The Schoolcar Experience

[beanz]

1 minute ago, MarkGuy said:

We all finished the final yard practical and sig exam this week.

 

On to road posting. @Schecter all ima tell u bro is that train operator training isn’t overtly easy but it’s nowhere near beast mode difficult in terms of subject matter. It’s intense because of the amount of things you gotta learn in a short time but doable. 

Nice congrats. The learning don't stop man keep studying. Something I personally do, make copies of the schematics for whatever location u will be in during posting. Once u do the move a few times, look at the schematic and it'll make sense for you and sort of glue itself to your brain. 

[MarkGuy]

3 minutes ago, acabral136 said:

Nice congrats. The learning don't stop man keep studying. Something I personally do, make copies of the schematics for whatever location u will be in during posting. Once u do the move a few times, look at the schematic and it'll make sense for you and sort of glue itself to your brain. 

Oh most def I studied today after taking a small break yesterday. Job isn’t mine yet 

[beanz]

Passed our second signal exam and we start road ops tonight. Already got our posting papers as well. Can't believe 2 weeks from now I will be operating a train in passenger service. 

[Jchambers2120]

Start my "A" to "B" transfer tomorrow, I'm a nervous wreck lol. 

[Imhim]

1 hour ago, Jchambers2120 said:

Start my "A" to "B" transfer tomorrow, I'm a nervous wreck lol. 

Don’t be it’s not that bad, lol just gotta get used to the new attitudes you’re gonna have to experience but I don’t think the operation is big difference.

[Jchambers2120]

On 12/15/2019 at 3:56 PM, Imhim said:

Don’t be it’s not that bad, lol just gotta get used to the new attitudes you’re gonna have to experience but I don’t think the operation is big difference.

Lol that's what I'm worried about, I heard stories about how they get down in the B div lmao it's like family in the A. Then to add icing to the cake when the  TSS's were explaining drum switches on the 32's and BCO's my head started spinning. Hopefully stuff will start to kick in once we go into the field. 

[Imhim]

7 hours ago, Jchambers2120 said:

Lol that's what I'm worried about, I heard stories about how they get down in the B div lmao it's like family in the A. Then to add icing to the cake when the  TSS's were explaining drum switches on the 32's and BCO's my head started spinning. Hopefully stuff will start to kick in once we go into the field. 

Yeah the equipment should be easy to get used to, don’t know your tour but them 32s definitely are annoying for C/Rs especially on the midnights smh! I know you’ll be fine overall tho, gotta think positive down here! 

[Trainmaster5]

10 hours ago, Jchambers2120 said:

Lol that's what I'm worried about, I heard stories about how they get down in the B div lmao it's like family in the A. Then to add icing to the cake when the  TSS's were explaining drum switches on the 32's and BCO's my head started spinning. Hopefully stuff will start to kick in once we go into the field. 

You've got me sitting here laughing. Remember that when I broke in the A Division was totally SMEE.  When I moved up front everyone,  especially the fairer sex, wanted the B Division.  That's where the newer equipment was. There was also the R44, R46 factor added to the mix. Some people wanted to look cool and the raggedy equipment in the A was looked down upon. I was lucky enough to have a choice so I stayed put. The IRT was definitely a family atmosphere compared to the BMT-IND. I learned that when I used to transfer horses to CI Yard for the R62A deliveries. My classmates couldn't wait to pick back to the IRT. Funny thing is that toward the end of my career many B Division supervisors were transferred to the IRT because of some issues they had in the B. I used to get along with our new General Supt. when he came over. He had no respect for most of the supervisors he encountered in the B  Division.  He actually had TSS s walking his (show) dogs for him. Totally eccentric but he had my back. When he found out that my C/R and I didn't report to any supervisor when we reported on duty he was livid but not with us. We told him that we had the same opinion of some of our IRT supervision so we became his buddies. Just remember that we were taught that whatever reputation you have will carry over wherever you go in RTO.  Good luck.  Carry on .

[Jchambers2120]

16 hours ago, Imhim said:

Yeah the equipment should be easy to get used to, don’t know your tour but them 32s definitely are annoying for C/Rs especially on the midnights smh! I know you’ll be fine overall tho, gotta think positive down here! 

Thanks bro. I volunteered to come over as XX so we'll see, but I'm hoping they keep me AM's like I was in the A. Gotta little "seniority" under my belt so I hope they'll be nice lol. 

 

13 hours ago, Trainmaster5 said:

You've got me sitting here laughing. Remember that when I broke in the A Division was totally SMEE.  When I moved up front everyone,  especially the fairer sex, wanted the B Division.  That's where the newer equipment was. There was also the R44, R46 factor added to the mix. Some people wanted to look cool and the raggedy equipment in the A was looked down upon. I was lucky enough to have a choice so I stayed put. The IRT was definitely a family atmosphere compared to the BMT-IND. I learned that when I used to transfer horses to CI Yard for the R62A deliveries. My classmates couldn't wait to pick back to the IRT. Funny thing is that toward the end of my career many B Division supervisors were transferred to the IRT because of some issues they had in the B. I used to get along with our new General Supt. when he came over. He had no respect for most of the supervisors he encountered in the B  Division.  He actually had TSS s walking his (show) dogs for him. Totally eccentric but he had my back. When he found out that my C/R and I didn't report to any supervisor when we reported on duty he was livid but not with us. We told him that we had the same opinion of some of our IRT supervision so we became his buddies. Just remember that we were taught that whatever reputation you have will carry over wherever you go in RTO.  Good luck.  Carry on .

Haha thanks for your kind words, Trainmaster. Yes times have definitely changed, now the B div is the one with all of the dinosaur equipment. Also It definitely is like a big family in the A I've been down here for almost a year and a half now and I've built bonds with some of the crews and supervisors that are stronger than the bond I have with some of my blood relatives.

I have to do over three decades until I can retire due to my age so I just want to learn as much as possible and move up. Hoping to retire as a schoolcar TSS.

Oh yeah and I'm not even surprised about that story about that Supt making people walk his dogs. Nothing surprises me down here anymore lmao, 

[Late Clear]

On 12/15/2019 at 2:53 PM, Jchambers2120 said:

Start my "A" to "B" transfer tomorrow, I'm a nervous wreck lol. 

 

T/O or C/R?   I know they were looking for C/Rs to transfer over to the B.  

Good luck.

[Jchambers2120]

17 hours ago, Late Clear said:

 

T/O or C/R?   I know they were looking for C/Rs to transfer over to the B.  

Good luck.

C/R. I start posting on Monday & thanks.

[Jericho]

Post removed.

[beanz]

On 1/23/2020 at 8:26 PM, Jericho said:

Post removed.

Sorry to hear someone failed, that sucks. 

 

We have our final and road practical next Friday. Road posting has been cool, but man midnights f**king suck. 

[MarkGuy]

Today was not a great day with the r68a's kicking my ass with braking. I'm having a bit of a hard time "feeling" the train. My TSS had me locate the notch just below the snowbrake and I took advice from a classmate to not fully release brake when stopping, but I still came up long on many of my stops or short. 

 

Tried experimenting with braking later, and I overshot. Tried doing it a bit earlier, TSS said I was going too slow. I'm kinda frustrated but will keep at it.

[beanz]

56 minutes ago, MarkGuy said:

Today was not a great day with the r68a's kicking my ass with braking. I'm having a bit of a hard time "feeling" the train. My TSS had me locate the notch just below the snowbrake and I took advice from a classmate to not fully release brake when stopping, but I still came up long on many of my stops or short. 

 

Tried experimenting with braking later, and I overshot. Tried doing it a bit earlier, TSS said I was going too slow. I'm kinda frustrated but will keep at it.

It will come together. I had a hard time with the smees as well and now they are my favorite, even the r62s on the 3 line. They are actually extremely fun to operate once u learn to feel it. 

 

U will be fine. 

[MarkGuy]

5 hours ago, beanz said:

It will come together. I had a hard time with the smees as well and now they are my favorite, even the r62s on the 3 line. They are actually extremely fun to operate once u learn to feel it. 

 

U will be fine. 

I hope so, thx! Just that it was my third straight day of screwing up, and I've been trying like hell to improve because we only get a few more days with this equipment before we move to other ones and road posting begins very soon. 

But I'm not quitting. Also, gd luck on your practical!

[Late Clear]

8 hours ago, MarkGuy said:

I hope so, thx! Just that it was my third straight day of screwing up, and I've been trying like hell to improve because we only get a few more days with this equipment before we move to other ones and road posting begins very soon. 

But I'm not quitting. Also, gd luck on your practical!

Nah man relax this is a very difficult piece of equipment to operate.  

People 20+ years aren't comfortable on those trains.  

Same goes with the R62 in the A Division on the 3 Line.

Rough trains.

[MarkGuy]

1 hour ago, Late Clear said:

Nah man relax this is a very difficult piece of equipment to operate.  

People 20+ years aren't comfortable on those trains.  

Same goes with the R62 in the A Division on the 3 Line.

Rough trains.

Thx that helped. Im sure ill eventually get it.

[Late Clear]

12 minutes ago, MarkGuy said:

Thx that helped. Im sure ill eventually get it.

When you wind up road posting, let the trainer do the first trip.  Watch them take brake.  See how they release, observe the station, ask them what they look for when they operate these trains.  

[MarkGuy]

57 minutes ago, Late Clear said:

When you wind up road posting, let the trainer do the first trip.  Watch them take brake.  See how they release, observe the station, ask them what they look for when they operate these trains.  

Thank you for that advice, which I will take. Do a lot of people down here struggle with the 68a's?

[nipaaaa]

1 hour ago, MarkGuy said:

Thank you for that advice, which I will take. Do a lot of people down here struggle with the 68a's?

Yes lol, that little notch in the brake, do not let it go if you feel momentum still pushing the train. This is especially true on down grade stations. Once you feel that the train is really coasting without the momentum (with still some brake), then it's ok to release all the air for the final full service brake to fully stop.

Sometimes if you grab just the right amount of brake, you won't even need to release all the air and you'll be able to come to a stop while still holding like 10-15 psi. With time, you'll know if the train is still being pushed by momentum. You really gotta focus and feel the train, once you can do that, then 68A is nothing.

I'm not saying I'm an expert but that's how I need operate in order to control them.

 

Edited January 30, 2020 by nipaaaa

[mediccjh]

On 1/29/2020 at 5:01 AM, MarkGuy said:

Today was not a great day with the r68a's kicking my ass with braking. I'm having a bit of a hard time "feeling" the train. My TSS had me locate the notch just below the snowbrake and I took advice from a classmate to not fully release brake when stopping, but I still came up long on many of my stops or short. 

 

Tried experimenting with braking later, and I overshot. Tried doing it a bit earlier, TSS said I was going too slow. I'm kinda frustrated but will keep at it.

The issue people have with R68As is not trusting the train. They take a brake, and since it's not instant, take more brake. The more brake you take, the longer it takes to kick in. Now you have too much brake, release it all, and poof, you're out.

If you have at least 15 lbs in the tank, the train will stop where you want it to. You just have to be patient and let the brake kick in. When releasing, never go beyond the snowbrake notch. This ensures you have air in the tank.

The R68As have good brakes. You just have to be a little patient and wait for them to kick in.

R62s are a little easier than the R68As. But it's only going to be mastered with practice, practice, and practice.
 

[MarkGuy]

21 minutes ago, mediccjh said:

The issue people have with R68As is not trusting the train. They take a brake, and since it's not instant, take more brake. The more brake you take, the longer it takes to kick in. Now you have too much brake, release it all, and poof, you're out.

If you have at least 15 lbs in the tank, the train will stop where you want it to. You just have to be patient and let the brake kick in. When releasing, never go beyond the snowbrake notch. This ensures you have air in the tank.

The R68As have good brakes. You just have to be a little patient and wait for them to kick in.

R62s are a little easier than the R68As. But it's only going to be mastered with practice, practice, and practice.
 

True-admittedly the delay did freak me out. But yesterday, I came in my stations braking just before the conductor's board and my stops were better. You do have to trust the brakes will kick in and don't fully release to the marker because the delay in grabbing back brake will cause you to slingshot and overshoot a bit. 

[MarkGuy]

15 hours ago, nipaaaa said:

Yes lol, that little notch in the brake, do not let it go if you feel momentum still pushing the train. This is especially true on down grade stations. Once you feel that the train is really coasting without the momentum (with still some brake), then it's ok to release all the air for the final full service brake to fully stop.

Sometimes if you grab just the right amount of brake, you won't even need to release all the air and you'll be able to come to a stop while still holding like 10-15 psi. With time, you'll know if the train is still being pushed by momentum. You really gotta focus and feel the train, once you can do that, then 68A is nothing.

I'm not saying I'm an expert but that's how I need operate in order to control them.

 

Will try this advice as well. Thank you!

[Late Clear]

It's like @mediccjh said, patience is key.  That goes for anything down here.  

New folks seem to be more confident with tech trains but they can be extremely deceiving.  It's hard to put your confidence into blended braking, and you must always exercise caution, especially in wet weather.  

@MarkGuy

You made it this far, you'll be okay.