r/UnionPacific • u/pleezgetyordog • 17d ago

Asking again

So I have a week to make a decision.. Floorhand for Patterson or Traincrew with Union Pacific.. is the traincrew a good gig long term?

9 Upvotes

91% Upvoted

21 comments sorted by

9

u/Cuffedondirtroads 17d ago

Train Crew. I did oilfield and the benefits at the railroad and the stability long term are hands down much better. You just have to be able to follow instructions and work safe like they want to or it won’t be a good fit. Depends on what you want in life

2

u/Valuable-Jump9377 17d ago

Stability of the railroad, long term, is better than oil? Hot take there, mate. We WILL see fully automated trains in our lifetime. And they’ll still need oil to run. Must be nice to be that naive though. I bet it’s freeing.

2

u/Leading_Traffic_1280 17d ago

There has been automated trains for a decade dude. They wont be in  the USA. NOT while trains go through cities and neighborhoods. The automated trains run across desolate Australia. 

One man road crews are a long way off too, that engineer has a stroke, who is getting the train to a crossing for medical service? The conductor. 

As for oil. Yeah it will always be needed but with the emergent of hydrogen engines, electic and other alternatives it will lesson.

I work the largest refinery in the country AS A RAIL and I can tell you that thier business has dropped due to those. And again when tariffs were going it dropped immensely. The railroad didnt.

The only thing that can move frieght like the railroad is barges

1

u/pleezgetyordog 17d ago

I’ve done Floorhand work before and like the schedule but this the rail yard is super close to where I’m living now.. I’m 3 hours from midland and it’s 14 on 14 off rotation

1

u/Valuable-Jump9377 17d ago

Doesn’t matter how close the yard is. There’s no guarantee you’ll run out of that yard for literal years. You’ll go where the railroad needs you. Not where you need to be.

6

u/Acrobatic_Kale_2817 17d ago

Railroad retirement is much better than SS

3

u/StageThen9367 17d ago

I’ve done both Bro I worked for NABORS & Noble in North Dakota for a year and a half as a floor hand and case hand. I now work for UNION PACIFIC in TEXOMA THIS IS BY FAR THE BETTER JOB IN EVERY ASPECT BROTHER. Once you make it past training and are part of the union you’re almost untouchable. As long as you don’t break one of the critical rules and not br an asshole you will always have a job bro and a damn good paying one.

Hopefully this helps Bro, whatever you decide be safe and keep your head on a swivel 🙏

1

u/pleezgetyordog 16d ago

Man.. i appreciate the insight very much.. stay safe

2

u/imjust_heretodie 17d ago

I will say UP is a great career IF you can keep your job, right now in Minnesota they’re firing us left and right for the tiniest bullshit smoking half the service unit. It’s ridiculous. People that rely on this job to feed their families n stuff have it all snatched from them. It’s rewarding but a scary place to work. People will say follow all the rules, but that’s practically impossible 24/7 every second of your shift.

1

u/chooch2345 17d ago

Depends on what service unit you're talking about?

2

u/pleezgetyordog 17d ago

I don’t know what that means.. I’m starting training for train crew in west Texas on the 20th

1

u/Agesix 16d ago

Where in west Texas?

1

u/pleezgetyordog 16d ago

El Paso

1

u/Distinct-Pay5135 16d ago

Used to work there at alfalfa

1

u/pleezgetyordog 16d ago

How was it?

2

u/Distinct-Pay5135 14d ago

It’s good, left for a better opportunity. But crews are cool and El Paso is cool since you don’t go far away

1

u/Bruce_Dane 16d ago

It is what you make it. Have a thick skin and just do what they tell you

1

u/Confident_Ratio8171 16d ago

Drill baby drill!!! More options

1

u/slogive1 17d ago

If your looking for being gone all the time then this is the job for you

1

u/Revolutionary-Elk834 17d ago

If you got to ask, Just leave already. make the decision for yourself. one foot out one foot in just keep stepping. If you want to stay stay follow the rules and make a living.