Wow, this thread brings back some really special memories for me. 
In the mid/late 60’s (65-69) my Dad worked for the Houston Belt & Terminal RR, an inner city RR company that operated the switching yards, here in Houston, Texas.
During the summer months while school was out, he would take me along to work. At the time, he worked the ‘graveyard’ shift (11pm-7am) at a switching yard close to downtown Houston, where he was ‘chief clerk’ of the yard. The trainmaster’s office for the yard was also where the engineers on the ‘switch engines’ had their lockers, stopped for their meals, etc.
My Dad also kept the big coffee machine filled and went on the ‘donut run’ (there was a Shipley’s Donuts a few blocks away, they always made a huge batch of fresh donuts and pastries at about 2am), consequently he was good friends with many of the engineers.
Some of my fondest childhood memories were of getting to go with one or the other of the engineers onboard the switch engines when they went out to put together a string of cars.
I even got to operate the engines and switch the cars around, quite a few times. 
When school resumed in the Fall, and we would have to write the requisite ‘What I did on my Summer vacation.’ story, IMHO, I always had the ‘coolest’ story. 
I have ridden with the engineer once and it felt a bit uncomforting to know that he couldn’t change direction, only accelerate and brake.
ETA… This is the type of switch engine that I remember riding on/operating. 
The ‘switchers’ rarely moved faster than a man could trot, and were constantly going forward and backward, switching cars from one track to another.
One jargon phrase that will mark you as an enthusiast is to inquire about the possibility of a “footplate ride”.
It will also mark you as a British tourist;) “Footplate” is the British term for the operator’s platform of a steam locomotive…not sure if they extend the meaning to include the cab of a diesel. At any rate, I’ve never heard the term used in the context of American railroading.
SS
So what’s it like being an engineer? Especially on those “cross-country” freight trains. Boring? I’m sure the romantic idea is nothing like reality but I imagine there are worse ways to see the country. Do most engineers run the same trip day in and day out? How many hours a day can you run the train? How many other workers are on the train?
It’s tiring until you have enough seniority to basically pick your schedule. If you have your 8 hours (it may be 10 now) of rest–which, of course, includes the trip to the motel/home, eating, showering, THEN sleeping–you can get a phone call at any time ordering you to report for duty in 2 hours time.
Federal law allows for 12 hours on-duty. The dispatchers try to keep up with times, but sometimes you “die on the law” out in the middle of nowhere, and the limo company has to come pick you up and bring a new crew.
Engineers have to qualify on the route they’ll operate, so it’s mostly the same subdivision day in and day out. Ft. Worth to Marshall, TX, Marshall to Little Rock, etc. Most of the crews I know are qualified both directions out of their home terminal; if you live in St. Louis, you’d be qualified to run to Chicago and Little Rock.
On mainline freight trains, there’s a crew of 2: engineer and conductor. Local trains will generally have a brakeman to throw switches and whatnot. Amtrak runs of less than 8 hours allow one man in the cab, with the Conductor on the train.
BlakeTyner: May I suggest you start an “Ask the Train Engineer” thread? I’m sure a lot of people would love such a thing.
Seconded.
If you ever see a big white passenger van on the highway, with “Renzenberger Safety Team” on the rear doors, it’s likely such a transporter, going to or from a train whose crew timed out.
Ms Hook has always had a thing for trains. So for our anniversery this year I’m signing her up to drive this train. You get a short course on what to do then they take off with you at the throttle. Of course there’s a real engineer there with you but you do get to drive the thing for about an hour. IIRC.
It will be about the end of June, get back to you about the experience.
Here, it depends on the rail operator. The Sydney suburban network is generally easily accessible if you know the right people. Country freight trains, a bit harder.
Case in point: I was standing on a station, and a suburban train pulled in. As the guard (conductor) sped past, standing in his open doorway, I saw he was a friend of mine, and he beckoned me to ride with him. This meant a sprint up the platform. A Transit Officer (transit cop) saw me enter the guard’s compartment, and I told my friend this. His reply: “My train. F__k 'em.” The guard is the captain of the ship, even above the driver.
Have had multiple suburban cab rides. My driver friend just tells me, “Make sure you have a valid ticket. After that, nothing anybody can do. It’s my cab, and I’m letting you in.”
This is in Sydney. I also have standing offers of same in Melbourne.
Now, freight is another story. A freight driver friend tried to get me onto a short run in the country at midnight. Little chance of getting caught, but out of courtesy, he rang his secondman and asked him if he was OK with visitors. He wasn’t. I respect that, so no biggie.