LOW PAY. NO SCHEDULE - Engineer BNSF Railway Employee Review

1.0
13 Jan 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

You get to work on, or operate trains, if you like that sort of thing, but that's about it.

Cons

The pay is well below average for blue collar work. The "trades" pay significantly more. You will have no schedule. You will not have most weekends off. You will not have holidays off. In fact, you are NOT allowed to take holidays off. You get in trouble if you take a holiday, like Christmas off, to spend with your family. BNSF never pays true overtime, at all, for any job. Some reviews on here, say you will get paid overtime, for some (yard) jobs, if you work more than 8 hours, but they're wrong. They aren't getting paid overtime. Those people just haven't done the math yet. You will spend 20 years of your life, trying to get enough seniority, to have some sort of schedule. You will spend 30 years of your life, trying to get enough seniority, to have weekends off, but you'll get fired before then anyway....

Explore other reviews about BNSF Railway

5.0
3 July 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great people and strong coworkers across the organization. The company offers competitive pay, strong benefits, and good overall stability. There are many experienced employees who care about the work and are willing to help others succeed.

Cons

The organization can be very hierarchical, which sometimes makes it difficult to drive change or move quickly. Decisions often require multiple layers of approval, so it can take longer than expected to finalize direction or make progress. There is also limited flexibility compared to what many other companies offer, especially when it comes to working arrangements.

5.0
24 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

This is a great place to start and grow your career, especially as an MT, with tons of opportunities to take on projects and explore what interests you. Leadership at every level is genuinely supportive and approachable, and people across the company are always willing to teach, mentor, and help you succeed. Compensation and benefits are competitive, and the Business Resource Groups really add to the sense of community and development.

Cons

There are so many opportunities that it can sometimes feel a little overwhelming figuring out what path to focus on. Balancing day-to-day work with all the development options can be a bit challenging depending on your role and workload.

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