UP out of Cheyenne (Rock Springs, Green River: home, living in, costs)

[jlzorn5]

Hi, or I should say Howdy everyone. I am living in North Carolina and have applyed and waiting for a hiring session with UP out of Cheyenne. Would like to hear from a UP employee out of Cheyenne, Green River and Rock springs on the work there. Have visited WY for years and finially going to try to move there, Have read for hours on this thread and really looking forward to possible moving out to the cowboy state. Thanks for you time, JACK.

PS Job applyed for is Train Crew

[jazzlover]

I don't work for the UP, but I have a lot of friends who do. IF you get hired, and that can be a big "if," you will be low man on the totem pole for seniority. That means if business turns sour, you will be first to be furloughed. To stay working with regularity, you may have to work out of another terminal for a while. If so, you can be away from home for months. If you're single, that may not be a problem; if not, you better have an understanding spouse or you probably will be single again. Railroading is a 24-hour a day, seven day a week business. You are always "on call." Your work time and sleep time will likely be different every day. You may already know all of that, but many don't. If you've used or are using any illegal drugs, forget it--you won't be hired. If you have a bad driving record, forget it--they won't hire you if you have that. "No go" if you're color-blind, either. A friend of mine is a Manager of Operating Practices (MOP) for the UP (not in Wyoming). He tells me that a typical hiring session will have 200+ applicants. By the time they get done with physical and aptitude testing, drug screening and driving record checks, less than 20 are usually left in the room.

Though not like it used to be, there is still nepotism on the railroad. Most of the guys I knew working out of Cheyenne were long-time local residents, many from railroading families. Some of that may be because of subtle "prejudice" in hiring; much of it, I think, is because many "boomers" decide that they don't like the irregular hours of railroading or the harsh climate of Wyoming, and they "wash out" over time. Most crews out of Cheyenne work either east to North Platte, Nebraska or west to either Rawlins or Green River, Wyoming. Both ways can be hot in the summer or frigid cold in the winter, usually with a lot of wind. For switchmen and trainmen (and that's how you start out), it can be brutal work under those conditions. As one of my conductor friends says, you don't know what misery is until you walk the length of a mile-long train to replace an air hose when it's below-zero with blowing snow and a wind chill of 40 below.

I don't post this just to be discouraging--but you need to know what you're getting into. Years ago, I would have done it in a minute. Unfortunately, a congenital medical issue disqualified me from train service. Of the three towns you listed, I would pick Cheyenne as the most agreeable. I lived there and loved it--except for the wind. You might check to see if they are hiring out of South Morrill, Nebraska. For a long time, they seemed to have trouble getting enough people to work out of there. UP's business there is coal trains, which also seem to be more stable from year-to-year than the mainline business in Cheyenne. Many of the employees out of South Morrill live just over the state line in Torrington, WY, which is a small, but pleasant town. Housing costs there are also lower than Cheyenne, Green River, or Rock Springs.

[jlzorn5]

Thanks Jazzlover, I already knew most of this as I have made it through a Norfolk and Southern session with about 250 people. I have a friend with them, and he thinks they will offer me a job soon here in NC. I have always wanted to move out west<I hunt there every year> so I know of the cold, but not of the wind, and was wondering what time frames UP has for being exposed to that kind of environment, 10 hours outside in 40 below would not be fun at all. Thanks again.

[Wyomiles]

Howdy jlzorn5 ,
I have not worked for them either but spent many years in a railyard in Rock Springs, shipping and receiving. 12 hour shifts,so some days were many hours in the cold. I actually look back on it fondly. I just dressed with many layers, good steel toed snowboots and head neck and face covered. Moving all the time keeps ya pretty warm and yes I have done many of these shifts at -40 F ! There are many industrial plants that have the same sorts of rail yards all over Wyoming and might be an option for you too ?
I think if you can hang in long enough with the UP to bid up the ladder you will have a nice retirement.

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by jlzorn5

Thanks Jazzlover, I already knew most of this as I have made it through a Norfolk and Southern session with about 250 people. I have a friend with them, and he thinks they will offer me a job soon here in NC. I have always wanted to move out west<I hunt there every year> so I know of the cold, but not of the wind, and was wondering what time frames UP has for being exposed to that kind of environment, 10 hours outside in 40 below would not be fun at all. Thanks again.

The wind blows sufficiently hard, especially west of Cheyenne on Sherman Hill, that the railroad has wind detectors there. They will shut down the mainline if gusts are too high, because they can blow double-stack container cars and empty autoracks off the track. Last year, about a dozen empty autoracks were blown over while sitting still in the west end of the Cheyenne yard!

Ironically, one of the windiest areas of Wyoming is the UP mainline corridor across southern Wyoming. October through April are the windiest months. Blizzards are actually fairly infrequent, but when they occur they can be pretty bad. You probably should get a taste of Wyoming winter before you relocate permanently. Some people adapt, many don't.