I failed

[Nora]

That's really the only way I can put it...I failed one of my tests at class in Georgia on Friday night, and I was sent home. I am really mad at myself, but I was strongly encouraged by my instructors to reapply and plan to do that.

The test involved hanging on the side of a car with one hand and giving hand signals with the other for two minutes. I made it as close as 1:56, so with some work I know I can do it. I was the seventh person to be sent home that day and they hadn't even gotten to the third shift yet.

Well, I have a couple dumb looking hats and a couple funny stories to remember my misadventure in Georgia. I plan to spend the rest of the day feeling really, really sorry for myself, then tomorrow I'll go turn in my equipment, talk to the superintendent and start working on getting back down to Georgia.

[UPTRAIN]

Sorry to hear this, but I know with your determination you'll get back on and in a few months we will be speaking with a qualified conductor. You can't feel too sorry for yourself because many people passed up an opprotunity to get hired and never had the chance again. You are truly blessed to have had the desire to work for a railroad at this time. Many years in the past have bought layoffs and long dry spells for hiring. I really hope they are hiring when I get that age.

[Mikeygaw]

[:O][:(][:(]

I am very sorry to hear that Nora
make sure you stick at and try again, and not just say that you will...
you made it this far, i know you can go all the way

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by UPTRAIN

Sorry to hear this, but I know with your determination you'll get back on and in a few months we will be speaking with a qualified conductor. You can't feel too sorry for yourself because many people passed up an opprotunity to get hired and never had the chance again. You are truly blessed to have had the desire to work for a railroad at this time. Many years in the past have bought layoffs and long dry spells for hiring. I really hope they are hiring when I get that age.

Zach put it very well. I am one of the people who passed on my best chance to get on with a railroad and have never had as good a chance since. And yes I am still kicking myself memtally because of it.

I am sorry to hear you missed it by only a few second. But now you know what to expect and might be able to actually find a way to practice and improve on your time.

Best Wishes and Good Luck.

[cherokee woman]

QUOTE: Originally posted by UPTRAIN

Sorry to hear this, but I know with your determination you'll get back on and in a few months we will be speaking with a qualified conductor. You can't feel too sorry for yourself because many people passed up an opprotunity to get hired and never had the chance again. You are truly blessed to have had the desire to work for a railroad at this time. Many years in the past have bought layoffs and long dry spells for hiring. I really hope they are hiring when I get that age.

Nora,

Just don't give up. You've made it this far. With your determination and willpower,
I KNOW you will succeed!! Go for it again, dear heart, and you'll succeed!!

[Junctionfan]

You may have failed this time, but next time it will be different. Look at it this way, you now know what they want so the next time,the test should be a snap.

Good luck,

Andrew

[eolafan]

Nora, just remember those famous words..."I THINK I CAN, I THINK I CAN, I THINK I CAN", and you will!

[Anonymous]

DEAR NORA, PLEASE DONT BE MAD AT YOURSELF. JUST BE THANKFUL THAT YOU WERNT IN A SITUATION THAT MAY HAVE CAUSED YOU MORE GRIEF THAN JUST FAILING..LOOK IM 6FT 5IN 450 LBS I TRAINED AND WORKED OUT TO DO THE TASKS AT HAND WORING ON THE RAILROAD.. IM PRAYING FOR YOU NOT TO QUIT..GOOD LUCK ..........

[Overmod]

This is one of the easiest things to 'fix' I can think of, but it'll require some discipline.

First: You really DO need to be able to hang off the side of a car using only one hand for more than 'two minutes.' The initial question I'll ask is: "What made you have to let go at 1:56" -- was it a question of slipping strength, numbness, grip?

Once we know that, we can figure out the right combination of exercises for you to do to build up the right kinds of strength and stamina to pass the test. This won't require much effort or time, but needs to be 'designed' with care so you only build up what you need.

Believe me, your instructors wouldn't be encouraging you, let alone strongly, if they didn't believe in you!

[arbfbe]

When you turn in your equipment note the closeness to your passing the test and ask if you can retake it.
Go home and do a few finger tip push ups every day. Next time wear padded gloves no matter how hot it is and they wil make it easier on your fingers.
One sign of a switchman is they can always open up a jar of bottle with the strength they have in their hands.
Good luck.

[ValleyX]

Well, try it again, it's really important that you be able to do this because you'd be faced by situations such as this many times. Really sorry to read your bad news, though.

[locomutt]

NORA, [#ditto] To all the above. And FIRST AND FOREMOST You haven't failed.
To actually fail at something,means that you haven't,or are not trying. This one I
know better than that. You have only had a "setback" Pick your self up and get on
that sucker again,and again,again if you have too.

Eolafan said "I think I can",etc. That's a great one to think;but possibly I might
change it to: "I Know I Can","I Know I Can", And I know you can.

While right at this particular moment,I can't think of any particular people,
but some of this countries greatest people haven't made the grade the
first time around.

Good Luck,Best Wishes and take that bull by the horns and show him who's Boss.

Walt

[Anonymous]

Nora-

Like others above I think you caqn do it. It is very important to be able to do this as you will have pretty long shove moves where you must be able to hang on to the cars. Based upon the fact that you were only 4 seconds off I think a little practice and perhaps a bit of weight lifting or other upper body strengthening exercises will help. Women typically (on average) tend to have less upper body strength than men and it shows in these types of tests. One woman in my Trainman's training class actually fell from a boxcar when she was trying to release a high handbrake. Luckily all she had were some bumps and bruises...

Don't give up...

LC

[espeefoamer]

Nora,do some excercises,and next time you will be able to handle it.Remember,you haven't failed until you quit.I know you will suceed the next time you take the test[:)].Good luck[:D]!!

[JoeKoh]

Nora
pick yourself up and TRY TRY AGAIN!
stay safe
Joe

[edblysard]

Nora,
Take Overmod and LCs word for it, holding on one handed and giving hand signals is one of the most important skills you have to master, it make the difference in you staying safe or getting hurt or killed.

Believe it from someone who hangs on the side of cars all day, you can learn how!

If thats all they had to bump you, and they encouraged you to try again, then let Overmod help you develope the strength.

If this is really what you want to do, then get after it....

Ed

[Junctionfan]

Aren't you supposed to kind of wrap your arm around the ladder and stand at the side of the car?

[Anonymous]

Nora,

You were so close! Try talking to someone there to give you one more try. If you have to back home just strengthen those fingers and arms a bit and you'll be fine. Like Ed and LC said it is imperative that you can hang on because your safety depends on it!!! There is no "try" there is DO or DO NOT. You can do it Nora, that's all you need to tell yourself.

Junctionfan,

When being tested you have to have your feet in the sill step and both hands around the grab irons. It is considered cheating to wrap your arm around as you suggest, but in the real world I end up climbing higher on the car I'm riding and I do wrap one arm around a grab iron and I grab on with my other hand. It is a lot more comforable to ride long distances that way; I just make sure I have a good grip and that my feet won't slip.

[UPTRAIN]

I was curious if I could hang. Today, I hung for 3:24 seconds from a former UP baggage car. If I can do it, anyone can. I wrapped my arm around the grab iron and it worked.

[oskar]

sorry about that nora and where in GA



kevin

[arbfbe]

Wrapping your arm through the hand rail is frowned upon account you are hung up in the equipment which might impede your getting off in a hurry should the need arise. You see it every day but that proceedure would likely disqualify you from the test and result in failure.

[Nora]

Thanks everyone for the encouragement etc. I do totally understand why I have to be able to do the test, and that's why I'm not angry or bitter at anyone but MYSELF about being sent home.

For the test, we HAD to hold on with ONLY our hand; no wrapping our arm around the ladder rungs. We had to use an overhand grip as well. It was not nearly as easy as it sounds, and a number of the people who did pass looked like they were getting very close to their breaking point by 2 minutes.

The instructors did suggest some exercises I can do to increase my arm strength and grip strength and that's what I'm going to do.

[Anonymous]

NOoooooooooRA.

Well, its like a driving test or whatnot. (You remember my whole renewal thing [:|]. May take a few trys, but usually the first will help you pass the second. How about getting 2 12 packs of soda cans, putting them in plastic grocery bags with handles, and walking for 10 minutes a day. (I had to do that with 3 6 packs of 24 oz. water today). seems to me it would help streingth and get you used to force of having the bar forcing against your fingers when leaning.

Just my advice. And don't be hard on yourself. You tried, and you have the determination. thats what matters.

[dharmon]

Good on you Nora for going as far as you did. You know what you need to improve on....and it actually has application, not just an arbitrary means for attrition, so ...as nike says...just do it! We're all behind you.....though maybe I wouldn't put that on an appliction[;)]

[Anonymous]

Nora -

Practice walking a half-mile with a ten-pound potato sack in each hand. When you get where you can do that easily, start putting a couple of potatoes into each sack.

Seriously, Nora - it's an occupation which has its drawbacks, but if you can handle the hours, etc., the rewards are worth it.

Hang in there. You know what's required, now, so raise your capabilities and keep your eye on the prize.

And, above all, BE SAFE!

Old Timer

[Anonymous]

Nothing I can say that hasn't already been said...so just....believe in yourself.
Those exercises can't hurt.

~Ra'akone

[CShaveRR]

Nora, I'm sorry to hear about your setback. I think you'll know better where you stand after you talk with people today. These people will offer you encouragement if they think you're worth it. And you've gone through a lot to get as far as you did.

Don't give up on your dream just yet!

Carl

[Rick Gates]

You only fail if you don;t get up.........by the way.....want to arm wrestle? Maybe, I can win?[D)]

[Mookie]

Nora - a large pity party is in order - as only we females can do. But I know your determination and wish you the best on your next try....you know there will be one!

Mookie

[rrnut282]

[#ditto] To almost everything said above. You have come closer to living your dreams than 99% of Americans, so why stop now? This is only a setback. It will only become a failure if you do not dust yourself off, pull yourself up by the bootstraps, and try again.

To answer somone's earlier post about setbacks: Thomas Edison tried 1600 times to make a light bulb and failed before he found the right combination; Ullysses S. Grant suffered 5 business failures in his civilian life before finding success in the military (and some could argue he had several mis-steps there, too); Abraham Lincoln lost a business, lost a local election, and lost the senate election to Douglas before finding success in a presidential election, and he was greatly despised in the papers of the day, yet most consider him one of the great ones; I would go on, but you get the idea.