WestEndMan

What are the chances on a yard practical, that they just have you talk through the sequence rather than actually performing every single step?

@trainman, you get quizzes regularly in class, a "practice" test around the time of your yard practical, but yes the one & only test that counts, you MUST get 100% or you're gone. It's now 25 questions, 15 multiple choice, 10 write ins. You get any multiple choice wrong, you're done. On the write ins, you might get called in if your answer seems right, but needs clarification.

Guys, don't stress it. You will be called. You have time. Enjoy it while you can. Right now, the only thing I can enjoy is a Saturday. Sundays I spend studying. Once I finish school car, who knows what days I'll have.

Thanks PATCOman. That's the two things I never forget. Removal of safety chains when cutting, leaving the handbrakes on the cars that are staying put. Release handbrakes of cars that are being moved. When adding, I always put chains back on, apply handbrakes to a "sufficient amount of cars"

You guys are going to get called. Just enjoy the freedom now. Take my word when I say that. I'm going on my 4th week. I've learned alot so far. School car will be your life. Studying will be your life. Lugging around that heavy backpack with books & equipment will be your life. Enjoy it. When you get here, you will hate it.......but then LEARN to love it. Its all worth the wait.

@Tommy John I will definitely get in touch with you if anything puzzles me. I'm in B div too. Been doing excellent on my signal & equipment quizzes. Aced them so far. We've learned R46, R68/a & will be learning the rest of SMEE coming up. Cuts & Adds are always stressful, but got over it. The one thing I do want to ask you or anyone else here.....Yard practical. Let's say, I'm cool, calm, collected with my TSS's, run through the motion s smoothly, but get really nervous day of, what's the pass/fail for a 1st yard practical?

Congrats man, I know I have a ways to go, but hope to see ya out there. What division?

Got a question, I heard a paycheck policy where paychecks are given out at your pay location after 3pm on Thursday of a payday. Unfortunately I am going to be far far away from my pay location on Thursday, possibly wont get to my pay location till after 5pm, so I was thinking of possibly going and picking it up on Friday before my school reporting time. Is that possible or would I have to wait till after 3pm on Friday too? And if I was to pick it up Thursday, is there a cut off time?

For the guys coming in for Sept class. I've just finished my second week of school car. Let me give you some advice. Be prepared to learn alot. My TSS's are very helpful as are all of them, but I can only speak of the ones I have. Listen to them, dont just HEAR them.....LISTEN & UNDERSTAND what they say. Within the first 2 weeks, I have learned so much, yet its only a fraction of the total stuff we need to learn. For example learning signals (everyday quiz) track safety switches meeting tower operations learning procedures for add ins and cuts (coupling & un coupling cars) pre service yard checks walking the yard tracks SAFELY Operating a train.(yes actually moving a train) Learning handbrakes How to do yard moves and learning the lingo on how to speak on the radio. All this in just 2 weeks. Its a lot of stuff. My recommendation to the guys coming in, get a good strong bag because you will be getting alot of stuff to carry(books, equip, safety equip, vest, anything else you might need) You will need this stuff everyday and you will not be in the same place constantly. maybe at most 2 days in a row. Be prepared to do alot of walking with this equipment. I've met alot of guys who thought they were coming in to school car and were going to be at the school all the time....ha ha, not happening. You will get a workout with the equipment being on your backs everyday. Plus, being in the sun, stations and sometimes just outside in general, drink plenty of water. Hydration is key. Just keep in mind, you are coming into something that is very demanding of your time & body. One piece of advice I was given, whatever I see other veteran T/O's or employees in general doing, DONT DO IT. Do it by the book. Good luck to the guys/gals coming in, you are in for some serious stuff. Your life can be great with the TA, and it can also be a nightmare. Curb any type of arrogance, attitude at the door. For the supposed "Subway Buffs", you are not Mr know-it-alls. Curb that too. Your TSS's are there to help you and teach you everything you need to learn.

@VinnySea, You'll see the options at orientation. The have options where you dont have to put in anything and they have "high" options, which you can pay extra pre tax. Truthfully, unless you plan on being in a hospital for a year, take the basic, they are pretty much the same.

I've been staying away from greasy, spicy & fast food. My biggest flaw is I'm a coffee drinker. I already cut that down. But like my TSS said.....if you belong to a gym...... quit. He wasn't joking. My arms, back, legs, everything is getting a workout, but it also makes me hungrier.

Today we are learning switches, signals, reading iron & the R46. Nervous yet excited at the same time.

Just got my schedule today.....weeks are at either consecutive yards & times or at least near each other for the week. One week is entirely CIY & Stillwell, one is week is ENY & Euclid, and at same times. At least now I know how long until my signal exam.

I'm going to add to @SubwayGuy... we just got our schedules today.....where you park, may not be where you finish your day. For example, one day you could start at Jamaica yard yet finish at East NY. Gotta play smart. I suggest if you can take transit, do it.

Today we get our radios & masks. Plus track safety. All this & we still haven't met our TSS's.

For the guys who are waiting for the DT letter or the call for final / medical.....patience. They will get to you. There is a demand for T/O's. Plus the list expires in 2016. The only true advice for everyone is, dont lie & don't leave anything out on your forms. The MTA will find out.

Those boots are so heavy. I got the 8 inch boots cause they had the most padding around the ankles. As for the green cabs....lol, yeah those are outer boro cars. They can get fares anywhere. The city has gotten so expensive. The further you are away from NYC, the cheaper..

For anyone in my Aug class, remember what the TSS's said......this is our last 3 day weekend for a VERY long time. Enjoy your Cook outs / bbq's.....but remember NO drinking after Sunday. We have to have clean systems come Tuesday. Take this seriously. They can random you at anytime.......even in school car. STAY SAFE.

Oh yeah if there is anyone here that is in my Aug class, remember, if you're enjoying this last ever 3 day weekend........no drinking after Sunday. No drinking at all Monday. We are probably having cook outs & bbq's and having a beer or 2, but remember, we must have clean systems for Tuesday

This is great info. F.S.U, never thought to look at it that way. I can easily remember that. Signs and meanings came easily for me. WD, GT, ST, T, green R. I got those down. I just have to get the word for word meaning of the AK, K, No key by signals down. I keep getting the procedures mixed up. I guess I still have time, but time goes by so quickly. Honestly I've been studying since I received the Rule book at processing. @Tommy John - Since day one, I've had a notebook on hand and have been writing down certain things.We have our groups but we haven't met our TSS yet, but there was a TSS sitting with us while we were waiting for our tools and we were going over signal do's & donts and the differences between the signals like identifying the plates on them. When we were taking breaks, lunch, I came back early, & even though he's not going to be my TSS, I made it my business to ask him questions, and pick his brain on studying techniques. Plus myself and a couple of the guys in my group have already been coming in early and doing study sessions.

Thanks @SubwayGuy. I want to walk into school on Tuesday (early too) looking to show......I'm taking this job serious. I've got some of the signals down, but.I'm having my wife draw up.test cards to give me quizzes at home. Plus she is making me write out what signals do what & what procedure to do when encountering some signals

Never ever go by that. Always go by what the books they give you say. Sites can be wrong.

Oh man...you almost gave me a coronary. I'm having my wife draw up test cards & when I told her, she actually started drawing them up quicker....phew! Now I can study a little more paced.

Being I haven't even met my TSS or have been assigned a schedule, I'm guessing my 1st official week is Tuesday. Still, one month for an exam seems quick. From what the other TSS's mentioned, they made it seemed like you take the exam 2 months down the line.

You take the signal exam after 1 month.? I have most of the signals down, still a few sketchy ones but getting there. I better study the sketchy ones a little harder. We havent even met our TSS's yet, let alone get our schedule.