beneka

Btw, I didn't realize how late I was in this response...lol. I'm sure you know by now

If your rdo are m/t, you can request Friday, Saturday and Sunday off...or Wednesday, Thursday and Friday off, thus giving you 5 days off. I've done it 3 or 4 times since being down here without issue.

Our first pick was today. Actually had some good choices!

Just to piggy back on what has already been said, follow schoolcar rules and you'll be good. Every trainer i had while yard and road posting had their own methods in doing things, but what I liked was that they allowed me to do my work per schoolcar, as thats what we got tested on. I was told the same thing they told you "if you do it schoolcar methods you'll be here all day and wont make time"-Not true!!! I make a year on road tomorrow and operating per schoolcar hasn't hurt me. I do agree with SubwayGuy as well that some of the bad habits/non schoolcar operation is good to know(shuttle button!!) Its good to know alternate ways, but still operating by schoolcar rules will keep most trouble away from you! Dont stress some of those trainers. You'll get some of them while road posting as well! Some of the people down here can care less about you getting better, they just want the OT. For the most part tho, there's more good than bad. Always ask questions! Get into that habit of repeating back what they tell you just to be sure

Congrats on passing the signal exam/practical! A lot of people take the test for granted and dont study as much as they should....or they let their nerves get the best of 'em. Sucks when someone fails out, but wish them the best. Everything else will fall into place, just as with the first yd practical and signal test. Just stick to the rules and what you've been learning!

Yup....and try to always be in coast a couple seconds before you actually need to brake. Brakes apply almost immediately from coast and there is a slight delay when going from power directly to a brake. Everyone has given you some great advice here, but its important that you develop your own methods. You will as you continue to operate more often, but its always good to have some guidelines as a reference

Congrats on the practical!! As you did with this, take your time on the others and focus...everything will fall into place! As far as braking, I didn't develop a really good, smooth brake until a month or two AFTER schoolcar! I was always able to stop the train, but as with you I would have to go back to coast or take a point to get to the 10/S marker. I make a year on road next month and I'm still not perfect with my stops, but 90% of the time they are smooth. I can't give you any B div specific advice since I'm in the A, but here's what TSS Lee told me that really helped: Entering the station if you're at 35mph, you're good. 35mph isn't the end all, but that's a good speed to enter. By the conductor board, if you're at 25mph and holding a good brake, you should be good. Finally at the 8 car marker if you're at 13mph, whatever brake you're holding should take you to the 10 car marker. This is far from fool proof!! Not gonna work at all stations, but it was a good guideline for me that i still use sometimes. Also, I'm in the A so it might not be the same...but it might still be a good guideline for you. You will develop your own methods. All the advice we give you is good, but use it to figure out what to do and what not to do. Your operation will improve as you go along. Subwayguy is absolutely right! The only thing I will slightly disagree with is that you have to be perfect by road posting! I surely wasn't! However, you must be able to have your train under control at all times and be able to stop at or as close to the 10/S car marker

You'll be good bro! Keep confident and humble. Congrats to you guys on making your probation. Lets keep this railroad moving! And as always, thanks to all the veterans that continue to help us through our journey

Hope your first practical goes well. As everyone said before, do it step by step just as you've been practicing with your class. Remember to check all BCO and if you find one cut out, radio yard dispatcher-for the practical you'll just tell the superintendent or tss how you would call it in. And you should be prepared to read the iron and give a couple of signal definitions. You'll do just fine. Btw, took y'all 5 weeks to get the signal guide?! That is insane!!!! We had the guide and was going over signals everyday once we left PS 248. This has been answered a few times already, but I'd suggest writing signal definitions verbatim. Can't go wrong if what you write is what's in the book. And RSEC-write the whole thing!!

Oh...and about the midterm/final exams....although you dont need a 100% and you get a second if u fail the first time, the second chance will be all written...so yeah take them all seriously!

Schoolcar can be overwhelming if you let it get overwhelming!!!! Honestly I was a little nervous going into it, especially hearing all the stories and learning of all the ways one can fail out. TSS's are there to help you. As said in an earlier response, if you show determination and they can tell you're trying, they will give you their all. Take it day by day....dont get ahead of yourself....and DON'T go in there thinking you know everything! Stay humble and just try your best to learn and follow along with all the TSS's and superintendents you will meet(there will be a lot!). Oh....ask questions if u dont understand...then ask again....and ask again after that until it is clear!!! Best of luck!!! "10 ½ F S U"!!! You'll learn about that soon enough

As RTOman posted, they switch the tests up often..subwaydriver's post here is a testament to that. Our signal test was in january and it was more than 10 questions. And as subwaydriver posted, learn them word for word. You can intetpret it in your own way, but for test purposes you should learn them word for word

Yes....this year flew by!! Congrats and happy anniversary to us 11/12/12 inductees!!! And thank you mediccjh for starting this thread!!

That notice was issued TA wide! We it here in the A division as well

Lol!!! I'm dreading having to work midnight tour. I've heard that a lot of people have been lucky and never been scheduled for that tour and I hope I'm one of them. I find it so hard to sleep a good 8 hours in the day time and even if I do, its still hard for me to stay up and operating during the midnight hours. I'm sure I will adjust if I have to, but I'm hoping to stay am's! It still amazes me how many track workers/signal maintainers be on the road bed with no flagging! Have the gotten THAT comfortable down there. I've had a few close encounters already...people crossing tracks with no flags, or just chilling there on the roadbed as we coming around curves...crazy