The Schoolcar Experience

[cybeatsul]

Road posting is your preview what is like going alone as an XX on board or assigned job for the day and learn what to write on the overtime slip. Remember, crew office could give you a partial or full job when you are on board, always put your deadhead/traveltime from your last clearing time. If someone wants to pull a trick on you on deadhead, bluntly to say it is coming out of their pocket, ask them to speak with the crew office. Any "no lunch" claims while you are working, you put that as well.

 

Keep a little notebook for each day you worked and track down your own overtime hours.

 

It is your time and money.

[SubwayGuy]

Road posting is your preview what is like going alone as an XX on board or assigned job for the day and learn what to write on the overtime slip. Remember, crew office could give you a partial or full job when you are on board, always put your deadhead/traveltime from your last clearing time. If someone wants to pull a trick on you on deadhead, bluntly to say it is coming out of their pocket, ask them to speak with the crew office. Any "no lunch" claims while you are working, you put that as well.

 

Keep a little notebook for each day you worked and track down your own overtime hours.

 

It is your time and money.

 

This is good advice. Fortunately once you are on your own as XX, it is actually easier a little bit since you won't be dealing with the manual unless there is a double report that causes you to fall to the board at the very last minute (if you fall to the board the day before, you'll be on the payroll as extra board). Posting is a pain in the a*** to make sure you get paid, because every time you fill out a slip or speak with a Disp. you have to make sure it is clear that you are posting.

 

For that reason also, the crew office will not have you on the payroll for the duration of a job if it is a penalty job. So you need a slip for everything, whereas when you're on your own you wouldn't, unless there was "unscheduled" overtime or bonus such as a late clear, no lunch, board time, etc.

[WestEndMan]

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?

[SubwayGuy]

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?

You can go anytime after Thursday at 3pm (note they sometimes arrive later than that, so you may want to call first if it's going to be out of your way, and you're trying to hit it right at 3-4PM...After 6pm is almost always a sure bet though). You have until Sunday night or Monday morning to pick it up (depending on when the Disp. puts unclaimed checks in the mail). Always try to get it by Sunday though.

 

If you miss it, the checks get sent back to check distribution on the 5th floor of 180 Livingston, and you'll have to go there during Monday thru Friday business hours to get it.

[Tommy John]

I finally passed Schoolcar.  I am officially a Train Operator. I want to thank this forum and the many people that have helped me along the way and hope that they will continue to offer their advice. I want to thank RTOPRO, RTOMan, PATCOman, Etrain, Beneka, Cybeatsul, BrianRichards, Dandre and last but certainly not least a big shout out to SUBWAYGUY.  My apologies if I missed anyone I am going off memory. 

 

It will be a new experience from this point on now since I will be on my own. . I can't wait !

[RTOMan]

I finally passed Schoolcar.  I am officially a Train Operator. I want to thank this forum and the many people that have helped me along the way and hope that they will continue to offer their advice. I want to thank RTOPRO, RTOMan, PATCOman, Etrain, Beneka, Cybeatsul, BrianRichards, Dandre and last but certainly not least a big shout out to SUBWAYGUY.  My apologies if I missed anyone I am going off memory. 

 

It will be a new experience from this point on now since I will be on my own. . I can't wait !

 

Congrats and good luck!

[WestEndMan]

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

[Andrew]

I finally passed Schoolcar.  I am officially a Train Operator. I want to thank this forum and the many people that have helped me along the way and hope that they will continue to offer their advice. I want to thank RTOPRO, RTOMan, PATCOman, Etrain, Beneka, Cybeatsul, BrianRichards, Dandre and last but certainly not least a big shout out to SUBWAYGUY.  My apologies if I missed anyone I am going off memory. 

 

It will be a new experience from this point on now since I will be on my own. . I can't wait !

Congratulations!!!! NOW comes the REAL learning. ALWAYS ASK ALWAYS ASK ALWAYS ASK ALWAYS ASK!!!!!! DO NOT let ANYONE down here, try to rush you.

[Tommy John]

Thanks RTOMan,  its guys like you that has really helped a newbie out like me !

 

WestEndMan,  I am in the B div.  You seem to have a great attitude towards the job, keep it up. At times Schoolcar might seem overwhelming and nerve racking but if you study everyday like how the vets on here preaches it should all work out smoothly.  Hit me up on PM if you want to ask me any questions about schoolcar because its fresh in my mind.

 

Andrew, thanks man !! And thanks for that tip.  I always ask questions. Although unfortunately sometimes people try to make you feel stupid for asking questions you truly don't know. They expect me to know a move that I never done before. Hope everything is going good for you ?

[Far Rock Depot]

Welcome! I'm 3 Weeks out of school car myself (C/R). Good luck and be safe out there!

[Andrew]

Thanks RTOMan,  its guys like you that has really helped a newbie out like me !

 

WestEndMan,  I am in the B div.  You seem to have a great attitude towards the job, keep it up. At times Schoolcar might seem overwhelming and nerve racking but if you study everyday like how the vets on here preaches it should all work out smoothly.  Hit me up on PM if you want to ask me any questions about schoolcar because its fresh in my mind.

 

Andrew, thanks man !! And thanks for that tip.  I always ask questions. Although unfortunately sometimes people try to make you feel stupid for asking questions you truly don't know. They expect me to know a move that I never done before. Hope everything is going good for you ?

Those who ask questions may get laughed at or be told "You don't know that move? you were just in school car, you should know" but they still get to make that move.

 

Those who DONT ask Questions get to sit down at 2 Broadway having to answer the question "If you didn't know or understand the move, why didn't you just ask?" and end up getting thousands of dollars docked from their pay, get to be on the platform for a long while, get demoted to cleaner, or in the worst case scenario, get fired.

 

I am doing great, I am in the A division and I do the 2 and the 5 lines.

[RTOMan]

Those who ask questions may get laughed at or be told "You don't know that move? you were just in school car, you should know" but they still get to make that move.

 

Those who DONT ask Questions get to sit down at 2 Broadway having to answer the question "If you didn't know or understand the move, why didn't you just ask?" and end up getting thousands of dollars docked from their pay, get to be on the platform for a long while, get demoted to cleaner, or in the worst case scenario, get fired.

 

I am doing great, I am in the A division and I do the 2 and the 5 lines.

Exactly! The ones who ask are usually the ones who do the move and get it right. The ones who don't ask or give that "huh?" Look ( to try to get over). Are only screwing themselves cause in a few months they gonna be back there again....

[Etrain]

I finally passed Schoolcar.  I am officially a Train Operator. I want to thank this forum and the many people that have helped me along the way and hope that they will continue to offer their advice. I want to thank RTOPRO, RTOMan, PATCOman, Etrain, Beneka, Cybeatsul, BrianRichards, Dandre and last but certainly not least a big shout out to SUBWAYGUY.  My apologies if I missed anyone I am going off memory. 

 

It will be a new experience from this point on now since I will be on my own. . I can't wait !

Congratulations brother and best of luck out there.  Glad to be of help.

[SubwayGuy]

Best way to ask is this: "I've never made that move before, can you show me where I'm going?"

 

NO ONE can get on you for not knowing a move you've never made. Or, if you have made it and just don't remember,

 

"I haven't done that move in a while, can you refresh me on where I'm going?"

 

The "YOU DON'T KNOW THAT???" crowd is usually people who just assume everyone has seen the move, and it's new people who are nervous, or can't remember the move...which is a dumb assumption to make. Don't sweat it and make sure you understand what you're doing whenever you make a move.

 

If you have to change ends, definitely be sure you understand where you're turning. A home signal number, or a reverse car marker, or just a landmark (such as a station) will serve you well.

Edited September 13, 2014 by SubwayGuy

[PATCOman]

I finally passed Schoolcar.  I am officially a Train Operator. I want to thank this forum and the many people that have helped me along the way and hope that they will continue to offer their advice. I want to thank RTOPRO, RTOMan, PATCOman, Etrain, Beneka, Cybeatsul, BrianRichards, Dandre and last but certainly not least a big shout out to SUBWAYGUY.  My apologies if I missed anyone I am going off memory. 

 

It will be a new experience from this point on now since I will be on my own. . I can't wait !

You're welcome and good luck!  I hope to see you out there!

[mediccjh]

Congrats, Tommy John.

P.S. Did I take you as a student on the on a Thursday morning before your tests?

[WestEndMan]

@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?

[PATCOman]

if you forget to take off the safety chains or release the handbrake, thats an automatic fail.

[WestEndMan]

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"

[SubwayGuy]

In addition to those...also autofail on first yard practical:

 

-No safety stops.

-Hard add / collision

-Miss something major prepping the train for service and fail to catch it later (catching it later will save you, but often result in a retest) IE a pulled angle or emergency brake.

 

WestEndMan...you shouldn't be nervous the day of. Maybe nervous because you're being tested, but not nervous about what you're doing. You'll be practicing yard movement dozens of times (and doing lots of cuts and adds as a class), so you'll have plenty of practice, and by the time the test rolls around you should be feeling pretty confident in your ability to follow procedure and make the move.

 

There is a simple test that can be done when making an add to see if it's just right, but it only works on certain car classes (R32, 42, 62/A) because you need the door latch at the top of the end door. You open the end door fully, take a quarter and balance it on top of the door latch at the top of the open door. Make the add. Quarter falls off, you hit it too hard. Quarter stays put, it's a good add.

Edited September 15, 2014 by SubwayGuy

[Tommy John]

Mediccjh, thanks man !  No, I was not your student but you probably got someone I know. Though, it would have been cool to be your student !!

 

Westendman, good luck with everything, feel free to ask me anything. I am here to help like how others were here to help me !

[cybeatsul]

A reminder for the supplements for both division. If your job has an early report, make sure you check the sign in sheet if it added. You could use the slip to bank as OTO to use at a later date.

[cybeatsul]

After moving up from XX, you have possible chance to pick rdo relief jobs, XL or VR. If qualified for 2 years, work trains.

 

Each has its strengths and weaknesses.

[cybeatsul]

Mr OTO is your best friend to use in case you put the fastest finger request to book the weekend days off.

 

For myself and other colleagues who worked on this job hated it and OTO as much as they could.

[SubwayGuy]

Another reminder about OTO. It does NOT roll over at year end, nor can it be converted to AVAs. If you have any unused OTO at the end of the year, it will be paid out to you.

 

Schedule your days off in advance before November 30th to avoid this, you need 8 OTO hours to request a day. Any "loose change" left after that, or unused OTO time, will not carry over and will be paid out.

 

Be aware of this if you are considering saving any OTO in the next few months. Try to land on a multiple of exactly 8 hours to close out the year if, like me, you don't like having the excess paid to you at the end of the year.

 

Once the New Year starts is a great time to start saving a good amount of OTO.

Edited September 16, 2014 by SubwayGuy