The Schoolcar Experience

[beanz]

On 7/14/2021 at 11:51 AM, MarkGuy said:

Congrats so far to the successes of @beanz and @Schecter. How is it going so far?

Going good. We are YX right now. Our class is down to 3 of us from 5 unfortunately. We lost one to the final practical and another classmate resigned a couple of weeks ago. I think the other classes lost a couple of people as well so the whole induction is down to 16 from 20. 

[Djf22]

On 7/17/2021 at 4:11 PM, beanz said:

Going good. We are YX right now. Our class is down to 3 of us from 5 unfortunately. We lost one to the final practical and another classmate resigned a couple of weeks ago. I think the other classes lost a couple of people as well so the whole induction is down to 16 from 20. 

In the a division we have our 2nd practical next week

[beanz]

25 minutes ago, Djf22 said:

In the a division we have our 2nd practical next week

Who are your TSSs?

[MarkGuy]

On 7/17/2021 at 4:11 PM, beanz said:

Going good. We are YX right now. Our class is down to 3 of us from 5 unfortunately. We lost one to the final practical and another classmate resigned a couple of weeks ago. I think the other classes lost a couple of people as well so the whole induction is down to 16 from 20. 

Well, that happens: lost some in my induction. But I missed reading about schoolcar stories here. Good to hear you are doing well so far.

[beanz]

Just now, MarkGuy said:

Well, that happens: lost some in my induction. But I missed reading about schoolcar stories here. Good to hear you are doing well so far.

Thanks man..haven't had anything interesting to add, which is a good thing. 

 

One thing I'll say that maybe u haven't heard, they are considering cutting out the yx program to fast track the next few classes. Idk if it's a done deal or not yet, somebody from the may induction would know better. Personally i think yx is necessary but excessively long. 1 month is enough with increased road ops or road posting. But way above my pay grade, I'm just an observer. Either way it looks like my induction class might be the last yx for a while.

[MarkGuy]

43 minutes ago, beanz said:

Thanks man..haven't had anything interesting to add, which is a good thing. 

 

One thing I'll say that maybe u haven't heard, they are considering cutting out the yx program to fast track the next few classes. Idk if it's a done deal or not yet, somebody from the may induction would know better. Personally i think yx is necessary but excessively long. 1 month is enough with increased road ops or road posting. But way above my pay grade, I'm just an observer. Either way it looks like my induction class might be the last yx for a while.

I have heard about that here as someone posted it. Yx is useful provided they have you going to a variety of places and making you actually work. But that does not always happen in theory. 

[Late Clear]

4 hours ago, MarkGuy said:

I have heard about that here as someone posted it. Yx is useful provided they have you going to a variety of places and making you actually work. But that does not always happen in theory. 

It doesn't because of the way it's implemented. 

The incompetent CAS has a field day assigning people with no rhyme or reason just to fill vacant jobs day to day and it's not really the learning experience it was designed to be.  Some students will never see the yard, filling switching jobs while others will spend the entire time in a yard working with a disgruntled senior person who doesn't want to be bothered setting a poor example  or under a careless yardmaster assigning them work that they shouldn't be doing.   

If anyone learns anything through YX it's purely by coincidence.   

[beanz]

10 hours ago, Late Clear said:

It doesn't because of the way it's implemented. 

The incompetent CAS has a field day assigning people with no rhyme or reason just to fill vacant jobs day to day and it's not really the learning experience it was designed to be.  Some students will never see the yard, filling switching jobs while others will spend the entire time in a yard working with a disgruntled senior person who doesn't want to be bothered setting a poor example  or under a careless yardmaster assigning them work that they shouldn't be doing.   

If anyone learns anything through YX it's purely by coincidence.   

YX is a good time to get comfortable with the train because nobody is on top of u watching u and telling u what to do. You begin to develop your own feel for it. Also, you learn things about the service while u in stations doing switching, if u pay attention. Like at Euclid u learn that the TO and CR stay on the relay so when u in service u keep these things in mind. Small things but they are all things u learn in YX so i do think it's necessary. I do agree that the crew office doesn't do a good job of sending you to places so you can learn all over. In my case though i am not upset about that because they have been mostly keeping me uptown near home. As much as I want to see far Rockaway, I'm ok with relays at 168 instead lol.

[MarkGuy]

@Schecter were u working out of ditmars switching today?

[BrooklynKam]

Hey everyone. I started reading this thread once I was hired and it's really informative. Thanks to all the contributors

I'm scheduled to start training for T/O August 30th, 2021 and I'm nervous about the divisions. *IF* I get the option to choose, which makes the most sense logistically? I live in Brooklyn near the 2 line (Sterling or Winthrop stations). 

[Jericho]

25 minutes ago, BrooklynKam said:

Hey everyone. I started reading this thread once I was hired and it's really informative. Thanks to all the contributors

I'm scheduled to start training for T/O August 30th, 2021 and I'm nervous about the divisions. *IF* I get the option to choose, which makes the most sense logistically? I live in Brooklyn near the 2 line (Sterling or Winthrop stations). 

A division if you want to be sent to the Bronx often. B division for Stillwell, Church Avenue, and everywhere in-between.

[BrooklynKam]

39 minutes ago, Jericho said:

A division if you want to be sent to the Bronx often. B division for Stillwell, Church Avenue, and everywhere in-between.

Thanks for the speedy response @Jericho

Fingers crossed for B division then haha how long is the training currently? I saw a few different ranges over the years so I'm not sure what they landed on most recently 

[RTOMan]

On 8/16/2021 at 11:31 PM, BrooklynKam said:

Thanks for the speedy response @Jericho

Fingers crossed for B division then haha how long is the training currently? I saw a few different ranges over the years so I'm not sure what they landed on most recently 

At least Six months for the B Div...

[N930]

So if you do get to pick your division anyone know what order they do it in? do they do it by list number?

[beanz]

25 minutes ago, N930 said:

So if you do get to pick your division anyone know what order they do it in? do they do it by list number?

Seniority number i believe. Which is determined by either list number or order in which u were hired. Most likely number in which u were hired (sworn in and entered into system).

[Dave2836]

On 8/16/2021 at 11:31 PM, BrooklynKam said:

Thanks for the speedy response @Jericho

Fingers crossed for B division then haha how long is the training currently? I saw a few different ranges over the years so I'm not sure what they landed on most recently 

8.5 months for B Div.  It's longer because more equipment, more line ups, more reverse moves, more terminals, more of everything.

[beanz]

5 minutes ago, Dave2836 said:

8.5 months for B Div.  It's longer because more equipment, more line ups, more reverse moves, more terminals, more of everything.

They cutting that down because of the shortages. YX has been cut down to 1 month and another month will be cut down from other parts as per a schoolcar tss i spoke to. They are trying to rush people out and fill these empty jobs.

[Dave2836]

On 7/21/2021 at 9:21 PM, MarkGuy said:

I have heard about that here as someone posted it. Yx is useful provided they have you going to a variety of places and making you actually work. But that does not always happen in theory. 

YX is not only about learning the relays and lay up moves but also the opportunity to familiarize yourself with the train.

 

I take the time to look over the equipment, see if I can practice cutting out door panels without looking at my notes, maybe charge the train with a pulled cord and see how far the brakepipe needle goes, learn what the 25a CB on the 68s really do, etc.

 

We can read all we want but experience is the best teacher.  Better to learn on a lay up train than on the road when everyone got their camera on you.

[BrooklynKam]

5 hours ago, beanz said:

They cutting that down because of the shortages. YX has been cut down to 1 month and another month will be cut down from other parts as per a schoolcar tss i spoke to. They are trying to rush people out and fill these empty jobs.

Yikes. I don't think training for a job like this should be rushed. Hopefully the August 30th class will kick ass like some of the veteran TOs in here 

I'll probably post as I go along so others can see the current timeline

Thanks everyone

[mediccjh]

3 months training for the IRT, 5 months for the B Division (if they cut the YX program).

Do you get to pick your division? It depends on Transit's needs. If you get to pick, it starts by list number and works downward.

 

 

As for the YX program, it's a joke. It was not done the way it was intended, and the students don't learn properly. 

 

See you new guys out there soon. Please don't make me write reports. 

[Djf22]

1 hour ago, mediccjh said:

3 months training for the IRT, 5 months for the B Division (if they cut the YX program).

Do you get to pick your division? It depends on Transit's needs. If you get to pick, it starts by list number and works downward.

 

 

As for the YX program, it's a joke. It was not done the way it was intended, and the students don't learn properly. 

 

See you new guys out there soon. Please don't make me write reports. 

They did cut it. It’s down to about 12 days now  just about 

[beanz]

On 8/25/2021 at 11:19 PM, BrooklynKam said:

Yikes. I don't think training for a job like this should be rushed. Hopefully the August 30th class will kick ass like some of the veteran TOs in here 

I'll probably post as I go along so others can see the current timeline

Thanks everyone

Just apply yourself and be highly motivated. You will be fine as long as u put the effort in.

[BrooklynKam]

8 hours ago, beanz said:

Just apply yourself and be highly motivated. You will be fine as long as u put the effort in.

Appreciate you 🤜🤛

[Djf22]

17 hours ago, BrooklynKam said:

Appreciate you 🤜🤛

Just study every night and you’ll be fine 

[BrooklynKam]

Orientation is tomorrow on Zoom... Then the real fun begins 😎