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The Schoolcar Experience


mediccjh

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Hey all, i just moved to this thread. We started school car this past week. Anyone can give me some idea what i can read ahead besides chapter 1 of rules and regulations book. I don't want to read ahead just anything to just confuse myself.

 

Thanks!!!

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Hey all, i just moved to this thread. We started school car this past week. Anyone can give me some idea what i can read ahead besides chapter 1 of rules and regulations book. I don't want to read ahead just anything to just confuse myself.

 

Thanks!!!

 

How i went about it i never read ahead.

 

All it did was Confuse me...

 

Thats Just me though like my TSS used to tell us..

 

"Crawl Before you can walk"...

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Hey all, i just moved to this thread. We started school car this past week. Anyone can give me some idea what i can read ahead besides chapter 1 of rules and regulations book. I don't want to read ahead just anything to just confuse myself.

 

Thanks!!!

Another EMSer joining us down here?

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Congratulations... Now the real fun begins!

Thank you.

 

You are correct, the real fun has started. During road ops we are zipping up and down NYC, station stopping, and wrapping it up thru the express tracks. ("Hold it! hold it! hold it! hold it!.... knock it off!) I never thought I would smell the brake pads, like I did this week. Those number 3 trains are a pain, but we are progressing and getting much better stopping the train. 

 

It's a whole different feeling and respect, compared to the first two months of schoolcar. I feel like I entered a Top Gun school, over the past week. Sadly, after next week, I start posting and pounding the road! :o

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Thank you.

 

You are correct, the real fun has started. During road ops we are zipping up and down NYC, station stopping, and wrapping it up thru the express tracks. ("Hold it! hold it! hold it! hold it!.... knock it off!) I never thought I would smell the brake pads, like I did this week. Those number 3 trains are a pain, but we are progressing and getting much better stopping the train. 

 

It's a whole different feeling and respect, compared to the first two months of schoolcar. I feel like I entered a Top Gun school, over the past week. Sadly, after next week, I start posting and pounding the road! :o

 

Once you get the hang of the 3 trains (the 62s), you will see they are some of the best equipment in the system. Fast trains with good brakes. Take difficult equipment as a challenge..."if I can operate this well, I can operate anything well".

 

Only train left in the system you can fly into a station at 40 MPH and make a smooth stop without ever grabbing more than 40 lbs. of brake, or having to brake way outside the station. Just sayin. Road ops is the time to play around and practice that sort of thing, not when you're posting or on your own. Those were some of the most fun times in schoolcar. Enjoy!

Edited by SubwayGuy
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Once you get the hang of the 3 trains (the 62s), you will see they are some of the best equipment in the system. Fast trains with good brakes. Take difficult equipment as a challenge..."if I can operate this well, I can operate anything well".

 

Only train left in the system you can fly into a station at 40 MPH and make a smooth stop without ever grabbing more than 40 lbs. of brake, or having to brake way outside the station. Just sayin. Road ops is the time to play around and practice that sort of thing, not when you're posting or on your own. Those were some of the most fun times in schoolcar. Enjoy!

Thanks for the advice. I do respect the 62's, because I can already tell the 142 likes to dance around at times. lol

 

Our class will be on the 4 line this evening. :)

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I just finished my last day of road operations today. Monday, I start road posting for the next four to five weeks. I am truly fortunate, and grateful.  :)

 

If anyone has any road posting tips or information, please post away. Thanks.

Listen to your instructors and if they want to operate don't take it personal. Sometimes we get tired of standing. and don't let go of the master controller!! It's happened many times to me and I don't want to call that shit in.

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Each trainer has a bit of insight for you.  Take what you like and don't take what you don't like from each trainer.  Ask questions as well.  I take it you are in the A division.

Yup, I'm in the A division. Thank for the feedback, I will be ready with open ears.

Listen to your instructors and if they want to operate don't take it personal. Sometimes we get tired of standing. and don't let go of the master controller!! It's happened many times to me and I don't want to call that shit in.

Thank you. I was just saying to one of my classmates, that I don't want to stand during an entire round trip. Your absolutely right, switching place makes sense. Thanks. 

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When i was road posting, out of a 2 tripper, i operated a trip and a half. He/she took the last half. Sometimes they'll take over if you're running late, just to make up the time. Don't take that personal. Also give undivided attention to them. You'll learn a few things that you won't ever learn in school car. Not naming anyone, but one individual who road posted me, covered up the speedometer, and the air gauge. Really showed me how to feel the train and not rely on things that aren't always reliable or in the matter of braking, stopping a train without worrying how many pounds you are using. Great instructor.

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Be a sponge. Ask questions if you are not sure of anything.

If you have weaknesses, let the person you are posting with know. When I first started road posting, I did a night on the (A), and told my Motorman I needed some tweaking on the R46. He had me operating smoothly and confidently that night. 
 

If someone decides not to take you, don't take it personal. They may be tired, not up for it, or had a bad experience. 

 

Be humble, and don't be a know-it-all. 

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Thanks Mediccjh. :)

 

Tonight will be my third night posting. So far so good. I been keeping up with the schedule, and stopping the train better than anticipated. It's funny, when I'm operating, I have to remind myself that passengers are on the train; I just zone out and focus on the signals, in that quiet cab.

 

This job isn't bad after-all. :)


I've been cramming past couple of weeks just allot of reinforcing I got my second signal exam Friday

You will do fine, You know the signal better than the first signal exam. Remember, they are not trying to fire you. Don't sweat it. ;)

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hello everyone, new to the forum. I did my drug test on February 22 and just waiting for the call to go for medical evaluation. I have spent countless hours reading these posts on school car experience and has been very informative. I am a little concerned about the one chance signals test because if everything goes well with the medical evaluation I will be leaving my current job after 18 years. I do have the mentality in doing everything I can to ensure I get through school car but the signal test brings a lot of fear into pursuing this. Can anyone share the light as to approximately how many signals one has to retain for the test? Has anyone ever been in my situation in leaving their job after so many years?

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Hello everyone, new to the forum. I did my drug test on February 22 and just waiting for the call to go for medical evaluation. I have spent countless hours reading these posts on school car experience and has been very informative. I am a little concerned about the one chance signals test because if everything goes well with the medical evaluation I will be leaving my current job after 18 years. I do have the mentality in doing everything I can to ensure I get through school car but the signal test brings a lot of fear into pursuing this. Can anyone share the light as to approximately how many signals one has to retain for the test? Has anyone ever been in my situation in leaving their job after so many years?

 

Just study and learn to understand them as well as the definitions. You need both, and it will make it easier. That test is probably the single most stressful part of schoolcar, and unfortunately now you new folks have to take it twice.

 

But it's really not hard. There are probably some 50 signals or so, but it's not bad, and many of them are related, so once you learn signal A, and signal B, it's easy to come up with meaning for signal C.

 

Don't stress about it, just give your best. While you're in schoolcar, time spent worrying about the outcome would be better spent studying or reviewing. Remember that. You will have plenty of time to go over the signals and ask questions to get any needed clarification before you actually have to sit for either signal exam.

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Just study and learn to understand them as well as the definitions. You need both, and it will make it easier. That test is probably the single most stressful part of schoolcar, and unfortunately now you new folks have to take it twice.

 

But it's really not hard. There are probably some 50 signals or so, but it's not bad, and many of them are related, so once you learn signal A, and signal B, it's easy to come up with meaning for signal C.

 

Don't stress about it, just give your best. While you're in schoolcar, time spent worrying about the outcome would be better spent studying or reviewing. Remember that. You will have plenty of time to go over the signals and ask questions to get any needed clarification before you actually have to sit for either signal exam.

 

Thank you!

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  • 1 month later...

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