What's involved with getting an engineers licencsee

From what I understand at Union Pacific, I was told that you will join a Union take your class room training and tests. You will start off as a Conductor for a while. At some point the Engineer Position will open up and be offered to you.

The Railroad has a website that will provide you with a much more precise description of what is involved to gain a Engineer's Position.

There are several places that offer per hour and instruction for engine work as long you have a valid license etc. But that is NOT working for wages for a living as a Locomotive Engineer.

Good luck!

Well first, with a name like "beertrain", you might not get past the drug/alcohol testing. Then there is the criminal background check, especially your automobile driving record.

The big class one railroads all have pretty elaborate screening and training with written tests. Pass all that, then go on the road for student trips. Generally the new operating dept. hirees start out as Conductors, then get "promoted" to engine service as Engineer, with the FRA License.

By the way, the FRA license is for operating/running a TRAIN. Darned near ANYBODY could "operate a railroad engine".

On the Norfolk Southern you will hire out in train service after passing a physical and drug screening.  You will go to Conductor School in Georgia for about 6 weeks were you learn the Book of Rules and basics of working in the Conductor position. After that they put you in on the job training (OJT) for several months until you qualify for all the positions and territory you will be required to work. You will then be promoted and work as a Conductor most likely on an extra board until there is a shortage of Enginneers at your location. This may be a year or several years depending on the requirements for new Engineers. You will then be sent back Georgia for another 6 weeks to Engineer's school. You will be tested on the various locomotive fuctions, especially the operation of the Locomotive Air Brake Equipment. If you pass the required exams you will again be put out in OJT until you can prove that you can safely operate a train over all the territory that you will be required to work on. After training on each territory you will be given an exam on the physical caractaristics of this territory. After you qualify on all the territory you will be required to operate over you will be promoted to the Locomotive Engineer position and issued a Locomotive Engineer's License. This training may take 6 months to a year. If you can not pass all exams needed to qualify as an engineer you will be terminated.

Be prepared to work long days especially weekends and spend alot of time in hotels at the away from terminals that you work into.

Well, I guess that kills my dream. When I was flush back in the mid 90s, I bought land, figuring that it would hold it's value. Then came our recession or whatever you want to call it and I wound up land poor, with lots of land and no money. Now, the economy's improving and i'm selling the land to bring my finances up to where they were 12 years ago. There's a company that sells used railroad engines and cars that has several budd cars for sale and I had a dream of buying one for my use traveling but I see that it's just another dream i'll never fulfill. Oh well. Thanks for the replies.

If you were looking to use the Rail available in the USA to travel, I would suggest a private car and make arrangements with Amtrak or what have you any time you wish to travel by rail.

Once in a while Amtrak comes thru my area with one or two private cars tacked onto the rear.

And if you wish to have a taste of being a engineer, I am pretty sure any number of options are available in steam or diesel. Sometimes just doing a little bit towards your dreams can be a good boost. I learned to fly a very long time ago, but will never be legal or medically able to do it. However I am content. It was part of a bucket list.

Good luck to you!

Wait--you really thought you could buy an RDC and go sight-seeing on the nation's rails?

Getting an engineer's license might have been the easiest and most-rational thing about this proposition.

The New Hope Valley Railway in NC offers "Operate-a-Loco" programs for both steam and diesel, for far less than the cost of an RDC. There are other, similar profgrams around the country.

As do the Ft. Wayne Railroad Historical Society and the Steam Railroading Institute.  They have both offered "Engineer for an Hour" programs.  I'd check out their websites.

Another thing to think about is to volunteer with a group and work on an engine that interests you.  You might find it gives you a better opportunity than the one-hour program.

I hear the parallel parking part of the test is REALLY tough!

Rusty

We USED to do this. After last year's problems with bad track and derailments in Indiana, it's not likely that we will do this again for a long, long time.

Just ask ol' Scrap Iron about that!

The society doesn't offer the "Engineer for an Hour" program with the diesel switcher at the society's base in New Haven anymore??

I was wondering since were on the subject what does it take to a steam locomotive over the road these days for excursions and running them over class one railroads. Such as say the 765.

If you want to obtain a Train Engineer Certificate (they are commonly called "licenses" in conversation, but are not licenses), contact Modoc Railroad Academy.  It will cost a few thousand dollars.  If you have ever had a DUI, you may have more difficulty than if you have not.  If you are color blind, you are o-u-t.  That being said, even if you do obtain a certificate, it is not like a driver's license.  You can't just run a train on any track.  Access to railroads in the USA is closed, and the track is controlled by the owning railroad.  You must negotiate with the owning railroad, and I guarantee that none of them will let you onto their track for your own pleasure.  Engineers must take qualifying trips to become qualified on routes they will operate over, or must have a qualified Engineer pilot with them.

Certificates are issued and revoked by railroads, under FRA regulations which can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 49.  A number of hours of classroom training and on-the job training are required, as are successful completion of written examinations on operating rules, air brakes, safety rules, and hazardous materials.

It's not a total downer, though.  The Nevada Northern, at Ely, Nevada, has a really good Engineer-For-A-Day program.  You can run a steam engine or an Alco-GE RS2, paying more for steam, naturally.  They screen you and give you a rules test so you can be issued a student license to run their engines under their supervision.

Now that is funny !!!!!  Scrap Iron is marked for life, lol

First let me clear up a few misconceptions. At the tender age of 67, with a marginal heart and corotid arteries, a bad back and several other bodily fubars, I would love to man the throttle of a nice Berkshire, Niagara or most any steam engine I could get my sweaty palms on, BUT I know that all of the above is beyond me, yet another failed dream so my thought was to buy a used Budd car from an outfit here in Texas, modify it for long distance traveling, get it certified to run the mainlines and get a license. I, in my enfeebled condition could still sit at the throttle of a diesel powered Budd car all day long. After all of your thoughtful posts, I realize that this is probably one more thing i'l never be able to accomplish, so thanks again.  Beertrain   Oh and Hot water, i've never crossed paths with the constabulary concerning my fondness for adult beverages in over 50+ years .

Yes...  even though they assured him that it wasn't his fault.  Of course they snuck him out the back way to his car...  

What would it take to change that?

It's a long story...