Christmas

[lwjabo]

Well Christmas is upon us again. As we know when no one else runs trains NS will. So the men and women on these trains will be the youngest in seniority in most cases. They have a spouse at home trying to put Christmas together while they work. They might not have the biggest smiles on there faces. There thoughts will be a hundred miles away. They want have a Christmas Ham or Turkey. The only place that will be open for food will be the Waffle House. So be thankful for what you have. Smile as you pass others. They might think you are up to something. Wave at the engine as it goes by. you might get a friendly honk back. My guess is I worked well over half the time at Christmas. My wife and I when the kids were small often gave the presents a few days early. To many times I got in the terminal at home and told they will stop running trains at 8pm only to be called to show back up on my 8 hours rest. Nope they did not close down. Several times I was told when I got to DeButts or Cleveland they would dead head me home. When We got there they put us to bed. One time we stayed there 24 hours and the day after they dead head us home. One year thinking I was smart I bid the first week of January for Vacation. Only to be forced to go out at 11pm on a train. My vacation did not start till midnight so I had to go or quit. Three days later I fly into Tampa and catch my family. The thing is the kids had to go back to school. So we drove back that day. At the end of what was my 7 days of vacation I was expected to mark back up. Not that they would need me as things had slowed way down. Then sit waiting on the phone to ring for a few days. My wife went to church one day. A woman asked how long had she had been divorced. My wife said my husband works for Southern and he is at work most of the time. The woman tells another one poor thing she don't want to admit she is divorced. Then again it better to have a job than to not.

[Full Service]

Very well said, and VERY true. New Hires have NO idea what they are getting into.

Railroading is a job best suited for a person with no family, no thoughts of getting a family, and no personal life at all.

[lwjabo]

I did not want to sound to whinie. Yes other spend Christmas away from home. I have my self. While in the military I did not come home for 3 out of 4. One I spent in Vietnam. The worst was being in California with a few weeks left and not being able to come home. I was doing better than most. It was by far the worst Christmas I ever had. So riding on a train on a cold Christmas day is not that bad. The main difference was back then I was not married and had no children. I am always thankful for the good fortune to have survived to be as old as I am now. My point was to remember others and what they go through on Christmas. Enjoy what you have and the love of others. Family is always the best thing you have. We don't get to pick our family members and they might not live the way we want.
I want to wish all on JREB a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

[thpbears]

I have been pondering a rail job for some time. Guess you guys opened my eyes and I see the perks of the job I have now can't be beat with what I have found so far. It sounds like it would be hard on not only the crew but like you said the family. I will defiantly be more than happy to give a wave to that lonely train crew and count my blessings. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and to our train crews and Brave military abroad.

[Kentucky & Indiana Terminal RR]

Thats a wise decision, I think back now, after over twelve years of it and I am grateful that I've gotten to do something I always wanted but think that I wouldn't choose this path again. Most days out here, if I kept a diary or journal of each day I worked, most would be described as nothing more than a typical day in the life of a well payed gypsy. I think you've made a decision you won't regret.

[NSMoWandS]

Full Service...
Best thing I have heard. I do not have any family, any girl I date only lasts about 3 months before they are tired with me leaving or not being around, and have no personal life. ( Does watching trains on your day off count? haha!) This job was made for people like me. There is a reason why a person does not get to 100% of their pay until 5 years! Weed out the ones who cannot or will not be able to deal with this lifestyle... and it is a lifestyle! Just my 2 cents.

[lwjabo]

I lasted 34 years. It got hard there near the end. I saw a lot of good railroaders leave with as much as 10 years. My brother left when the crews were reduced in 92. He had 22 years. Yet he was never happy after that. You get bit by the rail bug it stays with you. To tell the truth I could not have worked any where else and made the money I made there. Granted lots of cuts in pay. Not only the miles from 100 to 130 but terminal time, dead head pay and lost more. You nailed it as a way of life and not just a job. The one cut that hurt me the most was the job rate. Turn you back to get a train or push one. Even side trips. I had one trip with 448 miles and was payed the same as if I just made a (152) simple trip. Another trip unloading a train at Krannert I was on duty over 19 hours and again no overtime.

[Conductor]

It appears that just about everybody in the Midwest has been deadheaded home for Christmas.  It's so nice to see full screens of almost nothing but deadheads from every terminal around with no trains called for over 12 hours.  Glad all my brothers and sisters are home for Christmas.