MTA Metro-North Railroad Hiring Process

I think Dutch means that 10 years is a long time to wait to apply for Conductor, most guys say if you want to change crafts do it soon after you hire on that way it's not like you're losing a lot of time(seniority). Maybe I'll try to get promoted to engineer, I mean demoted, I mean transferred, while I'm still fresh meat, damn you Dutch!!

Anyway... I know it's been said before but it's true, you can't really prep for this test, either you know it or you don't. It's not hard, it just takes some basic math skills, a decent vocabulary and some mechanical skills. You DO NOT have to know any signals to pass the test or get hired. I know some who've never even stood on a MNR train before getting hired.

Internal transfers do not get any priority as far as I can tell.
So if you put in a transfer it will be somewhere under the other 20 000 applicants for the job.

RearOfSignal wrote:most guys say if you want to change crafts do it soon after you hire on that way it's not like you're losing a lot of time(seniority).

Maybe I'm wrong but you can't do it right after you get hired because you need to wait a year before you bid a new craft. If that's the case, aren't you instantly loosing.? Example, being I'm in the TCU and I get awarded an ACRE (or any other union) job, won't my rate instantly go to 70% and low man on seniority (for job biding) from what it is now?

Ok, I meant as soon as you're eligible, not the moment you hire on. Your pay rate is adjusted, so you wouldn't lose any money by changing crafts.

RearOfSignal wrote:Ok, I meant as soon as you're eligible, not the moment you hire on. Your pay rate is adjusted, so you wouldn't lose any money by changing crafts.

I should have worded my last post better, I understand it's when eligible as opposed to my wording of "as soon as your hired" in the literal sense. I was not aware that the pay rate got adjusted to being at least equal to and not less than a candidate's current wage.

Thank you for clarifying that for me.

i took the test yesterday. I finished every question in every section. Im not going to say it was so easy you dont have anything to worrie about but i cant say it was so hard it cant be done. A lot of addition, a little multiplication. When I walked in the door I turned to the left, knew every signal on the board and every indication. I turned heads when I mentioned the DTOBO. I refrained from sharing my signal skills for now. I wonder how many non employees can read signals, and interlocks the way I can.

I'm glad the test is what we all documented on here before hand. I would advise you, though if you do get recruited that you keep your wealth of knowledge controlled and refrain coming off as someone who knows all the answers before the questions get asked. Things happen in order from the basics to the more complex topics for a reason. Jumping ahead and inserting how much you know already isn't going to prove much other than coming off as a know-it-all, and that is something you do not want tagged next to your name.

Just some kind advice. They are forming a class for April and one probably in June/July. The time lines for how long the wait will be is also found in the previous pages so do not get nervous if it takes a few weeks to hear back from this test. That is the norm. Just expect anything at any given time.

east84th wrote:I heard that they are currently interviewing and hiring for asst conductors.

Do you know if the people who had taken the test last November 07 are being interviewed?

Probably, yes. I tested in August '07.

I tested in Dec. When I called last week, they said that there were no asst conductors positions currently available

I tested in October for the AC position, passed the reference check, and was interviewed in December.

I received my "no, thank you" present just in time for Christmas...

Due to the MTA budget crunch, I would not be surprised if hiring is on hold for now...

Has the next class been eatablished yet. I heard they put another trainer up there.

New class begins 4-20-09, 12 students.

HalMallon wrote: Due to the MTA budget crunch, I would not be surprised if hiring is on hold for now...

Hiring is not on hold. They have jobs that need to be filled (not just conductors). Every Monday there is yet another group of new hires that go through orientation down at 347.

Hopefully with a little luck, I will get called for an interview before the next class starts. It will be 5 months since the test for me.I understand that your application is good for a year or 2. When would you say it is a fair amount of time to not count on getting called?