Does anyone here work for Norfolk Southern?

I used to work for NS but as a conductor.  Been to Altoona lots of times from Shire Oaks yard in Elrama, Pa. haulin coal.   Don't know any machinists but everyone else I know from up there were pretty nice guys.

 

Where are you going for training?

 

Rick

The "Machinist" title includes a broad spectrum of jobs and it might not involve actual machinework at all. You could be placed on the "Bull Gang" that repairs locos. This could involve repairing/ replacing anything mechanical on the locomotive. 

 

If things haven't changed much over the years, once on the job, you should be an "Apprentice" and work alongside skilled employees. In a few years, after you learn your trade, you will be upgraded to an actual "Machinist".

 

But, then again, I'm an oldtimer. Things have probably changed so much that they "have an app" for everything.

 I work for NS but in T&E.

 

 My Grandad,Dad were machinist and my half brother also is a machinist, but for the CSX.

 

 If the NS does like the CSX,you will have to train for around 6-8 weeks in a classroom,then become an apprentice for around 2 years like Big Jim mentioned.

 Just don't know for sure if that's how it's done on the NS

 

 

Training

 

When we talked about training at the interview, they said it would be 6-8 weeks in McDonough Georgia, but since the facility is being rebuilt there I will go 1 week for the "safety training" and come back to work. Then in fall I will go back for the rest of the training.

I hope I get to be in the engine overhaul section, but I`ll still be thrilled to be changing brake pads, just so I am working on Locomotives.

 

Does anybody know how "job bidding" works?

A job vacancy gets posted for bids. If you want the job, you put a bid in on it. Whoever has bid on the job with the most seniority gets the job. 

1976ford, McDonough, GA that's where I went for conductor training.  They have a pretty nice facility there.  Now that I think about it I do remember the engine facility there.   All the latest stuff.  They made a really BIG deal about which side of the steps you walk up and down on.  And, you better hold on to the hand rail.  If I remember right they dismissed a few people for not doing it right.  SAFETY thing you know.

 

Good luck,  Rick

And for God's sake, whenever you get up, push in your chair...

 . . . and, if nobody bids on the job -- which is usually because it is not as desirable as other positions due to location, on-duty time, and/or assigned rest days -- then they force-assign the youngest qualified employee on the territory and that might be lucky old you.  Then, you have to successfully bid yourself onto a better job, or, if you can't do that, you just have to wait until another employee junior to you becomes qualified (and it can take a long time for that to happen).

 

Big Jim, Wyhogg, myself, and all others who worked on the railroad depended on our seniority.  When we did not have much, we took our turn in the barrel on forced assignments, but, as our seniority increased, we moved on to better assignments.  I remember working a really good pool freight job as a Fireman, when I got forced assigned to the San Diego Engineers' Extra Board, which only got out three or four days a week (on low paying switch engines), with no guarantee pay, a hundred miles from my home, in one of the most expensive places to rent lodging.  After a month, I was able to successfully bid to a midnight switch engine at Los Angeles, which was only 65 miles from my home and worked 5 nights a week.  It wasn't a very desirable assignment, but was an improvement and I was glad to be on it.

Tom

That brings some old memories back about my dad when he was a brakeman.

Even though I was a kid I remember him being bounced back and forth from Erwin to Chicago, Jacksonville back and forth back and forth.

My brother-in-law just told me NS is hiring again in the Pittsburgh area.  He didn't say for what position.

 

Rick

I saw an ad for conductors in Shire Oaks.  How long you could hold anything there is another story...

I did pretty good there for years until 2003.  That's when I got furloughed for 8 months. 

 

Rick