New to Railroading...

hooked up wrote: I can even remember when union railroaders couldn't get along with EACH OTHER (remember the early Conrail green team - red team days?).

Not picking nits by any means but the Red Team (PRR) / Green Team (NYC) was one of PC's dilemmas.

In the early CR days, both the Red and Green guys had firm control of things. And boy did it show.

thebigc,

Yah, my bad. I almost forgot about those worms making love............

hooked up wrote: Being just a "number" in a huge company;

I take heart in things I hear from my Class 1 buddies, and from folks like UPRR engineer on this forum. I would be a Class 1 employee like UPRR engineer, so that they might have a "banner on the wall in Omaha" for me too!

Hopefully, the paycheck and benefits would be enough to let me know the company appreciates my service.

Have no fear there dude. Like my buddy LCJ once said "only if you allow it". Alot of guys try to steer clear of the managers, come in under radar and what not. Thats all fine and dandy tell they screw up. Im anything but just another employee on an incident report. Less then half the things ive done arent in my work history, and the stuff that is in there, i could have gotten out of (going home with out permission), or they fought like hell with the super to not have me wrote up, and lost. Its really easy to stand out in a sea of morons and complainers when you do good work and have a positive attitude all the time.

I think they still fly my flag at the crew calling office buddy (CMS). I got some special treatment the other night, i called them to get my call changed so i could make some extra money. The only kicker was i got to send her a christmas present now.

I'll be heading down to Mcdonough this weekend, I thought of taking my laptop, will it be useful? And is there internet available at the hotel?
Thanks,
wmt

wmt wrote:I'll be heading down to Mcdonough this weekend, I thought of taking my laptop, will it be useful? And is there internet available at the hotel?
Thanks,
wmt

HAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...the hotel is a craphole. You'll be lucky to get a toilet and shower that works. I'm not kidding.

A few folks take their laptops and use dial up. Probably not worth the effort, unless of course you want to ask us questions that the RR won't answer.

Enjoy your spiffy orange hat...and no, you don't need to wear it on the training grounds.

Have fun!

-r

PS: Bring your own towel too. You'll thank me later.

wmt,
And don't forget..go to Ryans! One exit north, take a right off the highway, past Wal-Mart, about a mile up the road on your right. The best cheapest food down there. Butterbeans chicken is also excellent, but it is fried chicken, so it's not very heathy.

Also, if you are at the Rodeway Inn, the road that runs behind the hotel will take you right to the Wal-Mart shopping center.

-r

wmt how long did it take u from the time u went to the hiring session to get to go to mcdou. i am goin to a hirinf session for ns next week......
wat is ns looking for during the hiring process

Hey,
Got back last night from McDonough, it was great!

To thejline.....it took exactly 6 weeks from the day I had the interview to get the call to go to McDonough. But I spoke with others in my class that it only took a few days or just a couple of weeks. So it seems there is no real system to go by.

Razor, you were dead on about everything from the motel to Ryans and the laptop. I never did get to the place in Atlanta you told me about. I spent a lot of time reading the material. I really thought the tests were going to be harder than they were. They really give you so much information but once they back it up with the videos and hands on it makes sense. I did miss one question in all the tests so no perfect certificate for me, there was one guy in our class that did get it.
I am sure the signal test in phase III will be as hard as I think it will be though. I talked with a few guys that were there in phase III and they were pretty stressed.
My instructors were Ty and Harley they were great! Harley said this will be his last class, he's going back to an Engineer job he had before taking the teaching job.
We had Al, Cecile(spelling) and Steve for our yard/hands on instructors. Again some really great guys with a lot of experience.

I do know though, that even with all the information I just received, I still only know enough just to be in the yard, thats about it. I know the real learning is going to come in phase II and phase IIII. I would have liked a little more hands on down at the school, but you only get so much time and there's a lot to learn.
We had 31 in our class, get this 11 women, they said that was the most women they've ever had at one time. We didn't loose anyone, three of the men were dispatchers so they didn't stay for everything only about the first 5 days or so.

Didn't you say that recently there were 9 new mark ups, hope thats giving you some days off, I know you've been wanting them.

I'm scheduled to be at the Enola yard at 7:00am on 9/29

Hey Chrisjz, how are thing going with you?

Be safe guys and thanks for everything.....
wmt

Glad to hear you did well and you had a good time in McDonough! I had Harley for phase I too, he did very well as an instructor. Did Harley stamp his foot on the floor when there was something important he wanted you to remember? Sorry to hear Harley is leaving. Did you get a chance to meet Jerome and Nate? Those guys are excellent instructors as well.

Things are going very well here, I only have a little more than a month to go and I'm finished! I have heard a rumor though that once I mark up there will be no place to work since the boards are full and no other terminals need us, I guess we will just have to wait and see how it goes.

I too was sweating the NORAC signals test for phase III but as long as you study and stay on top of it you will have no trouble at all. What I did was make up flash cards with the aspect on one side and the indication on the other and asked my wife to drill me on them twice a day. Let me tell you, it worked; those signals are so burned into my head that I don't think I will ever forget them! It also helps to see the signals on the road, which you should on Amtrak. Which reminds me, do you know how far down Amtrak you will have to qualify? Also, make sure you take the practice signal test on the computer when you are there for phase III.

I'm surprised you only had 31 people in your class, we had 50 in our phase I class and the one before me had almost 60! They must be slowing down on hiring. They have also changed the way you apply for a job now too; it looks like it will be a lot tougher to get in. I guess it's a good thing you and I got in when we did huh?

Anyway, it's nice to see you are back with us and hope you enjoy this next phase of training. I look forward to hearing how you are progressing as I'm sure the others are too. Talk to you again soon, work safe and stay alert...

In the late 90s', the BNSF developed over-hiring into a fine art! It wasn't unusual at all to be furloughed the instant you completed conductor training. Months later, they just couldn't understand why these people weren't languishing, awaiting a phone call from the BN to come back to work! The sad part is, many of these people quit fairly decent jobs to pursue a career in the railroad industry. Word to the wise: You CANNOT receive railroad retirement unemployment benefits from the get-go.

wmt wrote:I am sure the signal test in phase III will be as hard as I think it will be though. I talked with a few guys that were there in phase III and they were pretty stressed.

Once you start seeing the signals out in the real world and see how their meanings come into play it might be alot easier for ya. Just like almost everything else on the railroad, repetition will get them stuck in your head. Good luck.

Good to hear from you Chris, Harley, yep he sure did stomp his foot when he wanted you to remember something. He seems happy to be going back to his old Engineering job but said he really enjoyed the teaching as well.
Did not meet Jerome or Nate, maybe next time.

Hard to believe you'll be marked up in just about a month, seems to have gone by quickly.
Think there is any truth to that rumor? Have you checked for yourself if the extra board is full? And are you still seeing new trainees at your yard?
That's one thing I didn't think I'd have to deal with, everyone I spoke with gave such reassurance that they need people so bad that you'll be wishing for days off.
Have you been working five or more days a week through your training?

I don't know the answer about Amtrak, but I'm sure when Razor or someone else who knows reads this they'll tell you.

I will make the flash cards, someone else in phase III told me to do that too. And I'll take the practice test as well.

Thanks for the reassurance, CSX Conductor, I'm sure you're right, just learning that the position of the light has meaning helps. And repetition will burn it in there.
Gotta run, my first day, better not be late........wmt

Hey wmt!
Congrats! You have to be over at Deer Path on Friday? You'll prob. be there all day to hear speeches from the higher-ups. Whatever you do, <b>don't fall asleep</b>. If Mike Wilson gives a speech, act like it is the most important thing you ever heard...

Some of you may be assigned to the road as new ACTs, but most of you will land in the yard. I don't know if they started the ACT extra board yet, or if they are still doing a schedule thing. If they started the ACT extra board, you will work anywhere, anytime.

Right now in Harrisburg/Enola, both the road extra boards are close to full. However, they never stay that way for long, and there is talk about expanding the size of the list anyhow. Most people move off the extra list when they can hold a job and some of the guys/gals on the extra board are only there for a short time to make $. In fact, I bumped onto the extra list to make some extra $ this month. I've had 28 starts so far this month, and will probably be called out tonight as well. Considering today is the 29th, you can guess how fast the list is turning. I've never seen the extra list full, but I guess it is possible. The yard extra lists are not even half full, so you may be assigned there. You may also be force assigned a job if nobody else wants it. (Usually the jobs that nobody wants are the ones that make the least amount of money. As soon as you start making money, someone will bump you off the job. Welcome to union bullsheet.) You may also be able to take a temporary job. If someone takes a leave or goes off to school for something, you can hold their job for a while.

Anyway it works out, I wouldn't worry about it.THERE IS TONS OF WORK OUT THERE. We are chronically short of crews. When you get marked up, the NS will put you to work, probably the next day (no kidding).

Right now just worry about getting through Phase II.. You aren't qualified to do anything, so nobody will expect much out of you.

My biggest advice to you is to tune out all those guys that bitch and moan. You will find a lot of bitter boneheads out there. Don't listen to them! Hang in there, the ACT thing is only temporary.

Oh and Amtrak...you will only need to qualify on Amtrak if you work the Enola side, nothing to worry about now, you'll do that in Phase IV.

If you need anything at all, write to me! Check your private messages.

-r

PS: If the guys let you get on the locomotive first, they just want to look at your ass.

Razor, I got your pm, thanks so much I really appreciate all the help. And I will call him. Aren't you training ACT's anymore?

I reported to the Enola yard today at 7:00am as told sat around till about 8:30am then Joe told us to go home and come back tomorrow at 9:00am at first he did tell us to go to Deer Path but then changed his mind and told us come back to Enola tomorrow.
I have heard that Wilson is a very gloom and doom sort of guy, lol
We were told we would meet with Rob Dickson today so I don't know who we'll get tomorrow.

I know I have a few months ahead of me till I mark up and need to worry about if I have work or not but after hearing Chrisjz, I was glad you could give some reassurance that there is a steady work load out there.

Thanks for the P.S., I'll keep that in mind. If that should happen, I'll no doubt think of this and have a laugh.....wmt

wmt wrote: I reported to the Enola yard today at 7:00am as told sat around till about 8:30am then Joe told us to go home and come back tomorrow at 9:00am at first he did tell us to go to Deer Path but then changed his mind and told us come back to Enola tomorrow.

LOL. That's pretty typical of the NS.

I have heard that Wilson is a very gloom and doom sort of guy, lol
We were told we would meet with Rob Dickson today so I don't know who we'll get tomorrow.

Make no mistake, Wilson is a pitbull. You don't want anything to do with him. I'm pretty sure he eats his young.

Rob Dixion is the Assit. Superintendant. He's probably the most straight talking guy out here. You might not like what he has to say, but he'll always be straight up with you. He's a good guy. The NS will probably fire him soon.

Must be something going on if Dominick Browne (Road Trainmaster) or Rob Dixion both couldn't make it. If there was an accident, derailment or serious violation (like a stop signal violation) those are the guys that would have to deal with it.

I know I have a few months ahead of me till I mark up and need to worry about if I have work or not but after hearing Chrisjz, I was glad you could give some reassurance that there is a steady work load out there.

No worries. Six months from now, you'll be wishing for a day off. When you get your day off, you'll sleep through most of it

-r