For those who are unemployed or in a deadend job, Union Pacific is hiring out West.

[aspera]

Re: For those who are unemployed or in a deadend job, Union Pacific is hiring out West.

That's another thing that you need to know. Railroad pay can be very complicated. I get paid miles. Some miles are worth more than others. I also get paid hourly when I'm not on duty...under certain conditions. My overtime starts after I run off my miles...which is well after I go dead, about 13 hours. Arbitraries such as meals, and penalties for violations of union contracts are other pays.

Deductions are different as well. All of you pay Social Security. I don't. I pay Railroad Retirement, Tier 1 and Tier 2.

Soon I'll get paid trip rate, which is a set amount of money for a trip. That sounds fair until you consider that the route, workload, or the time of the trip can vary wildly.

Additionally, other workers will get paid more than you for doing the same work. The railroads bargained for "new hire" pay years ago. Some guys get full trip miles for deadheading.

 

[PapaPump]

Re: For those who are unemployed or in a deadend job, Union Pacific is hiring out West.

This is so very interesting. I am suprised to hear anti-Bush sentiments on here. I thought I was the only one. Well he's in there again, I hope everything works out for you guys. Myself and my fellow employees are in contract limbo with Safeway, so I was hoping to have a more union-friendly administration. Oh well, hope things work out for the best.

Also (off subject), prop 72, a proposition that would require large and medium size companies to pay for health insurance, died in California which makes me sad. Republicans argued that it would force people out of their health plans and into government health care. They were being extreme, but it convinced 50.5% of the people to vote against it.

Meanwhile, a few more overfunded government programs passed and will continue to subsidize low wages with government aid. AND those programs will waste manpower and resources to justify funding. Ever observe the kind of new computer equipment government agencies have and never utilize. That is where the money is wasted. Brand new cars for animal control when the old ones worked fine. I mean the hundreds of people being overpaid with not enought to do (CalTrans for example) DO pump lots of money into the economy, so your tax dollars in turn support your job probably.

Anyhow the bureaucracy of government programs is messed up. Private companies are more efficient but the money is more unevenly distributed top to bottom.

If you are worried about how your tax dollars are being wasted, look no further than the war on drugs. Paying for military in Panama and Nicaragua, sheriffs in helicoptors and hundreds of thousands in jail at 40k per year is a far greater waste of money than subsidising transportation.

Rail is by far the most under utilized and under subsidized transportation sectors of all. I love cars and trucks and everything to do with them. Problem is most people don't, and they even go so far as to say they hate driving. These people should have a more viable alternative.

Imagine being able to let someone else take you from Seattle to Los Angeles. You can sleep, eat, enjoy the scenery, do homework, etc. It's great. The problem is, it is to far removed from our culture to be even considered. Planes are faster, even with airport wait time. If you fly Southwest, here in Cali, they are cheaper. Cars are faster, but without all the benifits listed above. If rail transport were more fully supported and utilized, it would be the best way to travel. In Europe, it very well can be. Someday maybe it can be here too.

 

[XJCasper]

Re: For those who are unemployed or in a deadend job, Union Pacific is hiring out West.

I agree, interesting reading.

Managment? Don't start me going about the Post Office. Life goes on, and now I am bored, again. I work at a Tribal Casino. Can't afford Health insurance on my family. That pushes me to debate going back to the P.O.

SO, how is the Health coverage?

I have been looking for an excuse to move back to Utah.

 

[TRNDRVR]

Can't afford Health insurance on my family. So, how is the Health coverage?

Excellent!
Medical, dental, eyes, and prescription drugs.
It also has 401K, and its own retirement. No more Social Security. :thumbup:

 

[Fergie]

Here is what I dont understand...literally.

Why are Amtrak prices as much as plane tickets? I actually take the train a fair amount, from Flagstaff, AZ to La Plata, MO to see family and such. We take the train because we dont like the drive, and dont take the plane because our family members live about a hour away with 2 small kids and med school, so we dont like them to drive for us.

So I guess my question is: Why arent train tickets less expensive compared to plane tickets in regards to length of trip?

Fergie

 

[TRNDRVR]

Here is what I dont understand...literally.

Why are Amtrak prices as much as plane tickets? I actually take the train a fair amount, from Flagstaff, AZ to La Plata, MO to see family and such. We take the train because we dont like the drive, and dont take the plane because our family members live about a hour away with 2 small kids and med school, so we dont like them to drive for us.

So I guess my question is: Why arent train tickets less expensive compared to plane tickets in regards to length of trip?

Fergie

I wish I knew. I have no clue what goes on, or how it even works, from the locomotives back. I'm only a driver.

Dan.

 

[aspera]

Here is what I dont understand...literally.

Why are Amtrak prices as much as plane tickets? I actually take the train a fair amount, from Flagstaff, AZ to La Plata, MO to see family and such. We take the train because we dont like the drive, and dont take the plane because our family members live about a hour away with 2 small kids and med school, so we dont like them to drive for us.

So I guess my question is: Why arent train tickets less expensive compared to plane tickets in regards to length of trip?

Fergie

1. Because planes are tiny.
2. Because there are no railroad track in the sky.

The smallest train that we normally haul is the J-train. The J-train is a Boeing train out of Wichita that has some fuselages and wings. It weighs next to nothing in railroad terms. Amtrak is still a pretty short train compared to a freight train. Imagine the business Amtrak could do if it was a mile long. There just isn't the demand for passenger trains. Even still, one Amtrak train holds much more than a passenger jet.

Next time you look at railroad tracks really LOOK at them. Those ties are made of trees. Those trees used to be alive and grew in another part of the country. Now you almost have dead trees lined up side by side coast to coast. Same goes for the rail. LOTS of steel. Same goes for the ballast (gravel) that it sits on. All of that had to be created and more importantly must be maintained. Railroads have huge amounts of property to take care of and the property is spread accross the nation.

Airlines have just have air. Oh, they have some airports. Big deal.

 

[aspera]

I wish I knew. I have no clue what goes on, or how it even works, from the locomotives back. I'm only a driver.

Dan.

I do. I've deadheaded on #3 and #4. Its like the Jerry Springer show audience back there! :laugh3:

 

[TRNDRVR]

I do. I've deadheaded on #3 and #4. Its like the Jerry Springer show audience back there! :laugh3:

I deadhead on #6 mostly, but when I deadhead, I get a bedroom in the employee crew car. :thumbup:
Dan.

 

[aspera]

Re: For those who are unemployed or in a deadend job, Union Pacific is hiring out West.

Yeah, I've crashed in the bunkbeds a few times...hard to figure out those things in the dark.

 

[biscuitboy87]

Re: For those who are unemployed or in a deadend job, Union Pacific is hiring out West.

sound like it could be a fun job if you make it one... i like your positive outlook trndrvr.
as for public transport and subsidies...
too many heads believe too much in capitalism...when it comes to finding a balance on the fine line a bit of socialism is whats better for the people who work eveyday and pay their taxes (but they wouldn't know it because the rhetoric supplied by the government and major corporations is to believe that if you support state funded programs you're a commy bastard)
its strange knowing that transport should be cutting edge, gov't supported, and fairly inexpensive...but the guys who could make it happen fly around in personal jets.
the "golden parachute" cfo's and ceo's are getting these days will be the downfall of america. it may not happen in our lifetime, but the middle class will be wiped out...eventually leading to a master and servant class system and ultimate revolte. with china coming on-line the average american is in deep shit.
my personal fine line is to get the freedoms we are supposed to enjoy (like privacy on our own land and the right to our own bodies and minds) while supporting issues where gov.t control is necessary (like free education and safe transport)
take a look at what other countries are doing and you can identify where the good ole US is in a downward spiral. japan, france, and germany HAVE high speed passenger trains. they are our competition, yet we are decades behind.
Jobs will continue to disappear because as the world shifts to capitalism places like china will have the upper hand supplying our huge appetite for useless items and so our dollars will go there instead of staying here and the people with the smallest amount of dollars will feel the crush before the people with lots of dollars...and what happens when you have a bunch of angry people with weapons who want change??? anyone??? civil war.
of course i am an hipocrate because i drive an suv... but i try to make choices which allow me to enjoy the hard work of my grandfather and dad without compromising the world my kids will inherit...and that is the fine line i tread by knowing that my taxes go to amtrak (a valueable service i think) rather than to some enron exec who fudges the numbers so now i have to bail out the people whos retirements got stolen by G. W. s friends (and when i say bail out...whos going to take care of these people with no retirement??? we all will)
soapbox and misinformed, misdirected 2% from your local greenie who loves to wheel and loves amtrak.

 

[Tom R.]

Re: For those who are unemployed or in a deadend job, Union Pacific is hiring out West.

...rant...

Mother, "Biscuitboy, it's time to wake up."

Biscuitboy, "Umph.."

Mother, "Come on honey, you'll be late for school. I know you were dreaming, but time to wake up."

 

[biscuitboy87]

Re: For those who are unemployed or in a deadend job, Union Pacific is hiring out West.

i know...tom...you are right...but I vote.
and if you are getting at the fact that we may be diametricly opposed...then i guess i'm the one canceling out your vote. nifty ain't it?
i have to laugh though because your parody of what it might be like at home truely is funny...but, my mother never woke me up for school...she was too busy slaving away at two jobs raising three kids alone, so i devloped the talent of getting myself up to start the fire (no electricity in the mountains? yep!) and the get my siblings fed and off to school. this started when i was nine years old and i havn't stopped working my ass off since. so yeah i have opinions, and dreams, and ideas...some outlandish and some right on the button. So yeah thanks.

 

[aspera]

Re: For those who are unemployed or in a deadend job, Union Pacific is hiring out West.

Mother, "Biscuitboy, it's time to wake up."

Biscuitboy, "Umph.."

Mother, "Come on honey, you'll be late for school. I know you were dreaming, but time to wake up."

What does this mean?

I'm guessing that you *might* be a right winger. If so, then I'd like to hear what you have to say about the subject of this thread.

 

[Darky]

Re: For those who are unemployed or in a deadend job, Union Pacific is hiring out West.

So you had to be the "man" of the house because you had a single mother and 2 siblings. I don't see how that's the fault of anyone except your parents'. I was raised by a single mom too. She had to work her butt off to allow me the chances I had. And then we picked up and left a good job in NY to move to AZ so she could help out here parents in their old age. She had to start over from the ground up. But I don't blame anyone for my upbringing. My mom did a great job, my dad, well, he helped a little here and there with whatever he could. And this was largely during the Clinton Era. I despised him, but it wasn't his fault my dad couldn't handle the thought of another kid to take care of (he already had like 8 through a previous marriage). Sounds to me like people just need to grow up and accept the fact that life isn't always fair and bad things do happen. Put responsibility where it belongs and don't try and pass it off on others just because they're an easy target.

 

[willysnut]

Re: For those who are unemployed or in a deadend job, Union Pacific is hiring out West.

Try a job in the airline industry, then you might just like the RR industry after all!!!

 

[dellstopjeep]

Re: For those who are unemployed or in a deadend job, Union Pacific is hiring out West.

for anyone workin for up, just curious if you knew a guy named jack holland
he is on the trains and his son, my good friend and fellow naxja user told me he made 20,000 for a christmas bonus, i about pissed myself!
i think im gonna drop out of college and drop my dead end drug store job after all.

 

[TRNDRVR]

for anyone workin for up, just curious if you knew a guy named jack holland
he is on the trains and his son, my good friend and fellow naxja user told me he made 20,000 for a christmas bonus, i about pissed myself!
i think im gonna drop out of college and drop my dead end drug store job after all.

I knew Jack Holland. Works out of the Albina yard in Portland.

 

[biscuitboy87]

Re: For those who are unemployed or in a deadend job, Union Pacific is hiring out West.

So you had to be the "man" of the house because you had a single mother and 2 siblings. I don't see how that's the fault of anyone except your parents'. I was raised by a single mom too. She had to work her butt off to allow me the chances I had. And then we picked up and left a good job in NY to move to AZ so she could help out here parents in their old age. She had to start over from the ground up. But I don't blame anyone for my upbringing. My mom did a great job, my dad, well, he helped a little here and there with whatever he could. And this was largely during the Clinton Era. I despised him, but it wasn't his fault my dad couldn't handle the thought of another kid to take care of (he already had like 8 through a previous marriage). Sounds to me like people just need to grow up and accept the fact that life isn't always fair and bad things do happen. Put responsibility where it belongs and don't try and pass it off on others just because they're an easy target.

re-read the post...there is no blame. really the whole point was to affirm amtraks existance in our economy as a drain on taxpayers and pointing out that basic capitalism is malfunctioning to the point where ceos are getting golden parachute sttlements in the face of lost profits...at a cost to us because we end up bailing out the investors who were screwed by cooked books.
easy target? your kidding right? US transportation woes and enron are not a dream...they exist(ed) and just because i choose to add a little drama somebody CHOSE to make up a skit (which i thought was very funny) saying that i was dreaming...and now they are the easy target? honestly, tell me what i am passing off on others and i will apologize for it...because i pride myself in carrying myself up from poor backwoods nothingness into college educated hard working class guy...sometimes liberal, sometimes conservative, always trying to do the right thing.
also "96" there is no fault associated with single parenting. you should understand that well. its a tough job to raise kids and i place blame nowhere...who would i blame? simply put, i was just stating that the senario implied was wholly not feasible in my world, however skewed towards the left it was in this particular post, my mother was already at work when i woke up (or still sleeping depending on the day) and so the dream scene was making me the easy target by invalidating my whole post as a dream. so... if your looking for discussion about growing up struggling i have some stories for you...PM me so we can let this thread die.
Nim

 

[TRNDRVR]

...so we can let this thread die.

Don't let this thread die, the UP is still hiring. It's a good job for people who are willing to work and are willing to adapt.
AND YOU DO NEED TO ADAPT!!!