Train Crew - Eau Claire, WI

Union Pacific•Eau Claire, WI

About The Position

Union Pacific Train Crew employees provide the safe and timely movement of customers’ freight. Previous railroad experience is not required; the company provides a 14-week training program combining classroom and on-the-job training. Employees must attend the full program and successfully complete all exams to continue employment. After training, employees work in road or yard service based on their territory and seniority. Road crews may travel between locations and stay away from their home terminal; lodging is provided in that circumstance. Yard and local crews work with an engineer or by remote control to classify rail cars and build trains. Employees may also be assigned to cover other locations within their seniority area, may be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and may experience temporary furloughs depending on business volume. Changing crafts or seniority locations is subject to business demands; employees should plan to remain in their craft and work location for at least two years. The position involves variable work hours, irregular days off, and working nights, weekends, and holidays. Employees may travel with trains and spend a day or more away from their home terminal, and work outdoors in all weather conditions. The role is subject to drug and alcohol testing. Candidates must pass a Physical Ability Test and meet the stated physical, sensory, driving, and legal work-authorization requirements. Initial-year earnings are stated as approximately $80,000; employees with five years of service may have median annual wages exceeding $100,000. The company offers insurance, retirement and stock purchase plans, wellness and employee assistance programs, and educational assistance. Employees are generally unlikely to be eligible for compensated time off in their first year, except for paid sick days.

Requirements

Must be at least 18 years old.
Valid driver's license.
Clean driving record for the past 36 months, without suspension, revocation, cancellation, or denial of the driver's license resulting from a drug- or alcohol-related incident.
Must not have been involved in diversion or probation or pleaded guilty to a drug- or alcohol-related driving incident.
Must not have refused a drug or alcohol test related to operating a motor vehicle.
Successfully complete an English-language assessment before proceeding to the interview stage.
Successfully pass a Physical Ability Test before being considered for employment.
Normal color vision, including the ability to detect and interpret visual signals and displays and determine the speed of moving objects at close and distant ranges.
Adequate depth perception to assess the speed and distance of locomotives being moved in the service area.
Ability to push, pull, lift, and carry objects weighing up to 85 pounds.
Ability to frequently perform coordinated hand movements for grasping, placing, or moving objects.
Ability to perform physically demanding tasks, including occasional bending, stooping, and kneeling.
Ability to line a switch, climb a rail car side ladder, maintain balance while riding a rail car, walk up to five miles per shift on uneven terrain, and occasionally work at heights of 12 feet or more.
Ability to detect unusual sounds and smells during inspections and testing and respond promptly.
Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without company sponsorship.
Attendance throughout the full 14-week training program and successful completion of all exams are required for continued employment.

Nice To Haves

Experience working second and/or third shifts.
Experience working outdoors in diverse weather conditions, including professional, personal, or volunteer experience.
Experience working with, on, and around heavy equipment in motion, including professional, personal, or volunteer experience.
Experience working in confined spaces and at different heights.

Responsibilities

Inspect equipment, locomotives, and rail cars to ensure they are safe to use or move in a train.
Couple equipment, align drawbars, operate remote control locomotives, apply and release hand brakes, ride rail cars, and replace couplers or knuckles.
Communicate information effectively to crews, yard controllers, and dispatchers using radios and/or hand signals.
Maintain accurate written and electronic documentation and prepare required materials.
Observe and comply with railroad safety and operating rules and regulations, including Federal Railroad Administration requirements.
Perform additional duties as assigned by a supervisor.
In yard and local service, classify cars from inbound trains and build outbound trains.

Benefits

Medical insurance that also covers prescriptions.
Vision insurance.
Dental insurance.
Life insurance.
Disability insurance.
401(k) retirement plan.
Employee Stock Purchase Plan with a 20% match up to 5%.
Wellness and Employee Assistance Programs.
Educational Assistance, including online and in-person courses at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and Metropolitan Community College with little to no out-of-pocket cost.
Paid sick days; the posting says compensated time off is generally not available during the first year apart from paid sick days.
Lodging provided for road service crews required to stay away from their home terminal point.