of age I don’t even know why anyone would wanna work for the railroad anymore

[@ConductorDon]

Yup. Sad what it's become. I was one of those dumb kids that always wanted to work for the railroad. I got to learn the hard way last year.

[@gevoman3959]

Mostly for benefits and retirement if I had to guess

[@bmoney2175w]

I love it. It’s not hard work

[@railroadfan-io7ns]

Get paid great benefits I'm going to be working for the railroad sometime soon

[@ConductorDon]

@@railroadfan-io7ns not trying to be an asshole by saying this, but your name and pic give you away as a foamer. I was once a foamer myself, until I got every foamer's wet dream of getting to work for the railroad. I promise you that love of trains and the railroad is gonna die real quick if you get hired on. If you do though, don't ever give any hint that you're into trains. Most railroaders despise foamers and they will bust your balls and pick on you mercilessly.

[@wardencobb7442]

Why the hell is the scheduling so bloody awful? It's not bad -it's awful. I know there's seniority -but when they preach safety and then keep everyone exhausted all the time they're creating mental and physical health problems -not to mention that you're likely going to end up divorced, never see your kids and die young from all the stress and neglect you put yourself through.

[@michaelzilkowsky2936]

"but when they preach safety and then keep everyone exhausted all the time they're creating mental and physical health problems" [see: Hinton]

[@pauljensen5699]

"Block of cars", 94 pin pulls out of 100 car train.

[@Railroad_Talk]

I don’t miss those days working down in the bowl lol. I use to catch myself saying “what the hell is the hump for if i gotta make all these cuts” lol

[@rockkicker5527]

Ain't no way bro..ain't no way unless that horse has someone to feed and water it on a regular basis besides her..

[@somethingfishy3434]

I am a train conductor in India can I apply for Canadian train conductor

[@grz339]

The talk is 2 engineers in Canada, they’ll never be a one man crew here due to lac magantic

[@DJMozzie]

I'm doing the interview for CN right now actually, They are very forthcoming with how much it sucks during the zoom interview, but I did not know they were maybe cutting conductors in the train which is a bit jarring. Maybe I should reconsider, the shitty hours and everything is fine with me but having to worry about my "job" being yanked at any time is a very concerning. Do you mean they only want one person driving the train from coast to coast? isn't that dangerous if you get hurt in the middle of nowhere for some reason?

[@beautilize]

Hello bro you are working with CN??cleared the interview??

[@DJMozzie]

@beautilize yeah! just finished and am doing the medical checks. but so far, it's been easy enough. I can't say much about the job yet as i have yet to do it, but cause i worked in the trades, i have a feeling I'll be fine with this. And im going to be part of the sask line! looking forward to leaving this god forsaken city 😅

[@beautilize]

@@DJMozzie so bro its our choise how we can slect interview??like online or in person? As iam in ontario right now and if i apply for sakatchwen opening is there chance of getting this interview online??

[@DJMozzie]

@beautilize Apply for sure. talked to the medical officer, and she told me they are hurting for people in sask. So you shouldn't have a problem getting in. Just be ready to pay for a hotel or find a place to stay at cause the money may be good, but finding a place to live isn't gonna be fun. im just glad my start is in feb, so it'll be warmer when i move down, haha! But you choose where you want to go on the website and apply that way. interviews are online on Zoom and usually around 10 am for us in ontario due to time zones. hopefully, you can get a day off work. Otherwise, just be yourself. Also, by the hotel, i mean when you get to sask for otj. going to the training center, it's all paid for. which is nice!

[@beautilize]

@@DJMozzie Bro if you don't mind can we connect on ig or whatsapp i just want to make connections and frnds in the field i am about to step in. And thank u for replying much appreciated.

[@ditchpatcher]

A recruitment video with horses can't believe it's not a NS video

[@Railroad_Talk]

Touché lol.. 🤣

[@cp368productions2]

I live in NY, our state mandated 2 man crews so it doesn't matter what the Class 1s want, NY will always have conductors on trains.

[@Railroad_Talk]

I wish more states would follow..

[@professionallyclueless2395]

Having applied to a CN conductor job and having watched this video and then gone to a more in-depth presentation this video make it seem like the best job ever but that presentation afterwards was nothing but the downsides. Talk about two sides of a coin.

[@chrislang6698]

so do you work for cn? i'm currently a trainee with cn

[@aboutcanadawithkv6942]

@@chrislang6698 how do you feel about work after completing training?

[@chrislang6698]

@@aboutcanadawithkv6942 all depends on the terminal

[@aboutcanadawithkv6942]

@@chrislang6698 I mean is it hard to do work, how much does they pay during training per month?

[@beautilize]

​@@chrislang6698can you tell me what do you mean by depends on terminal. Like if there is homepayne which has long routes is it good?sign like having long routes is considered a good terminal??In your view what a good terminal is ??

[@TallifTallonbrook]

Unless you had HH run your railroad and you lose all your hump yards.

[@yuxingliu7160]

Great video. Could anyone tell me if it is possible for a shortsighted person to be a train conductor in Canada ?

[@mapleiciouss]

yes

[@MemoriesRR]

Interesting. Thank you.

[@bobjohnson1587]

When I started at CP in '77 we had 4 man road crews and 4 man yard crews and total work force was approx. 35,000. When I retired more than 30 years later we were down to 2 men road and yard crews and total work force was now about 16,000 - and CP was still trying to cut more! Need I say more?

[@thomasklimchuk441]

When the yd foreman would sit on the engine all day while his 2 yd men did the work, what do you expect would happen Back in 1973 when I started out the instructor mentioned this very fact about yd foreman on engines

[@bobjohnson1587]

@@thomasklimchuk441 Well, that wasn't the case in my terminal. I wouldn't tar everyone with the same brush!

[@stevenov4843]

I'm looking at switching careers. I've been a postie the last 8 years. Job is good but money is mediocre. Job has similarities as your outside in all weather conditions so CN intrigues me. I'm currently living in southern Ontario, Canada. I've applied for many CN conductor positions. I also see that there are lots of opportunities that will pay you to relocate. I just want to know if that is enough to get the ball rolling from start. Doing the training and getting incentivized, will I be ok financially if I look out west for a conductor job ? Just want some thoughts. Thank You :)

[@LK-qj3tr]

It's cheaper to live in Saskatchewan as a whole and some parts of Alberta

[@79random]

CN conductor training wage is $180 every time you go to work. Generally you will only go to work 10 times in 14 days (could complete those 10 shifts in 7 days with quick turnarounds) you'll take home roughly $1300 every 2 weeks for approx 8 months (until you are fully qualified) then the sky is the limit. Like someone else said, move to the praries and you'll make big $$$ and cost of living is cheaper. Come out westt where it's slower track and shorter runs (less $$) but the views are incredible.

[@stevenov4843]

@@79random appreciate the reply. And from your experience is on-call just in the beginning when your seniority is low or is it on call always? I heard some say that after 3-4 years you can bid on jobs that have a better work life balance.

[@79random]

@@stevenov4843 if you chose to work the road, you will always be on call....forever lol. If you have the seniority and can hold a yard job, you'll have a schedule for the week. (At cn schedules are subject to change every friday)

[@stevenov4843]

@@79random good to know ahead of time. On call all the time sucks

[@opinionmaximus]

Might get a job at CN I’m curious about the hang test? Length and helping hints?

[@trainsofsouthwestmichigan03]

It's 5 mins long and other things as well

[@conductorshack7335]

Or, I should say "post office". Retired a couple years ago after mourning the loss of my dream job railroading. But more and more lately, it has become clear to me that the dream job never existed. I really feel sorry for the people putting their health and lives at risk by railroading with 4 or 5 hours sleep between tours, the god-awful noise and discomfort inherent with the job. You all have my sympathy.

[@kevincalderon2339]

Glad hand is what the end piece of the air hose is called.

[@dcurbex6287]

My dad works for cn so that's my future job

[@CMAGASOON777]

Well i have seen some video tags on here that tech companies are even developing satellite remote controlled autonomous independent self contained battery operated wheel bogies that would carry box container freight without couplers, without locomotives and without any crew members at all ! Simply shipping containers rolling down the track on R.C. battery operated wheel trucks all by theirselves with no one on board, and no locomotives ! And they're not even coupled together ! That's getting real scarry !!! And going way too far ! We need to keep trains how they already are and we need to keep the train crews on them! This technology wave is crap and going too far, it must be stopped ! People need these Jobs and this is also an insane way to run a railroad and it's Nonsense... They are destroying Everything with technology and destroying people's livelihoods of earning a living and destroying the time honored profession that many of them always wanted ! All because of GREED !

[@clark85]

you are already using technology has already changed the way things have been been done in the past by making this post. It is simply a fact of life, nothing is forever

[@brandtbecker1810]

@@clark85 But you didn't answer the question of where are we going to work when there are no jobs? Expect the likes of Biden/Trudeau to take care of everyone?

[@clark85]

@@brandtbecker1810 If i need to answer that question for you, then you are the one thats in deep doodoo not me lol. Clearly you dont educate yourself enough on history, technology or where society is going. Those are the kind of ppl that get left behind. You either learn for yourself or dont its that simple

[@rjkratos]

Thank you for this video! I have been considering changing my career to conductor. I got CPKC 2nd interview soon and wondering if anyone here has worked with them before, specifically Port Coquitlam yard? I have 2 grown kids now and I have warned my wife regarding the crazy shift work. I do like going on vacations for long period of time so im wondering if this is for me and my family??

[@319Bassin]

Lolololol at the training being “very good”

[@MauriceFord-q8i]

It’s called a glad hand

[@Lokiofwz]

Got a interview for cn upcoming. Canada west. Im down to be away for months doenst bother me. Any tips?

[@svartahaxa4263]

Nothing is more fun that having to walk your two-mile-long train when it's -50 degrees outside in the middle of no where while a mountain lion wonders if it can cull you from the herd.

[@hawghead4596]

There is no day, night, weekends, holidays, on the railroad. It is either waiting to go to work, or working. It never rains, snows, freezing, or too hot, it is working weather. You make good money but someone else gets to spend it. Also, your ex wife will get good child support and alimony.

[@PaulGrodkowski-k3r]

Are we atlking about working for U.S. dollar AMERICAN Dollar or that Canadian dollar CAD? The Pay????😀👍👍👍👍🍎🥕🚧

[@grumpymunchkin2959]

As a truck driver who hauled rail maintenance equipment all over Canada I have no idea how people want to work for these companies. Everyone I know who works for the rail is miserable, always trying to figure out when the company is going to lay them off or screw them over or call them to comeback to work after walking in the door 10 minutes before. Brutal.

[@enderhexfyre2]

I work on the US side of CN and the pay and schedule is one of the best of the class 1s. 5&2 boards, 6&3 pools all conductors start at 100% pay. All jobs pay the same hourly. Currently 5&2 board guarantee is 119k a year, yards and locals are at 130k and 6&3 road pools with 4 hour call window are 145k. All jobs including extra boards have scheduled off days.

[@Railroad_Talk]

shoot yeah man that is awesome, glad to hear CN is taking care of you guys / girls

[@Railroad_Talk]

@@theoneonly3679 same thing they did at NS and will continue to do lol. The last thing they won’t is someone off work.

[@Railroad_Talk]

@@theoneonly3679 HA, i wouldn’t buy that for a second.. i would however test the waters 🤣

[@simulmartin1496]

What was the gross pay

[@seanmcgowan4423]

Just like a "Gladhand" on a truck and trailer!

[@jnk26]

Just a larger diameter, operating at a lower pressure.

[@Joe-d7m6k]

Anybody thinking of working for the RR, 2. Words--- SHORT LINE.

[@wyleFTW]

Lol! The catch at 4 minutes

[@soggywafulz]

Apply at CP before CN, better wages better benefits, especially after the KC merger. I don't work for either.

[@GrannySkeksis]

My dad was a CN conductor in Alberta for like 30 years. He trained on the job and started in the yard and then went on the road in the late 80’s until he retired in 2010. I would be interested to see his reaction to this video.