Terrible place to work. Don’t waste your time - Railroad Conductor/Switchman Union Pacific Employee Review

1.0
Dec 14, 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Decent pay and decent benefits. Other employees looking out for each other.

Cons

Literally everything else. I have been employed here for 2 years on the TE&Y side. 75% of the people I hired out with either got fired or quit within their first 2 months out of training. This place will take all of your time away from your family. There are serious problems with management trying to fire you over some ridiculous rule that is hidden deep in a rule book. Plus management is HIGHLY incompetent and seem to be snakes, the good ones never seem to stay. I have missed most of the important days in my life such as birthdays and major holidays due to work. I am in a constant state of feeling tired but not being able to sleep due to being on call and going to work around huge machines while tired is HIGHLY DANGEROUS and management couldn’t care less as long as you are making numbers. I personally looked past all of the negative reviews about this place before taking the job, but looking back now I should have taken the hint and not hired out. I wouldn’t recommend any of my close family or friends working here even after asking me if UP was hiring. I only recommend this job to my enemies! But seriously, I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS JOB.

Explore other reviews about Union Pacific

5.0
Jul 4, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Very great place to work with skilled team members great management and interesting products

Cons

I have no cons about this role

3.0
Jul 6, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good benefits Work about every other day Pay has potential to be good

Cons

New hires do 100% of the work for 80% of the pay and won’t get fully compensated for the first 4 years. They are also expected to know every transportation job on site rather than focusing on one area like guys who have been here longer so 20% less pay but required to know more, do more, have to wear orange hats for a full year allowing management to easily identify them on camera or in person so they can watch them more closely hoping to catch them breaking a rule. So less pay but a more stressful work place requiring you to know more and get singled out hoping to catch them in a mistake. There is absolutely zero work life balance. Coming from a place where I had 20 plus years and able to hold a decent amount of PTO to getting a single day of paid vacation the first year and trying to balance a family life while also trying to provide for them is impossible. You sacrifice seeing your children grow up, play sports, go on vacations with them so you can provide for them. By the time you have enough years in to take a vacation with them they are grown and you missed the most important years of their lives. I know this as a child of a railroader and now as a parent who’s children barely get to see him.

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