My Nephew told me the other day the latest rumor is NS will not force Conductors to become Engineers. I don't know if this is something that the UTU is trying to get or it is something NS will agree to. From what I'm told only NS is the only one forcing the Conductors to go through this. Some good people have lost there job because they failed the school. I know at least one who got back on with NS and was working in the engine terminal at Inman. Time will tell. Not every person has the want to to sit behind a consul for 12 hours a day.
8) I heard you had to work at least one year to qualify, then give up your seniority to become an engineer.
Have not heard this rumor yet. Part of the Illinois Division (West of Tilton, IL) does not force Conductors to go, but still maintains the old practice of turning in your letter to go to engine school. Only if enough letters are not turned in will the company force people to go in seniority order.
After the CR split, pretty much all the rest of NS operates on the Conductor-to-Engineer system based on seniority in your "zone".
You don't really "lose" or "give up" your seniority, as most newly qualified Engineers "flow" back to the ground for a couple years until needed. You do end up on the Engineer extra board at first, so in a way it's kind of like losing it.
You don't have to give up your ground seniority to be promoted to Engineer. That came into effect with the 1985 agreement. The 1992 agreement made all employees hired after 1985 take the promotion. If you failed you lost your job. The only way around was to take another job like Yard Master.
If this is true, which I doubt, it would make several conductors I know very happy.
Paul