MarkGuy

Yes; I tried email. I will try calling the MTA BSC tomorrow. Thanks.

So just got an email for the initial test with the 22nd as the only available one, but I can't make that date. Tried contacting them yesterday. No response.

I would have kept the train there, refused to move until he turned it off, and told him we aren't going anywhere unless you do so. Ofc, also tell Control you cannot safety move with this man distracting with his music, even with their signal en route nonsense. I've refused to move my train for a smoker in my cab last year and Control had to reroute service onto the local as a result. But I won in the end.

No I'm aware it's the same amount, but wr accrue much sooner than MNR.

Yes and no...I've had minor incidents where nothing really happened to me. Though the other side of what you said also has some truth. If I hear correct, it's 10 years for 4 weeks vacay. If so, then we have you guys beat bc I have that already. You get 3 days for a fatality. You can go out IOD for trauma for that here.

So I'm a current Train Operator with NYCT with almost 5 years in...just applied to the latest Engineer posting. I love operating here at NYCT. But at the same time part of me wants a different challenge and I've wanted to say I operated a passenger locomotive. Some things are better at Metro North. But I'm not liking the horrible vacation accumulation and 8 years to top pay. I suspect the sick time accumulation is also worse than at Transit. And I have too many questions about the pension. It's hard to say what I would do tbh.

Doesn't really make much of a difference which division you are in when it comes to picking jobs sooner. What matters is the number of jobs added or cut and how many people are terminated, move up, retire, etc.

Def...by all means if one has nothing else going on.

Which in retrospect is another moot point, since I, in all likelihood, would have to resign from NYCT to go to LIRR.

Which doesn't matter in my case, because I'm already down here. And I can't tell Transit that I need them to not give me jobs and report times that don't correspond with those two days. On top of all the studying.

Agreed. I actually received a letter to go down there for orientation a few months ago. Looked at the benefits sheet in the email and pay scale and realized it wasn't worth it. That, and you go unpaid for 6 weeks.

Speak for yourself....I still manage to have a life beyond operating trains...was still able to even when I was xx.

I keep on hearing people down here say that "Oh, this will be the last o/c t/o exam." And I'm like, "Well, how do you know what TA is going to do, unless you see something official in writing?" And keep in mind, they would be losing a lot of free money going back to promotional only testing. They know that most people either won't pass the test or won't score high enough to ever get called. But guess who keeps your exam fees regardless?

WTF???? Who said anything about getting fired? Anyways they can't fire you for that. Even if you are found medically unable to perform the duties you were originally hired for, they would just reassign you to another title (something non safety sensitive for T/Os) Bro, not to single you out, but it seems you go into panic mode whenever someone here posts anything about some possible downsides OTJ. Please, try to relax and not have that mindset...it won't help you in the long run.

Current top pay is $39.82.

If a whole class failed signals, that's more than likely gonna be on the TSS'es teaching. Of course, one or two will fail in classes here and there. But all? Can't just be that the students don't want to apply themselves.

After reading some of these comments, it's clear schoolcar has scared the heck outta a lot of new guys coming down.

Yeah in this case you damn well better know for a fact it was on ST and you were going at or under speed. If you are less than 100 percent sure, best to not go down that road.

Essentially a variation of that, yes. "My train contacted with the signal at the posted speed: signal not working as designed. Let me also be clear: you don't have to follow what I'm saying here. If you want tk approach timers at 5 mph or more under the posted speed, do that if you prefer. Nothing wrong with that.

"If you said you were doing posted speed, they will do posted speed; and if they don’t hit that timer, they’re gonna discipline you." In this case there's a good chance either the operator had a faulty speedometer and didn't notice it....or was flat out lying. In the former case you weren't hiding anything but still not paying attention. If you indeed did hit it at posted speed and you are 100 on that, AND you say the right things on that radio, you will most likely be ok. I hit a station timer near West 4 Street earlier this year on SMEE equipment...doing 18 when it said 20. I knew what to say and how to say it....months later no discipline. Granted though, its harder to test ST for obvious reasons. But that being said....if you want to get through probation without much fuss...approach however makes you feel comfty.

Yes you can. Long as u were doing at or below the posted speed, you make that clear and you should be exonerated. Optimal Operation bulletins.

I'll say this much. I have a little over 3 years down here. Yes, the job schedule can suck; yes, you will have to report to all manner of locations at all manner of times. And yes, with the analogy of a boss telling you you have to work an extra 9 hours (the analogy references being on board, where you report to a predetermined location and wait on call to pick up an operating job), can be rough. But also, I'm sorry to say, some of the above is also exaggeration. A lot of what is being discussed here mainly applies when you are super new. Even will the sparse time I have, I don't have to deal with super random report locations and times or being on board anymore. That usually lasts but a short time here. Hell, I know guys with even less time than me who will be able to pick jobs this pick and have a steady life. As far as discipline.... There have been improvements in that area. Under more recent bulletins, things like small station and automatic overruns aren't even cause for punishments, depending on circumstances. But yes, more needs to be done on that front. A number of people die on retirement...yes. but look at a lot of them and one thing becomes apparent: they didn't take care of their bodies while working. One one hand, people here will let themselves go and eat McDonald's like they breathe. On the other hand, I've personally met train operators who've been collecting pension checks for over a decade; you gotta put in the effort to keep yourself in the best shape possible. The job is tough and it is for everyone and it's very thankless. This is very true. But for me it's also very rewarding in of itself. If arestab isn't willing to deal with the hectic scheduling, then staying where he is at may be best.

SMEE's definitely have dynamic breaking, contrary to what has been said here. SMEE stands for Self Lapping Mechanical Electrical Equipment. What that references is the train's ability to set itself up for dynamic braking when in the coast position for the master controller. Essentially what happens when you put the M/C into the off/coast position, the traction motors reconnect as generators to create electricity for the dynamic braking. The heat from this gets discharged via the train's resistor grids located under the car body. Any errors here, anyone who has also operated down here who can spot them, please let me know.

You did?

That's rough. We have a TSS down here who came as a c/r with a partially missing arm. So no, a disability wouldn't disqualify you off the bat. Not to mention running afoul of established laws against discriminating against the physically handicapped. But as a train operator you will have to climb up and down trains and between them as regular duties. And walking the structure is way more common. It's tricky.