Locomotive Engineer looking for new career

UnconTROLLed

perfection
And yet, those countries still compete with the US.....
It's not even close, pretty much any country that has German as a recognized language is going to have a higher quality of life/overall satisfaction (on avg) , more stable economies and also more stable unemployment than the U.S. GER Austria, Switzerland for three and you could probably throw Belgium in there too
 

rod

Retired 22 years
It's not even close, pretty much any country that has German as a recognized language is going to have a higher quality of life/overall satisfaction (on avg) , more stable economies and also more stable unemployment than the U.S. GER Austria, Switzerland for three and you could probably throw Belgium in there too

Two of the worst things we have owned are a Volkswagen Passat and a 8 or 9 hundred dollar Paff sewing machine. Both German -- both pieces of junk that were always in the shop. German engineering my ass.
 

ColdHarvest

Well-Known Member
It's not even close, pretty much any country that has German as a recognized language is going to have a higher quality of life/overall satisfaction (on avg) , more stable economies and also more stable unemployment than the U.S. GER Austria, Switzerland for three and you could probably throw Belgium in there too


And the funniest thing is...all these hardcore 'Murica...my granpappy killed bunches of Germans, and I love the military but was too chicken:censored2: to serve types, won't admit that since '45, Germany hasn't taken a dump without US approval.
 

ColdHarvest

Well-Known Member
Two of the worst things we have owned are a Volkswagen Passat and a 8 or 9 hundred dollar Paff sewing machine. Both German -- both pieces of junk that were always in the shop. German engineering my ass.


Pfaff is produced in China, and your experience with VW is the exception, not the rule.
 
i see where you're going with this, not much, unless you break a drawbar or knuckle. But sitting for long periods of time is one of the worst things for you're body. I guess the appeal for me with UPS is the somewhat set schedule. it would be 5+ years for me to hold a "set" yard job and that would be midnight's. also to answer your previous deleted post...no i do not get to sleep while operating a train, i dont have a deathwish.
I drove pkg for a 2/3’s if my career to date. The rest of it in Feeder (tractor trailer ups). The pkg was one set time 8:40 am Monday to Friday.
The feeder is mostly nights Sunday to Thursday. I love Feeder. Pkg was the worst years of my life!

If I were you think long and hard before you do anything. I know people that liked working for ups after changing careers only because of the pay. If you are making good money really think hard about it!

Good luck!
 

rickyb

Well-Known Member
Two of the worst things we have owned are a Volkswagen Passat and a 8 or 9 hundred dollar Paff sewing machine. Both German -- both pieces of junk that were always in the shop. German engineering my ass.
yea germany actually makes things still. unlike america which used to do that and now has economic problems.

my german headphones are still going a decade later. i dont recd german cars, but they may be better than US cars.
 

rickyb

Well-Known Member
It's not even close, pretty much any country that has German as a recognized language is going to have a higher quality of life/overall satisfaction (on avg) , more stable economies and also more stable unemployment than the U.S. GER Austria, Switzerland for three and you could probably throw Belgium in there too
you can say that again.
 

Fuzzy Brown

Well-Known Member
hopefully i'm posing in the right section, apologizes if not. Like the title says, ive worked for the BNSF railway for 7 years,(5 years as Engineer. 2 as conductor) hiring out when i was 23. i live in the Pacific NW and can basically hold any Road job i want. i have really good seniority because i hired out at the right time, never been laid off or forced to work in a different terminal. In the time ive worked there, i average around $90k a year and can make more if i want. But as they say....Money isnt everything and i am so burnt out on Freight and having no schedule and crazy hours. Im looking for a change.

I see they are hiring for a Delivery Driver in Salt Lake City, i have family there. Can you actually start out as a driver? i remember applying a long time ago for a part time package handler, i thought that was the only way to work up to being a driver. Anyway, am i INSANE to do a career transition?? i cant imagine UPS being more chaotic then BNSF, but please prove me wrong. thanks in advance.
Absolutely if you can get on with UPS do it!
Being a package car driver is so much fun sometimes I feel like I should be paying them to let me do it.
And Salt Lake is awesome in the winter.
 

34yearpackagehumper

Well-Known Member
Stay on that locomotive . You have it made compared to any UPS package car driver that I know . This job tears the body down. Backaches, bad knees etc. I have been retired for almost 6 years and still going thru the effects of job.
 

rod

Retired 22 years
Pfaff is produced in China, and your experience with VW is the exception, not the rule.


Paff was started by Georg Pfaff in 1862. They were a 100% German Co. until 2006 (140+ years). In 2006 they were bought out by the same co. that owns Singer/Huskvarna. In 2013 GERMAN Group SSB bought back 100% of the shares of Pfaff. In my book that makes them a German product---and nothing but troublesome. As for VW's there are over 6,000 of them (diesels) rotting away in a big lot in my hometown waitng for who knows what. They have been there for 3 or 4 years now--just wasting away. German engineering my ass.
 

UnconTROLLed

perfection
And the funniest thing is...all these hardcore 'Murica...my granpappy killed bunches of Germans, and I love the military but was too chicken:censored2: to serve types, won't admit that since '45, Germany hasn't taken a dump without US approval.
In all fairness that sword cuts both ways, too
 

BlondeinBrown

Well-Known Member
My whole family on my dads side has been engineers, conductors, and train dispatchers with UPRR and Montana rail link. Great career. I actually thought about becoming a switchman/conductor with them but knew the hours would be terrible and I’ve seen it ruin marriages. If you can get on with UPS I would do it if you want a change in hours. At least you’ll be home every night. Just work smart and be safe, which you already know that.
 

Dr.Brownz

Well-Known Member
hopefully i'm posing in the right section, apologizes if not. Like the title says, ive worked for the BNSF railway for 7 years,(5 years as Engineer. 2 as conductor) hiring out when i was 23. i live in the Pacific NW and can basically hold any Road job i want. i have really good seniority because i hired out at the right time, never been laid off or forced to work in a different terminal. In the time ive worked there, i average around $90k a year and can make more if i want. But as they say....Money isnt everything and i am so burnt out on Freight and having no schedule and crazy hours. Im looking for a change.

I see they are hiring for a Delivery Driver in Salt Lake City, i have family there. Can you actually start out as a driver? i remember applying a long time ago for a part time package handler, i thought that was the only way to work up to being a driver. Anyway, am i INSANE to do a career transition?? i cant imagine UPS being more chaotic then BNSF, but please prove me wrong. thanks in advance.

No dude stay on the rails for another ten years, make as much as you can and retire early. Delivering package will be a pay cut and will destroy your body. Your joints will be pounded into dust. Management is terrible at UPS also.
 
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