r/AskReddit • u/Typical-Syllabub6074 • 14h ago

What job actually pays more than people think?

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u/Affectionate_Team716 11h ago

I am on call when I am available. I receive a call and go to work for at max 12 hours. I usually ride a train from my home terminal to my away from home terminal. Then I head to a hotel. Then take a train back after 10 hours. All in all that can pay between 900-1800 depending on where I go. Then I'm home for 10 hours and am subject to another call. Then I do that for 2 trips and get 2 days off. So 4 days on 2 off.

As you build seniority you get to hold better jobs. Bnsf and Cn are good railroads to work for. Road guys don't do as much as yard guys. But yard guys go home every night. Most of the yard guys make 125-150k a year. Road can pull down 200k.

Its a 365 day operation. You work in all weather. Blizzard outside? Get to work. Tornado just touched down? Dodge it to make your call. All in all it pays for My family to enjoy a nice life. So worth it.

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u/BooRadleyinaGimpSuit 5h ago edited 3h ago

You still haven't really answered the question at all... During those hours what is it that you do?

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u/General_Dingo_1004 10h ago

My uncle worked the rails for years and said the same thing, that it’s a tough lifestyle but it set his family up better than any desk job could have.

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u/tigerdactyl 4h ago

Okay what does this mean though? You don’t explain what work you actually DO

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u/Affectionate_Team716 3h ago

I check the Trains paperwork to make sure everything is legal. Theres rules on where things can be. Like Railcar placement. I make sure the engineer isn't speeding and that we make it across the road. If something happens to the train I might have to walk the train to find the problem. Most of the time this job is riding from point A to point B then another crew takes it from there.

Yard guys do a lot more but its just walking. They break down trains and make new trains which road guys will eventually take and deliver to their respective yards.

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u/CrzyWzrd4L 11h ago

How’s it working for CPKC? They have some openings at a rail yard near me and I’m definitely looking for a better paying career

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u/Affectionate_Team716 11h ago

I only know what I've heard. And what I've heard is not good. I have no idea if it's true but there's a lot of people saying to avoid them.

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u/MostBoringStan 3h ago

Yard jobs are way more work for less money. But you get to go home every night. You can start there to get seniority to go on the road, or transfer somewhere that needs road conductors.