Pros
Just the right amount of travel - mostly you come home everyday, benefits are amazing, every day is different - you encounter some crazy/interesting/weird stuff out there, there is a sense of belonging to a piece of American history, a sense of a job well-done when I leave work everyday - I am responsible for a lot of things, the salary - i'll never become "rich" from working on the railroad, but I definitely wont hurt for money & will be able to provide for my immediate & extended family...
Cons
We work very long & odd hours, we don't have sick time, our vacation time doesn't accrue fast enough. It can become a very dangerous, life-threatening job in the blink of an eye. Also, some of the "old-head" conductors & engineers don't care about our very strict anti-discrimination EEO policies - if you're a sexual minority - ie women, gays, lesbians or transgenders - it can feel very much like a "straight man's game," but honestly its the best job i've had in a very long string of stupid jobs... I'm very proud to say I work for Amtrak. Oh, and railroaders complain about everything.