ErikNYC

Because not all yards have car washes, and the trains must get washed... so guess who takes them. lol While going to the wash you will talk with RCC etc. You might even have to transfer a train from one yard to another, for whatever reason. You will be doing cuts and adds from track to track like crazy! As well as putting-in and laying-up trains to and from the terminals. Don't worry, they won't have you doing washes the first few weeks, and it will ALL makes sense, and much more sense over the next few weeks. Trust me, this is when it start to feel like your going to work to do your job, and apply what your instructors drilled into your head. You will be smiling.

I worked PM's, which I enjoyed because I did not have to deal with rush hour, and RCC during rush hour. I took trains to the wash after rush hour, and returned around midnight... much less headaches than what my classmates had to deal with during the day. You can be scheduled to work AM, PM, or midnight's. You won't know until the first day you have to call the crew office to get your schedule and then call for your schedule every day there after while in YX, which won't be until after you return to PS 248 with your posting papers. If your AM's you will normally be AM's through the time your in YX, same goes for PM's etc. You will be yard extra, like XX, but there's no YXX in the yards, so you have to call for your schedule everyday, or check your schedule on the sheets that will be posted up every evening at the locations you'll be working. You'll do fine. You still have to do posting, and yard enhancement before you start YX, you will much more confident by then. Enjoy it... cause after all that we will will be pounding the road! (yard jobs are senior jobs, for people who worked like 25+ years. You will see...)

That's high number and not the norm, but again... it's not everyone. Keep on pushing!!!

YX was great, today was my final day. Tomorrow I go in for my second signal exam. Sad to see they failed, but ask yourself how did you pass, and they didn't. Congrats! The test is not hard, I find the practicals harder.

That's exactly how my class was scheduled, back to back. Just don't forget handbrakes, a lot of people do!!! Good luck, you got it!

You will do fine. The practicals seem to be where the anxiety hits the all time high. The good thing about the signal test is that it's the signals you should know, and no curve ball being throw at you. Which day are you taking yours?

All is well. Thanks for asking. I'm nearing the end of YX, and preparing for the second signal exam. It's been a wonderful experience so far. I'm glad your doing well, and hanging in there. it's like a boot camp during the first two months of school car, after that It's starts to get exciting. Keep up the good work.

Be certain to read every single post in that thread. You haven't seen anything yet, revert back to that thread when you are down and out, or confused. Overall, don't give up and the light will be at the end of the tunnel. We all went through it.

Now that your in school car it's time to switch to the other thread. It will help you get through school car, especially when u start to get confused, down etc.

$60 is too much for a bag. After you finish the two months of school car you probably will not be using the bag any longer. I bought the $30 Husky bag from Home Depot, it did it's job for those two months. If anyone is local to the Bronx, they can have my Husky bag for $20, still looks like new. It will get you through school car, and not too bulky. Don't go out there "looking like you carrying a casket". lol Good luck to everyone!

You will be wearing it for about 2-3 weeks, until you uniform arrives in the mail.

Perfect! You won't have any issues, and will be ready to get down and dirty.

I highly recommend you two check out the school car thread. A lot of information is there. No one is going to openly tell you wants on the test.

You will get help if needed, you will have a partner depending on the job duty. Its not training, but more so familiarization. You are responsible for completing the job. Always let the dispatcher or TSS know when you need help, and ask all the questions you need as soon as you sign in. If you have a partner that is a senior person they will normally lead the way, and show you the ins and outs. you will be working in yards and terminals. It's not training, but an actual job, and job number.

Yup, during YX you will bounce around to different yards and terminals. Which is great, because you will operate a whole lot, and learn a lot about the different places you work. I can be in Queens for two days then back to the Bronx for a few days, and then back to Queens etc. You will be at mercy off the crew office... My class officially lost their weekends off, as of last week.

I highly doubt you will get fired, but stop being late. The worst that will happen is they extend you probation. Being on time, is late.... especially when on probation. Try and always be there thirty minutes early.

I just want to forewarn you; Be careful. If your attending therapy while in school car, it can be a conflict (court case etc). there is a lot of tracks to walk, and strenuous activities, while in school car and posting.

You gotta remember guys, we are the minority of the pool of people getting hired, and have inside information about class start dates. Majority of the people getting hired won't know the information we know etc. That being said, when you go in to finalize everything, you will be asked if you can start on whatever date, if not then you can pick the following class date. You do not have to commit to the earliest date.

You'll do fine. Don't let these people on the forum stress you, your in schoolcar now... Think as positive as you can, and get rid of anything negative, you shouldn't be thinking about signal tests when you are preparing for a practical etc. Focus on what u are currently preparing for, and once again browse the other thread on this forum, and you will find positive information to help you get through every step of schoolcar... It helped me immensely. PM me if u need help as well.

How long have you been in actual class now?

I'm going to remind everyone... Don't get too caught up on studying signals to the point that your not comprehending the rest of the material that you need to study. You will go over signals daily in class. Study signals at home for one hour, and start hitting the books, and you notes (I did not study on Friday's and Saturday's). You must be able to pass your practicals. People fail during the practicals, because they could not put some of the pieces of the puzzle together. There were people in my class who mesmerized signals in a matter of days of starting school car, but when it was time to put it to practical use, they flunked, or when there was a quiz, they failed. The first month of school car was hard on me (check my previous posts and others as well), I felt like i was going to school car just for a check at times, and it was all about to end any day now (I had tough instructors). After one month it all just clicked. I started leading in the class, and it showed during the practicals, and quizzes. I was the only person in my class who did not have to retake any of the practicals. At one time there were only two of us in class, the remainder of the class had to redo their practical... I never saw that coming (neither did the instructors)! The signal test is not a trick test, they are not giving you a test to try and fail you. They are asking question you should know by the time test day arrives, the main signals at that. Study everything in thirds; signals, notes, and your induction manual. You have more time to study signals in class, on the train, when your bored, during road operation days, etc. The signals where much easier for me to remember once I start hitting the road with the class, I am more of a hands on person... then it all clicks, I can go back to my notes, and I can take it from there. I had one main study buddy... The rest of the class was understandably unreliable. Once you start school car, head over to the School Car Experience thread, read and cross reference every post and if you need more help, just ask. But make sure you do NOT give up, even when you feel like your at a breaking point. School car is not trying to fail you, but if you can't keep up, then you will fail. When you start school car, "It get's worst and then it get better". Good luck and see you on the road!

I know I keep hearing about it. I heard it the reason we now have to take two test. Even the dispatcher reminded me about call-on's when i first met her. I said yes i know... She said okay... "that's what they all say". lol I took on two call-on's, laying up a train last night to get into a relay position, and multiple call-ons last week while laying up train at 137th St yard. Combine that with my instructor TSS James and Albanese drilling us to death, I should never forget how to take on a call-on.. I also hear that people ask for permission when they encounter an AK signal, and iirc at Corona yard they added an AK plate to an automatic signal to remind TO's that they can key buy automatics on a yard lead. Yea, I'm not trying to make fun of anyone. If the added pressure at times, you never know what goes on in peoples head at any moment. I hope and plan to stay with my "nose in the books", as Motor Instructor Albanese would say.

Hopefully with that extra test people will stop asking for permission when they encounter a call on, and so on.

As close as possible depending where you live. We'll see where we are placed next week. I live in the Bronx, so I have many options and yards that are close to me, others aren't so lucky.

You don't pick the yard, but they try and give you a yard close to home. That's a good thing, and can also be bad, because some of my classmates are stuck at places like Utica, which is just non-stop relaying, you won't learn much there. I'm in YX now, and I do cuts, adds, washes, barn moves, put-ins/outs etc. When you start YX, you will really get to put your skills to use, and build the confidence that you need, especially if you work in an actual yard. I get off on weekends, but work the PM shift. I'm paired with senior guys who has their own job duties as well. It's not training, you have jobs to perform in YX, sometimes on your own. Your partner will help you out, if you ask for help. If there is anything you don't know, just ask. It won't be like school car where your classmates and instructors are laughing at your questions, or when your classmates just want to hurry and get the day over with. In YX you will have plenty of time to ask all the questions you need want to ask. Here is a pic of the clip for you keys, you use individual key rings on each key, for when you need to remove a key from the clip. https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=carabiner+clip&FORM=AWIR