Study Material for Conductor/Engineer?

[oresama]

Hi,

Well as per my post below I was offered a conductor/engineer trainee position and I accepted. I do not begin classes/training for another month however, and was wondering if anyone could direct me to any material that I might be able to study to prepare myself? Thank you very much for any help. -

 

[Midsouth fan]

Honestly, all of the reading material you will need will come from your future employer. I don't know who is hiring you, so reading material may vary. If you had been hired by my RR before last summer, you would have been learning the Uniform Code of Operating Rules (dated June 2, 1968...the old school way of railroading...timetable and train orders! ). Most RRs now, however, are going over to the General Code of Operating Rules, 6th edition. Check with who hired you and see if they have any materials you can use between now and when class starts.

Good luck with your new career. Don't let it ruin your love of railroading as a hobby. It can happen if you're not careful. For me, I always tell people I'm getting paid to play!

 

[JeffLH]

Transalert (www.transalert.com, part of Simmons-Boardmann) has books on transportation. One of them is the "Basic Training Manual for Switchmen and Brakeman." I have one of the older copies and understand it's been updated. (The old one originally came out and the rules referenced were from the Consolidated Code. Some of the drawings have blacked out BN type logos, so it may have originated as a BN training manual, the BN orginially being a Consolidated Code road.) It may even be used by your new employer. Good luck.

There are other books at the site, some that appeal to everyone (RR employees and fans) and some more specialized that most fans wouldn't care for. I have a few, although some came from other vendors.

Midsouth, I was surprised when I first read that the old UCOR 1968 was still in use until last year. I have 4 or 5 of the 1968 books laying around. I use GCOR at work, but on my basement empire the 1968 UCOR still governs. (I collect the old ones as well, the first UCOR (US, there are Canadian versions) came out in 1940, governing the CRI&P and the MP. The second in 1950, with a few more roads added. The final edition in 1968.)
Jeff

 

[Midsouth fan]

The 1st page of the UCOR 1968 book lists the railroads who had adopted the rules as their own...my railroad was hand-stamped above the list, and mine is the only one that survives to this day. Here is the list:

Chicago & Eastern Illinois RR Co.: H.S. VIERLING V.P.--General Manager

Galveston, Houston & Henderson RR Co.: H.E. Smith--President

Houston Belt & Terminal Railway Co.: R.H. Anderson--President

Missouri-Kansas-Texas RR Co.: R.B. George--V.P.-operation, A.F. Winkel--v.p.-personnel, B.R. Bishop--General Manager

Missouri Pacific RR Co., Texas and Pacific Railway Co., Kansas, Oklahoma & Gulf Railway, Missouri-Illinois RR Co., and affiliated companies: J.H. Lloyd--V.P.-Operation

Rock Island Lines: G.W. Kelly--Sr. V.P.-Operations, J.B. Buffalo--General Manager

Rock Island Lines, Ft. Worth & Denver Railway Co. Joint Texas Division: G.W. Kelly-- Sr. V.P.-Operations, I.C. Ethington--V.P.-Operations

St. Louis Southwestern Railway Co.: D.R. Kirk--General Manager, W.J. Lacy--superintendent

Union Terminal Co. (Dallas): D.E. Walker--General Manager

I thought y'all might enjoy a little history of where our hobby/lifestyles came from.

 

[Extralist]

Hi,

Well as per my post below I was offered a conductor/engineer trainee position and I accepted. I do not begin classes/training for another month however, and was wondering if anyone could direct me to any material that I might be able to study to prepare myself? Thank you very much for any help. -

Good thinking trying to get ahead of the game but you'll be better off if you stick with what your employer hands you. A little background history if it interests you won't hurt but it'll be confusing enough as it is. Rules and procedures vary so much between carriers that you'll likely only muddy the water by reading up on old stuff or somebody else's. Trust me, the RR will give you plenty to chew on. Good luck!