beanz

It gets better as XX before it gets shitty again with your first picked job. As u move up in XX, the crew office starts to honor your preference sheet and u get the tour and days off u want. I know some xx ppl with weekends off this pick, but those same people will have no choice but the bottom of the barrel after this pick because they will move up enough to pick jobs. Then it's all about luck.

You have to think of the long term benefits. Yes being xx is very rough, especially having a family. I have a special needs daughter and now a newborn and i was forced into PMs this pick, leaving my wife alone to fend for herself at night while I'm working. She understands it's a sacrifice and in a few more years I'll be able to pick a better schedule and we might be living in a house instead of this tiny apartment we in now. No situation is going to be perfect right off the bat. Before this i had a 9 to 5 office job with weekends off that worked great for family life, but the pay was such that we could never even think about a home. What i made there in a whole year i make here in 6 months. So just have to talk it over with the loved one and see if it's a sacrifice you are both willing to make for the long term benefits.

Transit gives u guys all the answers to all the questions everyday...those "guides" are overrated. Dont sabotage yourselves before getting started smh.

My current B div classmates just missed this past pick and are XX for another 6 months. They will have spent a year as XX when it's all said n done.

I was let go but came back within a year, so my seniority remained in tact. Only reason why. But, my classmates from the B are 100 percent picking next pick.

There's a rule about no bookbags or bags with wheels because u can't have that in the yard...but for orientation the bookbag will be fine.

One of the job packages we can pick consists of jobs available on their owners day off.. For example let's say rtoman, the senior man here, picks F 201(F line with job assignment number 201) with Thursday and Friday off, and someone else picks F 202 with Sunday and Monday off...people who pick RDO relief will then make a daily schedule consisting of open jobs on people's days off. So if I'm picking RDO relief, I'll look at Sunday and Monday and see 202 open, Tuesday and Wednesday can be my days off, and 201 on Thursday and Friday. Then I'll grab something else for Saturday and that's my assignment schedule. That is usually what us new people end up with at first. I just had my first pick and i got the C on Sunday and Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday off, and the A on Thursday Friday and Saturday. So instead of having a straight job doing the same thing every day i have some variety which i personally prefer. Controlled variety i should say, because being XX or being XL u get a lot of variety but have no control over what times you report or sign out. Edit: I should also add that it's per district. Different lines are in different districts so you can't make an RDO relief package consisting of the ABCD lines because AC are in the north and BD are in the south. But this is not something for ya to worry about right now...just sharing some info cause i remember when i was waiting to be called i loved collecting any tidbit of information about the job i could find.

Then it'll work for u based on that...i live by Van Cortland and even though a lot of people don't like 3 trips on the 1, I'll take it in a heartbeat when i can transfer to the A just cause of proximity to home. I can walk to the terminal or take the bus 3 stops if it's raining.

Don't underestimate that Apple...i could do 1 to far rock and 1 to lefferts no problem but 2 to far rock 4 out of 5 days a week is no joke, especially when most of what u will operate is r46s. That master controller takes a serious toll on your right shoulder if your posture isn't right and those seats are so old that they are very difficult to adjust for the right posture. I am 6'3 and a lot of times the seat can't move all the way back for leg room so I'm cramped up and sitting low for an hour and 40 minutes. Thankfully i was able to pick and instead of 9 trips to far Rockaway and 1 to lefferts per week, i will only be seeing the rock 2 times a week next pick. Can't wait til they retire those 46s. The vanity wore off quick for me 😂...nice train when it's working and very easy to operate but I'm over it.

To add to this I'll emphasize doing your research.. I bid and won an AM job on the Apple. I was very happy to have some stability and even though it was a temp, the owner of the job never came back so I've had it since March 1st. I did do my research, but i underestimated how tough doing 9 trips to far Rockaway per week is! 🤣 No wonder i won the job! Nobody else wanted it.

I heard all classes canceled til further notice.. Just kidding 🫣

I knew someone who was doing horrible on their second chance at a practical...supt took them aside and asked them a simple question, kind of trying to help him out, and he couldn't answer it. Game over. Like the old saying goes, stare so long at one tree and u gonna miss the whole forest.

Don't let that 100 on the signal test make u nervous. I've seen people come in so scared of failing the signal test that it's all they study and they fail all the other exams. So much is made of the signals but it's actually very easy if you are paying attention to how the signaling system actually works and what your operation has to be at each signal. If u just worry about verbatim definitions and memorizing them without actually understanding what the signals mean, and then u stumble on a word and have to explain yourself to the supt, that is where you will fail. Supt is going to ask u "well explain to me in your words the function of this signal and how u gotta operate" or something along those lines and u won't know wtf to say because u were obsessed with memorization instead of learning. Just relax and pay attention and everything will start to make sense to you after a while. It's overwhelming at first but it isn't rocket science, you will get it.

There's no set rule on when they skip or not. I've seen them go several months in a row of classes and I've seen them skip. It all depends on need and available tss to teach those classes. These people just sent letters out for retirees to come back AGAIN. There's a need and it will be filled don't worry. If they don't hit the 5000s before the end of this year I'll be surprised.

They say A division makes better conductors and B division makes better TOs. I gotta agree with that after being in both. A division is too easy and u get a false sense of security after a while because it's hard to take a wrong lineup anywhere, but u can still f**k up and RCC watching u at all times. On the other hand having to know all the towers, lineups, reroutes and equipment over here helps keep u sharp and on your toes. Schoolcar is definitely tougher in the B but it's also longer and u have less time on the road during probation so you are more likely to make it through without incident. That's my 2 cents on the matter.

For sure u should be worried about passing...u will also be YX for a little while and have to do it a couple times. I'm just saying, I've only gotten 1 yard job since i came out and all i did was wash a train.

Such a big fuss made out of cutting and adding...i haven't done any of that since i left schoolcar lol

B division is most in need so I'm sure those of u who want it will get it. A division is another story. One of the classes that came out not long ago got a huge surprise on their last day of school car when they were notified that even though they just completed A division training, they were all getting sent to the B. Instead of being released to the screw office they stayed in schoolcar and road posting an addition 2 months. The ones that lived in the Bronx can still be heard sobbing if you are quiet enough at ps 248.

I don't think they have a choice. They haven't even announced a new test yet. By the time they announce a new test, start the filing period, set up test dates and locations, then give the test, grade them, give time for appeals, and establish the list....it could take up to 2 years. If they let the list expire they wouldn't be able to hire until at least after the appeals are done at which point they'd hire provisionals like before. I'm glad because my friend had his heart set on this job and unfortunately didn't rest the night before and scored low. Smart guy just a bad test taker. His number is in the 6k range so I'm only keeping an eye on this forum for his sake.

Compared to most jobs, train op has very little human interaction. There is still some, but as someone who also doesn't like too much human interaction i will say I'm comfortable. I might speak to 1 or 2 passengers a day at most but I'm AMs. I say good morning to the dispatcher, tss and my partner, but there isn't much conversation going on. Most of your shift u are in your cab alone. I used to do customer service for 4 years before this and i prefer the peace and quiet, but it isn't absolute and u will still have to talk to some especially in schoolcar and especially when u are on probation and TSSs are riding your train everyday. Edit: if you have social anxiety, you are going to absolutely hate road posting. Some of these older TOs are very chatty and love having someone in their cab to dump their life story and conspiracy theories on. Personally, I couldn't stand it.

I recommend applying for the parking permit ASAP. I always drove. If you end up in A division, u can park at every yard with the permit. B division is a little more yard by yard basis, but for the most part you can park.

Do not quit your job until u are sworn in and given instructions to your first day.

I meant at the latest, in case u dont get cleared in time for the may class.

If u gonna get cleared in a month, just go ahead and come in and do the medical. You'll have time to bring in the clearance letter and maybe get in a June class.

U get a preference sheet on your last day of schoolcar. U may or may not get your preferred tour, but whatever u get they pretty much keep u there for the most part. They can still change your tour when they need to but whatever u have as your last choice u might be able to avoid. I've never had midnights except for posting.