What it?s like to drive a train for work In recent years, the dream of efficient, affordable rail travel in the U.S. has morphed from a romantic vision of slow-motion sightseeing into a high-speed, high-tech solution to the country?s emissions crisis.
For some, that future can?t arrive soon enough. As a locomotive engineer for Amtrak, Blake Phillips-Rios has a unique perspective of the challenges facing the industry?and a lot of ideas for how to get the country?s trains moving again.

When he?s not working on the railroad, Phillips-Rios is in graduate school at Cal State University where he?s getting his MBA, and co-owner of CabrĂłn Cochino, a clothing line for men of color. You can follow him at @elcabroncochino to peek in on his journeys on and off the rails. Here?s what it?s like to drive a train for work. Thursday, March 7
I started at Amtrak in 2013 as an assistant conductor?the one with the hat that scans your tickets and makes announcements. I got promoted to locomotive engineer in 2015, and now, I drive the train.
Since I?m still fairly new, I?m part of what?s called the ?extra board.? That means that I?m on-call 24 hours a day except on Tuesdays from 12:01 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. (My 24-hour ?relief day? can also change each month.) As an extra board engineer, I work when those who have regularly scheduled jobs take vacations, mark off sick, or when there are service disruptions or special trains. I don?t have a specific route but can be called for the Pacific S...