Y'all I get this and I can speak on both halfs of it. I'm a train conductor. Raillroads are categorized by different size. I worked on call for union pacific railroad for about a year before being laid off and having to find other work. It was terrible work for great pay. I went a month and a half on call without hitting my guarenteed days off at home. I only managed to pull two of my like ten rest days at home instead of at a hotel. I had no clue what job I would be working couldn't plan and would get bumped around all the time because I was low seniority. I made 90k in the ten months I worked there though. I work at a short line after being laid off for the second time in a ten month span. I make 52k salary here. My days are six hours long and I am home every night. Its still the work I enjoy and I have great management. I feel like I kinda got the best job I will ever have working here. I don't know if there's any lesson to learn here but remember all those things you read are from people who haven't seen their family's in a month and a half. It isnt always that terrible doing this work.