Trainee train drivers wanted...

Trainee train drivers wanted...

Author
Discussion

The Mad Monk

10,474 posts

116 months

Sunday 31st January 2021
quotequote all
naturals said:
I fly for a living so there's a lot of overlap (mates who are train drivers moan about the same stuff).

I missed my own brother's wedding because of work. I made it to the reception after my wife sped down the motorway with me in the passenger seat getting changed out of my uniform.

Nearly missed the arrival of my daughter because work wanted to send me to Milan (when that was the epicentre of Covid) the day before her due date.

The number of people I fly with who are divorced is insane. These careers take a *really* understanding family.
But, even with all the downsides, it's still worth doing?

naturals

351 posts

182 months

Sunday 31st January 2021
quotequote all
The Mad Monk said:
But, even with all the downsides, it's still worth doing?
Yeah, I'd say so. It's a fantastic career. My wife is extremely understanding which makes it a lot easier.

ChocolateFrog

24,847 posts

172 months

Friday 5th February 2021
quotequote all
naturals said:
The Mad Monk said:
But, even with all the downsides, it's still worth doing?
Yeah, I'd say so. It's a fantastic career. My wife is extremely understanding which makes it a lot easier.
One of the main reasons I applied for the job was so that I could be home at some point every 24 hours. It would be great to work in F1 for example but as a 20 year old singly, not as a father to young kids and a partner.

ChocolateFrog

24,847 posts

172 months

Friday 5th February 2021
quotequote all
Got to the point where I feel like I have to put one hand over my ear to stop the new information pushing out the stuff I learnt 2 weeks ago laugh

Hearing horror stories of DTMs getting a bit over zealous at the first progress report from the course ahead doesn't help laugh

Vickers_VC10

6,759 posts

204 months

Saturday 6th February 2021
quotequote all
ChocolateFrog said:
Got to the point where I feel like I have to put one hand over my ear to stop the new information pushing out the stuff I learnt 2 weeks ago laugh

Hearing horror stories of DTMs getting a bit over zealous at the first progress report from the course ahead doesn't help laugh
It does not let up. The course and the volume.of information you need to digest, understand and remember is relentless.

Trainees don't want to be trainees as long as is necessary and TOCs don't want people not being a useful commodity to crewing as it takes. Hence the course can feel rushed. Tbh it would be better if the process was a 24 month thing (tbh it is, if you count PQA years as training years) but the classroom stage could be slower. I hope your mechanical minded or traction can be tricky. I saw a few in my group just completely not get traction, coming from 15 years an engineer, it was the easiest bit for me lol.

ChocolateFrog

24,847 posts

172 months

Monday 8th February 2021
quotequote all
Same. I've got a Mech Eng background, which helps with the fundamentals.

Makes a change that I know more than the ex conductors for once.

ChocolateFrog

24,847 posts

172 months

Monday 8th February 2021
quotequote all
Passing signals at danger without authority today.

Paying extra attention eek

demic

369 posts

160 months

Tuesday 9th February 2021
quotequote all
Just wait until you start having dreams (nightmares?) about them

ChocolateFrog

24,847 posts

172 months

Tuesday 9th February 2021
quotequote all
demic said:
Just wait until you start having dreams (nightmares?) about them
Already am.

I'm convinced I'll sail past a station I'm supposed to stop at.

Before I joined I thought you'd get signs saying 'Wakefield Westgate 2 miles'

It seems the default answer for anything like that is "route knowledge"

ChocolateFrog

24,847 posts

172 months

Tuesday 9th February 2021
quotequote all
Vickers_VC10 said:
It does not let up. The course and the volume.of information you need to digest, understand and remember is relentless.

Trainees don't want to be trainees as long as is necessary and TOCs don't want people not being a useful commodity to crewing as it takes. Hence the course can feel rushed.
Which is a bit of pisstake when the apprenticeship fund basically covers my first year salary.

P5BNij

15,764 posts

105 months

Tuesday 9th February 2021
quotequote all
ChocolateFrog said:
demic said:
Just wait until you start having dreams (nightmares?) about them
Already am.

I'm convinced I'll sail past a station I'm supposed to stop at.

Before I joined I thought you'd get signs saying 'Wakefield Westgate 2 miles'

It seems the default answer for anything like that is "route knowledge"
The answer to almost every question on the railway is 'route knowledge'. At the inquiry into the sleeper train derailment at Paddington in November '83 the driver was asked ''how do you know you are where you think you are'', his swift and correct answer was ''route knowledge'' wink

I know I've said it already somewhere on here, but it will all sink in, try not to get stressed or worried about it. It will all click into place once you start doing ride outs and handling. Route learning itself can be quite boring (depending on where you're based obviously) but once you've got a couple of routes under your belt a certain level of job satisfaction kicks in.

Chin up!

Edited by P5BNij on Tuesday 9th February 13:01

GT89

382 posts

112 months

Tuesday 9th February 2021
quotequote all
I'm currently a train maintenance technician and also a depot shunter meaning I take outbounds with the mainline drivers upto the first signal, the idea of being a mainline driver seems more appealing as I get alittle older and the heavy maintenance takes longer to recoup from on off periods.

The funny start and finish hours is off putting but the pay increase sound alike it makes up for that !

forrestgrump

1,539 posts

190 months

Tuesday 9th February 2021
quotequote all
ChocolateFrog said:
Already am.

I'm convinced I'll sail past a station I'm supposed to stop at.

Before I joined I thought you'd get signs saying 'Wakefield Westgate 2 miles'

It seems the default answer for anything like that is "route knowledge"
You'll be surprised how easy it is to pick out your own markers on a 'featureless' route on the face of it. Distance in miles isn't really that important so much as line speed, gradient and braking distance, and you'll get your own markers based on that and how you drive personally. There's the odd distance sign for some stations but I think I pay more attention to certain houses and trees more than those...

ChocolateFrog

24,847 posts

172 months

Tuesday 9th February 2021
quotequote all
P5BNij said:
ChocolateFrog said:
demic said:
Just wait until you start having dreams (nightmares?) about them
Already am.

I'm convinced I'll sail past a station I'm supposed to stop at.

Before I joined I thought you'd get signs saying 'Wakefield Westgate 2 miles'

It seems the default answer for anything like that is "route knowledge"
The answer to almost every question on the railway is 'route knowledge'. At the inquiry into the sleeper train derailment at Paddington in November '83 the driver was asked ''how do you know you are where you think you are'', his swift and correct answer was ''route knowledge'' wink

I know I've said it already somewhere on here, but it will all sink in, try not to get stressed or worried about it. It will all click into place once you start doing ride outs and handling. Route learning itself can be quite boring (depending on where you're based obviously) but once you've got a couple of routes under your belt a certain level of job satisfaction kicks in.

Chin up!

Edited by P5BNij on Tuesday 9th February 13:01
I'm actually pretty chilled.

The ex conductors on the course are getting themselves in a right old tiss about next weeks assessments.

They're busy trying to pull in favours from as many DTMs as they know to get a bit of insider info.

ChocolateFrog

24,847 posts

172 months

Tuesday 9th February 2021
quotequote all
forrestgrump said:
ChocolateFrog said:
Already am.

I'm convinced I'll sail past a station I'm supposed to stop at.

Before I joined I thought you'd get signs saying 'Wakefield Westgate 2 miles'

It seems the default answer for anything like that is "route knowledge"
You'll be surprised how easy it is to pick out your own markers on a 'featureless' route on the face of it. Distance in miles isn't really that important so much as line speed, gradient and braking distance, and you'll get your own markers based on that and how you drive personally. There's the odd distance sign for some stations but I think I pay more attention to certain houses and trees more than those...
Yes we've been told that. Also to be careful what you pick as they can have a habit of disappearing.

itcaptainslow

3,694 posts

135 months

Tuesday 9th February 2021
quotequote all
ChocolateFrog said:
forrestgrump said:
ChocolateFrog said:
Already am.

I'm convinced I'll sail past a station I'm supposed to stop at.

Before I joined I thought you'd get signs saying 'Wakefield Westgate 2 miles'

It seems the default answer for anything like that is "route knowledge"
You'll be surprised how easy it is to pick out your own markers on a 'featureless' route on the face of it. Distance in miles isn't really that important so much as line speed, gradient and braking distance, and you'll get your own markers based on that and how you drive personally. There's the odd distance sign for some stations but I think I pay more attention to certain houses and trees more than those...
Yes we've been told that. Also to be careful what you pick as they can have a habit of disappearing.
Yup-a decent minder will see you right though! I pick railway stuff as they can’t mostly move it without telling you; stuff like signals, AWS magnets, PSR boards are all staying put unless you’re notified, and are easy to pick out in fog/darkness.

The grey house next to the line which some bugger then decides to paint blue, less so...

Stedman

7,212 posts

191 months

Tuesday 9th February 2021
quotequote all
ChocolateFrog said:
Already am.

I'm convinced I'll sail past a station I'm supposed to stop at.

Before I joined I thought you'd get signs saying 'Wakefield Westgate 2 miles'

It seems the default answer for anything like that is "route knowledge"
We have a job where we do the first train via a valley, about 0600 departure (04-something book on mind!) down to the coast. When it's thick fog it's one of my favourite bits of driving ever. A genuine sense of achievement getting to the destination safely, smoothly all whilst being able to see sweet NA and feeling knackered.

A while before you'll be doing it, keep your head down, don't over complicate it and if you don't understand something just ask.

demic

369 posts

160 months

Wednesday 10th February 2021
quotequote all
Apprentice Train Drivers at XC. Unlike the last round of trainee recruitment it looks like they’re taking people with no railway experience. Very, very rare opportunity fill yer boots!

https://jobs.deutschebahngroup.careers/en_US/jobsG...

ChocolateFrog

24,847 posts

172 months

Wednesday 10th February 2021
quotequote all
itcaptainslow said:
ChocolateFrog said:
forrestgrump said:
ChocolateFrog said:
Already am.

I'm convinced I'll sail past a station I'm supposed to stop at.

Before I joined I thought you'd get signs saying 'Wakefield Westgate 2 miles'

It seems the default answer for anything like that is "route knowledge"
You'll be surprised how easy it is to pick out your own markers on a 'featureless' route on the face of it. Distance in miles isn't really that important so much as line speed, gradient and braking distance, and you'll get your own markers based on that and how you drive personally. There's the odd distance sign for some stations but I think I pay more attention to certain houses and trees more than those...
Yes we've been told that. Also to be careful what you pick as they can have a habit of disappearing.
Yup-a decent minder will see you right though! I pick railway stuff as they can’t mostly move it without telling you; stuff like signals, AWS magnets, PSR boards are all staying put unless you’re notified, and are easy to pick out in fog/darkness.

The grey house next to the line which some bugger then decides to paint blue, less so...
One of our instructors spent the whole day telling us it was a Permanent Speed Restriction and now can't I have to think hard on whether it's permanent or permissible everytime I see PSR, read

itcaptainslow

3,694 posts

135 months

Wednesday 10th February 2021
quotequote all
Check module SP of the Rule Book or RS521 Signals, Handsignals, Indicators and Signs for enlightenment! smile

I remember one of my rules instructors had a big thing about not calling position lights “ground position lights” as not all of them are on the ground... laugh