Good afternoon!

Im looking at a role with Amtrak in the procurement department in Philadelphia, so was wanting to ask what it’s like working on the corporate side of the company and what the benefits were like? Also the railroad social security that they have and rail pass! Anything to help would be greatly appreciated!

Who has been affected by territory realignments within the CSX signal department.

Effective immediately no chainsaw use will be allowed on any G&W line for G&W employees.

Seems some big changes are coming to how NS handles IM traffic that has shifted from Inman to Austell, affecting east/west, and north/south traffic. Trains will be abolished, and traffic will be shifted in some areas. This comes after my territory just lost a pair of trains to a combo train, and now we stand to lose even more jobs. Good fucking times!😒

***EDIT: this isn’t just a rumor. The emails shown were internal emails addressed to NOC coastal supervisors and dispatchers.***

The planning thing pissed me off and I think I figured out but can someone confirm. The electric line running from university park to millennial Station. Goes on a one hour schedule. It looks like 0540 0640 0740 am i seeing this correct. Trying to plan our trip tomorrow for once instead of winging it like we have in the past before kids and railroad knowledge.

I work at a locomotive repair shop and I realized the other day that I have never seen a single woman besides myself anywhere on the property. Are there any women who work on the railroad?

I’m sure some of you already know about all the jobs that are cut.
I’m probably not going to be able to hold anywhere when the dust settles.
I see a lot of postings for Signal Trainees at Norfolk Southern and I have a lot of questions but I’ll only ask a few.

I know the pay for the first year, but what do you top out at after that?

Is this just a big hire to fire wave? There are a lot of postings…

Has anyone worked a signal job at both companies that has any insight into the differences? I assume it’s basically the same shit.

Thanks to anyone who responds. I hope I’m the only one on here that is affected by this.

(Copied and pasted from my post on r/signalmaintainers , which I guess got deleted by reddit filters)

Engineers have been dealing with technology like ptc and to for years now with no extra compensation. When the tech was in the experimental stage I assumed the union would go for a tech pay like etd and air pay that trainmen have gotten. Everyone knows we trouble shoot it. We turn it on and off and give feedback when it's not doing something correctly. I think we should? What are opinions on obtaining this for engineers?

i got the news from Cheyenne an hour ago that one of the Steam Team lads has Passed away, Fly High Bruce...

A major step in this fight is securing the support of rail workers throughout the US to set aside all rail cars marked NSCX. These are the cars that Aziz makes us produce for him at the end of every contract order and leases to operators throughout the US so he can still cash in during the strike. Set NSCX cars aside to back our struggle!

At Union Pacific, Building America is not just our tagline – it is what we do and who we are. Railroads helped grow this country into a global economic powerhouse, and we proudly move the goods and materials that drive the U.S. economy.

Overseeing Union Pacific's operations, I've seen firsthand how geopolitical risk, COVID-era disruptions and policies aimed at strengthening domestic manufacturing are reshaping global supply chains. I've also seen what happens when transportation networks aren't built to meet new demands, and what is possible when they are.

Since the pandemic, we've made significant changes across our network to improve service, increase resiliency and better position our customers to respond to changing market demands. Those experiences reinforced a simple lesson: supply chains work best when unnecessary complexity is removed. That's why Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern are working to create America's first transcontinental railroad.

By eliminating unnecessary handoffs, we can help American businesses move goods more efficiently, compete more effectively and reach new markets. In a global economy where speed and reliability matter, those advantages can be the difference between winning and losing.

Supporting Domestic Manufacturing

According to the nonprofit Reshoring Initiative, plans for more than 500,000 U.S. manufacturing jobs were announced in 2023 and 2024 as companies expanded domestic production. But manufacturing growth depends on efficient supply chains that connect factories with suppliers, customers and global markets. I hear that reality directly from manufacturers who rely on our railroad every day.

That's where the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger can make a difference. Today, freight moving across the country often changes railroads simply because the current system requires it, adding unnecessary time, cost and complexity.

The combined railroad will allow parts, raw materials and finished goods to move coast to coast faster and more reliably. That will help manufacturers reduce inventory costs and lower the risk of production disruptions.

Equally important, a more efficient rail network can reduce transportation costs. By shifting freight from higher-cost trucks to lower-cost rail, shippers are expected to save an estimated $3.5 billion annually, helping lower costs for consumers. Those savings will help American manufacturers compete more effectively against lower-cost producers around the world, supporting jobs, investment and economic growth here at home.

Growing American Exports

Union Pacific already plays a vital role in supporting U.S. exports. Our work helping American farmers respond to strong demand for grain in Mexico and overseas markets is a good example.

To improve our service, we invested in more efficient covered hopper cars, expanded network capacity and redesigned how trains move across the Mexican border so they spend less time waiting and more time moving. Those changes required coordinated investments in operations, infrastructure and equipment to help American products reach global markets more competitively. Our grain shipments reached record highs in early 2026, demonstrating what's possible when rail service becomes more efficient.

American exporters compete in global markets where speed, reliability and cost matter every day. A transcontinental railroad will give them a powerful new advantage through efficient single-line access to more than 100 Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf ports. That means faster access to customers around the world and greater flexibility when markets shift.

Investing in America’s Critical Infrastructure

Unlike long-haul trucking, which operates on America’s taxpayer-funded interstate highway system, railroads build, operate and maintain the nation’s rail network. Together, Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern invest about $5.6 billion annually in infrastructure and innovation.

As the person responsible for running and supporting growth across our railroad, I can tell you we're prepared to invest even more in America's infrastructure. If our merger is approved by the Surface Transportation Board (STB), we will invest an additional $2 billion in new track, terminal capacity, rail yards and technology to support customer growth, ensure a smooth integration and strengthen the freight network for decades to come.

These investments support not only American commerce, but also national security. The nation’s rail network is a critical asset that connects U.S. military bases with defense contractors and ports of embarkation.

Buying American

Building America also means investing in the suppliers, materials and employees who help build and maintain our railroad. As we grow, that includes purchasing American-made rail and investing in U.S. facilities. This April, for example, we signed a new seven-year agreement with Rocky Mountain Steel, which recently made a $1.2 billion investment in its facility – the only dedicated producer of steel rail in the U.S. The rail it produces for Union Pacific is made by members of the United Steelworkers.

Throughout my career, I've seen how investments in rail infrastructure, smarter operations and stronger supply chain connections create opportunities for customers and communities alike. American businesses are investing and expanding in a rapidly changing global economy, and they need a transportation network that can keep pace.

The Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern combination will create a stronger, more efficient freight network that helps manufacturers, exporters and farmers move the raw materials, components and finished products that power our economy. By making supply chains faster, stronger and more resilient, this combination will strengthen America's ability to compete globally. That's why we're asking the STB to approve this merger.

I recently got hired at CSX, and start soon for training. Everyone I have talked to IRL tells me they enjoy working for the RR, in many different positions at the RR, from Electricians to Yard guys. A few of the conductors I have talked to have also said they enjoyed it and that it wasn't a bad gig.

BUT, I come to reddit and do some digging, and just about everything I read is how terrible CSX/Railroad/Conductors job is. Yall are making me super anxious lol. I am switching to the RR from a career/job I hate with all my soul, and now yall got me wondering if I am just going to hate this even more LOL. Yall MFers really hate the RR so much. Why stay at the RR if it's so terrible and if you can't even take a shit without getting in trouble?

ALSO, not posting this in the "New Hire thread" cause no one gets their questions answered there. Go check.

We have two tank cars at a chemical plant that are out of general service. Numbers painted over. They were being used for storage tanks on site for a while.

I’d like to get them to the scrap yard a few miles down the track, but I’m told CSX won’t haul them because the numbers are off them. There’s no product in the cars.

What options do we have for getting these cars moved to the scrap yard? We can push them out to the spur for them to pick up. Everything mechanical is working on them. CSX drops off or picks up our regular tank cars weekly here.

EDIT: Thanks for everyone’s input. Moving by rail does not seem like a good option. We will be scrapping on site instead.

Please ask any and all questions relating to getting hired, what the job is like, what certain companies/locations are like, etc here.

Does anyone know what function these serve?

I see a lot of people on here say that Norfolk Southern is the worst Class 1 to work for. Granted it was older posts I’d seen is it still bad? I grew up with NS running through my home town and they became a big part of my childhood with my dad, plus the heritage fleet is cool to me but it seems like the quality of work is shoddy. Is it like this with all Class 1’s? Because it sounds like UP is super unsafe.

Has it always been like this? Is CSX or BNSF any better? Was Conrail better?

Just rode on the new Acela for the first time and was really impressed. Curious to hear from people who have worked on it. Also generally what your guys thoughts about it are.

I ship a product from Wyoming to Chicago on the BNSF (not coal). Lately BNSF has been routing it so that once it reaches Dillworth, it then heads south to Kansas City then to Chicago.

Is the Mississippi River line between the Twin Cities and Chicago really at capacity, thus causing this routing?