I'm not going to tell you yes or no that's your choice. I can tell you about my ns experience. I work for the other guy! I quit a job that was paying 40k a year to work on the RR, and was ready to move onto something else. Training for NS wasn't terribly to difficult but they were always watching you like a hawk to make sure you were safe and had some common sense. I had a NS train master threaten to fire me for not having my CT hat on while on NS property one time. That was my really only run in with an official. As long as your in training do what your told and keep under the radar I don't think you will have a problem. After I marked up I had 60 days that I was on my own until I got into the union and they forced me into the yard. At NS while you are in the yard you are an easier target in my opinion. The yard train masters only have say 20 people to be in charge of compared to say the road like 56-70 ppl. Anyways remember at any minute you can be fired, I've seen it. As far as the job it's really not that bad of a job. I have worked the road and yard but now I'm in the yard since I can not hold the road.
It depends on what type of work your terminal does really could make life good or bad. Where I work for the road life is better then other terminals but it's not all get on and go trains. You are on call 24/7, we have a 2 hour call window where they will call you say 1pm for 3pm, 10a for 12p etc. sometimes we get 1 1/2 calls but nothing less then that. We have a short pool which is 51 miles and 2 long pools, one is like 138 and the other is 228. Once we get onto duty we check the bulletins and print out our train clearance that allows us to operate. We recrew the train get on and go to where we need to go. For example our short pool we take all freight trains into the hump yard. So once we get to the hump yard we talk to the yard master and see where we need to go if we are shoving the train in to get humped or pulling it in. After getting those instructions we place the train in the track. After that we cut our engines away and see wherer they need to be placed. We navigate the yard and place the power in the requested tracks. At this hump yard 90% of the switches are power switches so you just need to pay attention to which way the switch is lined for and make sure it's taking you to the right place. Along th way your talking to the yard master and following his instructions too. After the power is place we either deadhead home or stay at the hotel it all depends. It's really simple 8/10 times you go the same way talk to the same people so it just becomes muscle memory. Now we also have to build the train. We talk to the engine shop see where our power is, talk to the yard master see where the actually train is located if it needs to be doubled up etc, and we also get a consist and train clearance. Once again after navigating the yard light power we tie onto the train do a few things like test the marker, inspect the first 6 cars for hazmat, knock off a few brakes talk to the yard master and tell him your ready to depart. We'll he talks to the dispatcher they get a route for you. This could take 10 minutes or 4 hours it all depends on train traffic.now once we are out off the yard it's signal indication take it to the recrew point get recrewed at go home. It could be a 4 hour day 8 hour or 12 you never know. For a short pool job I get paid 172 a day with OT after 8 hours and I'm at 75%.
For the long pool it's also the samething more pay, but on our long pool say 7/10 trains are get on and go with no work. Sometimes you need to add an engine or take off an engine it all depends. It's really easy.
For yard work you report to the yardmaster see what needs unless your familiar what a certain job does but sometimes it's changed if need be. Anyways after sitting around for 2 hours complaining that no one does anything and if it wasn't for you nothing would get done. At least that's how most conductors act. You might switch cars out, work industries, or build trains for the guys who work locals can just show up to work and go. Like I said it all depends on the day, the yardmaster. It's really not that bad it's lots of walking since NS is cheap some days and won't call you a breakman.
Now as far as the lifestyle I personally think it sucks on the extra board and that's what I am on. You are on call 24/7 and when they need you guess what you better go. They don't care if your balls deep in your women, out to eat with your family, at your kids birthday, seeing your mom in the hospital, when they need you they expect you to be there. Now don't get me wrong here at NS you can call and ask for permission off or take a personal day but it's 50/50 if you will get it! One guy once told me if you need it off call off sick but that's your choice. If you work the road and go out of town I can expect to be home anywhere from 30-36 hours after I go to work, sometimes it may be longer but upon average that seems to be the norm if you go out of town for us. As far as pay they will tell you stand there's with your pocket open we will stuff it full. I would take that with a grain of salt. I had it open my first year and after training for 6 months and 6 months on my own I made like 34k that year. Then winter came It got super slow and I got laid off for like 7 months or so. They finally called me back to work but I wasn't really able to hold anything. I kept getting bumped around for another month and was able to find a spot. So be prepared to get laid off, always expect it. As far as the benefits they are really good. I am single so the health insurance is a little high for me it's 198 per month but I think it's a flat rate for 0 kids or 10 kids. Union dues run me like 89 bucks then job insurance is like 60. I would quit this job for something better but you have to think long term man. Railroad retirement is awesome, you get 401k, good benefits. In today's world it's kinda hard to get a retirement from anywhere so I'm in it for the long hall. Another good thing about the job I think is the lack of supervision here. When I go to work on the road I barley see my supervisor I don't think he could pick me out of a lineup so there is some trust that you are going to do the right thing. But then again they call them weed weasels for a reason. As first the extra board is difficult to get use to, you will miss lots of events, prepare to work a lot of nights and weekends normally I get 1-2 days off a week normally like mom tues or. Wednesday. This is just my experience from my 2+ plus years. Remember if you don't like it and quit they have 100 people in line behind you to take the job. It's kind of a hard to come by job theses days. I have know guys applying 10+ times before even getting invited o a hiring session.