Union Pacific had me do it during pre-employment. It was 5 minutes with one-minute using both hands, one-minute using my left, one-minute using my right and two-minutes using both. The physical therapist also made me wear an addional 30 lbs to simulate the radio equipment I will be needing when performing this job.
That seems like a pretty simple test to be included in the hiring process so the person doesn’t quit their current job only to find out they can’t hang from a ladder long enough.
That would be an excellent way to do that but they do this test on day one of training which means you’ve already quit your job, accepted a conditional offer, taken medical, drug and background assessments, and have driven hours to the Georgia Training center before they have you do this test. If their was a way to do this test at your home terminal before you’ve done all that I’d agree 100% with your statement. Sadly I’ve watched people drive from NY to GA just to be sent home day one.
@@KurtisCharlton They should add that to the medical portion of the pre-employment assessment. Where I work we had a very extensive medical exam including picking up 75 lbs, squatting for a certain amount of time and walking on a treadmill.
It also helps to go to your local park and find something similar to practice on a bit beforehand if you can. I agree on the gloves, nor do you want anything too thick for gloves.
Our hang test was on a tank car that did not have a vertical grab bar that most tanks do, feet in a sill-step, horizontal grab iron (you know the one riveted to the foot platform) lower than waist level for, I think, 2 minutes. The new one sounds pretty simple. Oh yeah, our sill step was in real-life conditions about 36 inches above the ballast too. It wasn't too bad, but people that weren't very strong had a tough time and several failed it.
Yeah isnt not bad now. People still fail but its because its a different position than most people have ever been in. They give them three attempts these days
@@KurtisCharlton Yeah with much of the current workforce entering the market having a less than stellar work ethic, and with just how terrible the RR treats folks, I guess they have to change it up! I hear they can't hardly beg for people to come to the hiring sessions, or if they do, they will get hired and just end up quitting before their training is even over. At least that's what I hear is taking place where I live. Due to the incompetence of management with this company, they are in big trouble in terms of future growth and development if they don't try to change their ways! Sure, they can falsely manipulate the stock prices with false speculations and phantom growth for a few years, but not RAILROADING is going to catch up to them! Getting trains over the road and cars to customers should be the top priority for efficient, productive business techniques, not trying to sell off all of the infrastructure and run insane train sizes with all that horribly inefficient DP nonsense! If they keep listening to ideas that manifest in the minds of a person that has never walked the ballast or tied a handbrake, they're destined to fail! Good luck in your career there, it is a rough lifestyle that will chew you up and spit you out for not that great of pay and benefits these days in terms of the overall job market. If a Railroad man was paid what a man was paid in the 50s to the 80s, your salary would be 200K easily! Oh yeah, and don't listen to the b.s. salaries many of your coworkers will tell you they're making, most of them are lying! Hell, payroll and the unions will make damn sure you do not get what you're entitled to! Oh yeah, keep in mind, that someone from the company will be scouring your social media and know everything you do, so conduct yourself accordingly if you don't want any waves!
@@AccuracySpeaks NS is going to have to do something to remain competitive. With CSX offering 100% pay day one and ns still at 75% for new hires that alone is enough to not go with NS. The pay was already more with CSX and they are still giving bonuses as well. The talent pool is going to shrink very quickly just on those factors alone. Never mind the normal drawbacks of the industry that come with the territory. NS is actually being outsold right now.
@@AccuracySpeaks I am a lady truck driver age 44. I went through a couple interviews with the RR. I switched trucking companies and applied to a RR as a freight conductor when I was doing my job search. I am on the fence if I want to switch careers into RR. I wish there was a FB group I could discuss this with but I might get screened by the company there. The pay after training is supposed to be like 66k up to 75k first year gross but the pay is only 1k a week so not sure where the other $500 a week comes from or how accurate the reports are from indeed or the RR. Trying to make $1500 a week in trucking but it hard to get enough hours and freight to make decent checks especially with recession on the horizon. There is a lot of heart ache from railroaders and I don’t think they are just bitter over nothing. RR used to be excellent jobs but like most jobs doesn’t sound like earnings kept up with inflation.
It's not the hang test people are afraid of. It's losing the opportunity on the first day of school. 99% of this is in their head but it doesn't make it any easier.
How long is it per arm, I think in one response you said 2:30 per arm and another you said 1:30 per arm, I'm guessing there was a typo in of the responses or I just misread it. Thanks I like all of your videos bro they're very direct and informative. I subscribed!
@@KurtisCharlton thanks, you're the man! I knew I must've misread it. Just waiting on my background check to be completed and I'm scheduled to take my PE in a few days, then hopefully I'll be off to McDonough for training. Thanks again!
@@travishaynes8853 it does. You’d be pulled down and you’d try again after everyone else is gone. Some people actually drop the lantern it self. There is a box of “hang test lanterns” for that reason. Most don’t even have batteries in them 👍🏻🚂
@@ididit1600 My gut tells me no because you have to maintain 3 points of contact and NS would never allow for anything dangling from a railcar, especially one’s limbs.
@@ididit1600 No, you are always required to maintain 3 points of contact. 2 feet one hand or two hands one foot(this is applicable when you are getting off of moving equipment
This might be dumb but what's difficult about this? Like is it anything more than hanging off the ladder? I'm not trying to sound arrogant or anything but from how it sounds I'd think anyone could do it so long as they weren't seriously disabled?
It’s a grip issue. Often grab irons can be wet as well. Some conductors ride shoves for long distances and if you can’t maintain your grip you could fall a decent distance and more importantly get rolled under a car. There were 11 people that failed this test during my training class and I had to take it twice because I wore the wrong gloves and slipped during the last few seconds
Well there goes my chances of being a conductor she told me over the phone it wouldnt be a problem but now that I’m hearing more i think I’m not going to pass the physical exam
@@KurtisCharlton bc I told her I have nerve damage in my left arm she told me it was fine and that she doesn’t see any problems of having it and that I should be fine but if I have nerve damage that mean the I won’t be able to do hang test
You will ride a car like this exactly once in your railroad career, and that is when you are tested in McDonough. The rest of the time you will not ride in the sill step, you'll stand on the ladder and wrap your elbow around a rung and ride in the most upright position you can, worst case and for the short shoves only. Most cars there are better ways to ride than to be hanging off the side of them. When you get out there and actually start doing the job you'll learn that the safest route is the one that allows you to be comfortable while riding exercises your common sense. Some cars just aren't designed to be ridden like most spine cars, lumber racks and auto racks. I'm surprised that requirement haven't been made to update the fleet of spine cars to the way most of the new pigs are being set up with the "terraced" bottom two steps and the tall grab irons, I can ride those all day long. If I have to ride a spine car for a long shove, my three points of contact are two ass cheaks on the walk board and a arm on the ladder, F#$k all that other noise.
A lot of guys in Conway ride, even lame ass spine cars everyday, which I think is insane. If you can't ride safely and comfortably walk that shit out. No reason to make your shift miserable and if your engineer start giving you shit....walk slower lol
When I took this test for upr the place I went to had my literally hanging my feet not touching nothing just holding on with one hand and switching hands . I failed I think it was the clinics fault
@@KurtisCharlton I honestly could not tell you . I tried telling the girl at Clinic where I was taking the test but she would not listen told recruiter to and I was to late they failed me on the PAT TEST .
Remember guys and gals, while doing your hang test, remember that most of your supervisor's, Trainmasters and Assistant Trainmasters can't do it out in the field. This test is BS anyhow, I've worked for NS for 27 years and never have I seen something so stupid, this test is so unnecessary. Nothing in the rule book tells you you have to ride the side of the car! Good luck!
That's exactly right, even if your riding and you get uncomfortable, tell the engineer to stop and get down and walk I'm sorry to anyone who has to go to McDonough, you learn more in the field in one week than you do down there. Common sense will carry you a long way, don't over think this job!
That's exactly right . the hang test is bullshit. I wouldn't dare ride on a side of a car to a couple ing and when the train masters asked why tell them its to freaking dangerous. Its really not that big a thing though hell you can stand on your head ten minutes unless you are terribly out of shape or obese you can hang on the side of a car for 5 minutes. Do it for them once while your there and you'll never have to do it again. Sometimes when you hang on cars and you go out of sight the engineer is required to stop unless you have radio comm. If you have that then why the damn lantern. They want you to fail . Don't give them the satisfaction.
I came all the way to McDonough and failed the hang test. People would be well advised to train themselves on this for a few weeks before they come down. Find some kind of ladder somewhere with skinny hand holds, because you’re going to be hanging by your fingers.
At my railroad we ride the side of the cars all the time, for probably an hour or two total on a 12 hour shift. And we ride shoves for upwards of a mile, and ride cars to couplings. And we ride on a lot of tank cars. It’s crazy seeing how different every railroad does things. ( we are a smaller railroad and are near the bottom on the rr pay scale)
I agree but a pass/fail requirement for both NS and CSX. Not sure about BNSF, UP etc. Watched a lot of people go home during training this year despite getting 3 attempts to pass.
@@KurtisCharlton hey man. I did find 1 signal practice test online. It's only 15 questions tho. Is there other test or is that how many questions will be on it. I've already averaging 87 to 100 percent.
@@chadurbanski3468 There is a learning module for signals in the e-learning that ill send you and once you get to training they will give you a practice test to take over and over again based on the signal system you are assigned to in your part of the country. There are 3 different ones: N&W, NS, and CONRAIL
Union Pacific had me do it during pre-employment. It was 5 minutes with one-minute using both hands, one-minute using my left, one-minute using my right and two-minutes using both. The physical therapist also made me wear an addional 30 lbs to simulate the radio equipment I will be needing when performing this job.
Yep. Each class one has some version of this test. some on stationary ladders and some on actually cars.
30 lbs to simulate a radio ? They bullshitting you !
@@rc391995they must be thinking in terms of the old “brick” radios used thirty years ago.
30# of radio equipment?!
What kind of radio is that and was it even from the 20th century? 😉
That seems like a pretty simple test to be included in the hiring process so the person doesn’t quit their current job only to find out they can’t hang from a ladder long enough.
That would be an excellent way to do that but they do this test on day one of training which means you’ve already quit your job, accepted a conditional offer, taken medical, drug and background assessments, and have driven hours to the Georgia Training center before they have you do this test. If their was a way to do this test at your home terminal before you’ve done all that I’d agree 100% with your statement. Sadly I’ve watched people drive from NY to GA just to be sent home day one.
@@KurtisCharlton They should add that to the medical portion of the pre-employment assessment. Where I work we had a very extensive medical exam including picking up 75 lbs, squatting for a certain amount of time and walking on a treadmill.
😂
a ladder isn't the same as a moving car dumbass...
It also helps to go to your local park and find something similar to practice on a bit beforehand if you can. I agree on the gloves, nor do you want anything too thick for gloves.
Agreed👍🏻🚂
@KurtisCharlton can you go the rung higher than your head
Would it be possible to do a video on passing the medical examination and things that might disqualify someone from passing?
Our hang test was on a tank car that did not have a vertical grab bar that most tanks do, feet in a sill-step, horizontal grab iron (you know the one riveted to the foot platform) lower than waist level for, I think, 2 minutes. The new one sounds pretty simple. Oh yeah, our sill step was in real-life conditions about 36 inches above the ballast too. It wasn't too bad, but people that weren't very strong had a tough time and several failed it.
Yeah isnt not bad now. People still fail but its because its a different position than most people have ever been in. They give them three attempts these days
@@KurtisCharlton Yeah with much of the current workforce entering the market having a less than stellar work ethic, and with just how terrible the RR treats folks, I guess they have to change it up! I hear they can't hardly beg for people to come to the hiring sessions, or if they do, they will get hired and just end up quitting before their training is even over. At least that's what I hear is taking place where I live. Due to the incompetence of management with this company, they are in big trouble in terms of future growth and development if they don't try to change their ways! Sure, they can falsely manipulate the stock prices with false speculations and phantom growth for a few years, but not RAILROADING is going to catch up to them! Getting trains over the road and cars to customers should be the top priority for efficient, productive business techniques, not trying to sell off all of the infrastructure and run insane train sizes with all that horribly inefficient DP nonsense! If they keep listening to ideas that manifest in the minds of a person that has never walked the ballast or tied a handbrake, they're destined to fail! Good luck in your career there, it is a rough lifestyle that will chew you up and spit you out for not that great of pay and benefits these days in terms of the overall job market. If a Railroad man was paid what a man was paid in the 50s to the 80s, your salary would be 200K easily! Oh yeah, and don't listen to the b.s. salaries many of your coworkers will tell you they're making, most of them are lying! Hell, payroll and the unions will make damn sure you do not get what you're entitled to! Oh yeah, keep in mind, that someone from the company will be scouring your social media and know everything you do, so conduct yourself accordingly if you don't want any waves!
@@AccuracySpeaks NS is going to have to do something to remain competitive. With CSX offering 100% pay day one and ns still at 75% for new hires that alone is enough to not go with NS. The pay was already more with CSX and they are still giving bonuses as well. The talent pool is going to shrink very quickly just on those factors alone. Never mind the normal drawbacks of the industry that come with the territory. NS is actually being outsold right now.
Ain't supposed to be riding tank cars. . But there again if that's what they tell you in school you got to do it once for the minions
@@AccuracySpeaks I am a lady truck driver age 44. I went through a couple interviews with the RR. I switched trucking companies and applied to a RR as a freight conductor when I was doing my job search. I am on the fence if I want to switch careers into RR. I wish there was a FB group I could discuss this with but I might get screened by the company there. The pay after training is supposed to be like 66k up to 75k first year gross but the pay is only 1k a week so not sure where the other $500 a week comes from or how accurate the reports are from indeed or the RR. Trying to make $1500 a week in trucking but it hard to get enough hours and freight to make decent checks especially with recession on the horizon. There is a lot of heart ache from railroaders and I don’t think they are just bitter over nothing. RR used to be excellent jobs but like most jobs doesn’t sound like earnings kept up with inflation.
Everybody scared of that hang test 😂
It's not the hang test people are afraid of. It's losing the opportunity on the first day of school. 99% of this is in their head but it doesn't make it any easier.
That's what they do play head games with you . that's no big thing riding on a side of a damn car. I refused to ride one to a coupling though
Can you please do a video on hand signals please sir
Will they give you the highball when you are up there?
What’s the make and model of that lantern you have there? I would love to replace my old Starlite 222 with a more modern rail lantern.
What should I bring with me?
How long is it per arm, I think in one response you said 2:30 per arm and another you said 1:30 per arm, I'm guessing there was a typo in of the responses or I just misread it.
Thanks I like all of your videos bro they're very direct and informative.
I subscribed!
1:30 per arm for NS with 30 seconds between switching arms. CSX is 2:30 each arm
@@KurtisCharlton thanks, you're the man! I knew I must've misread it. Just waiting on my background check to be completed and I'm scheduled to take my PE in a few days, then hopefully I'll be off to McDonough for training.
Thanks again!
This may be a silly question, but what happens if you drop the arm holding the lantern does that count against you?
@@travishaynes8853 it does. You’d be pulled down and you’d try again after everyone else is gone. Some people actually drop the lantern it self. There is a box of “hang test lanterns” for that reason. Most don’t even have batteries in them 👍🏻🚂
Is this a 5 minute hang test. Thank you for your help. Is there any other videos I can start to study before hand?
Shoot me a message on FB and I can get you a copy of the E Learning Materials
@@KurtisCharlton I'm gonna use my wife's Facebook. I don't have one. Lol.
@@KurtisCharlton haha. I joined. Where thr hell do I send a message on there? I feel old when on social media. I'm only 36.
@@chadurbanski3468 just messaged you, Shoot me your email address over there.
Thanks for the vids bro. Can you send me a copy of the E Leaning Materials? I start school 10/24
Do you have a definitive time per arm hang? Thank you for your time.
1:30 Per Arm while giving constant signals👍🏻
@@KurtisCharlton sounds good, thank you.
At any point, are you hanging using just one arm only; ie: with your legs dangling?
@@ididit1600 My gut tells me no because you have to maintain 3 points of contact and NS would never allow for anything dangling from a railcar, especially one’s limbs.
@@ididit1600 No, you are always required to maintain 3 points of contact. 2 feet one hand or two hands one foot(this is applicable when you are getting off of moving equipment
Hang test on the union Pacific my instructor told the big guy in our class to think of the railroad car as a hostess twinkie and he passed 😁😁😁👍🚂🚃🚃🚃
Hahaha...whatever works
He was being an arrogant bastard.
How long is the hang test
Does norfolk rent cars for guy going to training?
No they do not. They reimburse mileage to and from your home terminal and that payout doesn't come until you get home from training
This might be dumb but what's difficult about this? Like is it anything more than hanging off the ladder? I'm not trying to sound arrogant or anything but from how it sounds I'd think anyone could do it so long as they weren't seriously disabled?
It’s a grip issue. Often grab irons can be wet as well. Some conductors ride shoves for long distances and if you can’t maintain your grip you could fall a decent distance and more importantly get rolled under a car. There were 11 people that failed this test during my training class and I had to take it twice because I wore the wrong gloves and slipped during the last few seconds
@@KurtisCharlton what gloves would you recommend for the hang test?
@@Jiggy_Jayy the gloves they provide at training with your PPE👍🏻🚂
Well there goes my chances of being a conductor she told me over the phone it wouldnt be a problem but now that I’m hearing more i think I’m not going to pass the physical exam
What makes you say that? Unless your BMI is over 40 or you are colorblind you should be fine
@@KurtisCharlton bc I told her I have nerve damage in my left arm she told me it was fine and that she doesn’t see any problems of having it and that I should be fine but if I have nerve damage that mean the I won’t be able to do hang test
You will ride a car like this exactly once in your railroad career, and that is when you are tested in McDonough. The rest of the time you will not ride in the sill step, you'll stand on the ladder and wrap your elbow around a rung and ride in the most upright position you can, worst case and for the short shoves only. Most cars there are better ways to ride than to be hanging off the side of them. When you get out there and actually start doing the job you'll learn that the safest route is the one that allows you to be comfortable while riding exercises your common sense. Some cars just aren't designed to be ridden like most spine cars, lumber racks and auto racks. I'm surprised that requirement haven't been made to update the fleet of spine cars to the way most of the new pigs are being set up with the "terraced" bottom two steps and the tall grab irons, I can ride those all day long. If I have to ride a spine car for a long shove, my three points of contact are two ass cheaks on the walk board and a arm on the ladder, F#$k all that other noise.
A lot of guys in Conway ride, even lame ass spine cars everyday, which I think is insane. If you can't ride safely and comfortably walk that shit out. No reason to make your shift miserable and if your engineer start giving you shit....walk slower lol
Exactly Bryan
When I took this test for upr the place I went to had my literally hanging my feet not touching nothing just holding on with one hand and switching hands . I failed I think it was the clinics fault
Thats crazy! You would never ride a car like that. Why would they have you do that?
@@KurtisCharlton I honestly could not tell you . I tried telling the girl at Clinic where I was taking the test but she would not listen told recruiter to and I was to late they failed me on the PAT TEST .
Remember guys and gals, while doing your hang test, remember that most of your supervisor's, Trainmasters and Assistant Trainmasters can't do it out in the field. This test is BS anyhow, I've worked for NS for 27 years and never have I seen something so stupid, this test is so unnecessary. Nothing in the rule book tells you you have to ride the side of the car! Good luck!
Yep! When in doubt walk it out. Id rather put in a few extra steps then ride a spine car or worry about a rusty sill step.
That's exactly right, even if your riding and you get uncomfortable, tell the engineer to stop and get down and walk I'm sorry to anyone who has to go to McDonough, you learn more in the field in one week than you do down there. Common sense will carry you a long way, don't over think this job!
That's exactly right . the hang test is bullshit. I wouldn't dare ride on a side of a car to a couple ing and when the train masters asked why tell them its to freaking dangerous. Its really not that big a thing though hell you can stand on your head ten minutes unless you are terribly out of shape or obese you can hang on the side of a car for 5 minutes. Do it for them once while your there and you'll never have to do it again. Sometimes when you hang on cars and you go out of sight the engineer is required to stop unless you have radio comm. If you have that then why the damn lantern. They want you to fail . Don't give them the satisfaction.
I came all the way to McDonough and failed the hang test. People would be well advised to train themselves on this for a few weeks before they come down. Find some kind of ladder somewhere with skinny hand holds, because you’re going to be hanging by your fingers.
At my railroad we ride the side of the cars all the time, for probably an hour or two total on a 12 hour shift. And we ride shoves for upwards of a mile, and ride cars to couplings. And we ride on a lot of tank cars. It’s crazy seeing how different every railroad does things. ( we are a smaller railroad and are near the bottom on the rr pay scale)
Joshua woods
You can’t adjust your hand or fingers while hanging either. Not like the real job.
Yep.
That is the stupidest test I’ve ever heard of, who says i have to ride car, no one should ride, kick walk it alll
I agree but a pass/fail requirement for both NS and CSX. Not sure about BNSF, UP etc. Watched a lot of people go home during training this year despite getting 3 attempts to pass.
@@KurtisCharlton I had to do a physical test with a machine, so I totally get it lol
Everyone complaning about the hang test are whimps. It aint hard, if you cant do it you dont belong here .
Your ass failed it wtf are you talking about
Is this a 5 minute hang test. Thank you for your help. Is there any other videos I can start to study before hand?
Yes this is a 5 minute test. 2:30 on each arm while giving hand signals.
@@KurtisCharlton hey man. I did find 1 signal practice test online. It's only 15 questions tho. Is there other test or is that how many questions will be on it. I've already averaging 87 to 100 percent.
@@chadurbanski3468 There is a learning module for signals in the e-learning that ill send you and once you get to training they will give you a practice test to take over and over again based on the signal system you are assigned to in your part of the country. There are 3 different ones: N&W, NS, and CONRAIL