I always wanted to be a train engineer...

My Dad used to work for an old famous RR when he got out the Army after WWII (he is 82 now) and he has a massive LGB garden railroad collection and huge garden railway in the backyard I get to play with when I visit

Very cool!

I rode that route for eight years on the VRE.  Nice to see it from your perspective.

Quoted: Nice pics! I see by the position-light signals you are in old Pennsy territory? My grandfather worked as a PRR brakeman out of the old Potomac yard during WWII. I think "Pot yard" is long gone now. <-----SPF (Serious Pennsy Fan) Doc H.

Doc...that's right. We come off the RF&P at the Potomac river and cross part of DC on the old Pennsy tracks until we get to Bennings yard and then we go on to some of the old B&O for the rest of the trip to either Philly,Baltimore,Cumberland or Brunswick. Pot yard is long gone, we cross through what was Pot yard on the east side of what is slowly becoming stores,strip malls,movie theaters,etc,etc

All of you train freaks should chek out "The Station Agent."  He is one of you.


Cheers

Quoted: How does one get a job being a train engineer and what is it like?

As far as I know right now on CSX you have to go to one of the colleges that offers a class in "Railroad Technology" I don't have a list of what the school names are but I think Marshall in Huntington West Virginia is one, anyway you pass your 5 week class and get hired and go through the conductor training program CSX has. After that your marked up as a railroad conductor and await the day your turn is called to go to engine school. Locomotive engine school is about 4 weeks and the I believe its 21 weeks of on the job training. As with all things on the railroad this info is subject to change but thats the way it is now or was as of a couple weeks ago.


What's it like...well the short answer is this. Its 2:30am EST right now and I was called @ 1am to be at work for 4am. So while everyone is asleep in their nice warm bed (except for the night crew on here )  I'll be at work on the Q41409 going to the railroad metropolis of Brunswick MD. I'll fill you in a bit more when I get  back online and will try and post a few more pics when I can over the next couple of months

Quoted: ES44DC? 64.246.11.82/images/0/050927_CSXT5259.jpg.35203.jpg

Thats right.

Quoted: Thanks for the pics.  Never knew what it looked like from the engine and it's pretty cool.   Oh, and your 'sceensaver' shot is magnificant! ~m

I kinda like my other one but its a MAJOR COC violation and my AR-15.com wife unit probably wouldn't take to kindly to it either but that picture did come out better than I expected

Thanks for the great pics

Quoted: Quoted: Do you do ride alongs? <<<<<I'm local Bomber Bomber, wish I could but the rules say no, if I brought you along and got caught they would fire me in a heartbeat and then I'd have to come live at your place with my wife,son,step daughter,2 cats,1 dog,tec,etc

Will,


I figured that so thanks anyway. You still must be punished however, your punishment is to post more pics!

I've always wanted to in the cab of a freighter along the Shenandoah and thru the Mountain in Harper's Ferry.

Bomber