Blackeagle03

A while ago I went through the entire program.

 

Overview during an October. S&D that December with the test just prior to that New Years. Invited to Phase 1 in April which was every Wednesday and Saturday for 6 straight weeks. Phase 1 started exactly 2 weeks after Phase 1 ended and lasted from that June to July the year after. Somewhere between the S&D and Phase 1 I had an interview, I think.

 

The study requirements are staggering. You will memorize 127 signals. You will memorize 70+ definitions. You will memorize verbatim nearly a hundred (multi-paragraph length) rules and special instructions. You will memorize the railroads station pages and speed restrictions (verbatim) for all the different types of trains and on-track equipment. (Example: "2nd curve east of mile post 21 1st mile post east of Wakanda Station: Track 1: 45 MPH for Passenger, 30 MPH for freight. Track 2: 30 MPH for passenger, 30 MPH for freight.") <- There are about 140 of these. You will memorize the Rules that are in effect for every inch of track on the railroad. You will memorize and be able to draw all 11 branches of the railroad from memory. (Every switch, signal [and type of signal and what aspects those signals can display], and interlocking) You will learn the ins and outs of the different locomotives (E-10/E-15, DE/DM-30, M3 & M7) top to bottom including how to troubleshoot failed components and their locations.

 

I shortened the above so that it wasn't an impassable wall of text. That's about a third of what you test on. I'm told the rulebook started back in the 1830's or so. A lot of the wording feels like a different language, which makes all the above twice as hard to memorize because your brain wants to memorize sentences in plain English. (I.E, you want to add "the" where the rule omits it)

 

It will be the worst year and a half of your life. You will lose friends (and if you're in a relationship, about a third of the people I met lost that too).  To top it off, as most of you can see by the job posting, they recently lowered the training wage to 60% of engineer pay. (It was 70% when I went through). I'm told trainees now take home $450 - $600 per week depending on what jobs they have them work.

 

I've seen trainees struggle so I wanted to come here just to let those of you who are applying know that it's a job you really need to be committed to the moment you apply or you'll only waste your time.

 

They'll start you off with a familiar term. Instead of just "What is Rule 327?" they'll ask "The absence of a ___  (rest of the rule)" or "If the auxiliary lights fail en route, what must you do?" or something.

Thanks Westair for the insight. I think it summarizes the whole process for people who are not familiar with it in good detail. 

I just passed S&D test and have a panel interview scheduled.  I'm very excited about passing the test but I'm not sure what to expect in the panel interview. Can anyone who had the panel interview recently give tips on what kind of questions to expect? Also, I saw one posting where it was stated that at the end of the interview you have to write down skills/attributes that would help you be an engineer, is this true?

Does anyone who took the signals and definitions test on June 3rd heard anything back from the HR? Thanks.