AMDG? IS THE COMPANY LEGIT?

HI ALL I DESPERATELY NEED YOUR GUYS HELP PLEASE.
IM NEW HERE. IS THE COMPANY AMDG LEGIT AND
I WENT OT ONE OF THEIR CLASSES AND GOT A ACCEPTENCE LETTER BEFORE MY APPLICATION WAS SUMMITTED ONLINE.THERES A PROBLEM WITH THEIR SERVER THEY SAID. AND WHATS WORRYING ME IS THE COURSE IS 4450 DOLLARS I TOOK A READING COMPREHENSION AND A PERSONALITY TEST AND THEY SAID I HAVE THE GOODS TO PASS THE CLASS IS THAT RIGHT. MY MATH IS SHAKY THATS MY ONLY WORRY AND
IS THE PASSING RSATE REALLY IN THE 90'S.

ONE MORE QUESTION AND IF THIS IS LEGIT I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT
GETTING THE LOAN MY CREDIT SCORE IS ABOUT 460. THE SEABOARD CREDIT UNION IM ABOUT TO APPLY TODAY WILL I HAVE A PROBLEM GETTING FINANCED PLEAESE HELP THANKS RESPECTIVELY JOHN

AMDG has been around for quite awhile. No clue as to the number of graduates. "Legit" can mean many different things; not exactly sure what info you're seeking.

David Telesha wrote:You might want to turn off your caps lock key.

Also lets keep this about AMDG please - credit scores, banks and stuff aren't railroad related.

BTW, is this a railroad school??

Yes, AMDG offers conductor training courses.

AMDG is a private training "college" run out of atlanta by religious fundamentalists, which specializes in filling the ranks of newhire conductors for CSX & other railroads. the five week training course is of negligible/inconsistant quality and will cost you six or seven thousand dollors with room & board. but you will almost certainly get a job.

the bulk of the instructors are retired trainmen & engineers who don't seem to have a firm grasp on what the reality is like for railroad workers in the 21st century.

the coursework involves cramming for rules & signals multiple-choice tests, and watching videos. everyone passes the tests. you might spend a day or two climbing on boxcars, learning how to throw a switch & change out a knuckle, etc.

unfortunately, you won't learn how to railroad until you are marked up & doing it every day for 6-12 hellish months. it's not something anyone could teach you in a classroom. probably about half of all AMDG grads quit within two years, disillusioned & bitter.

but if you're tenacious or desperate enough & have the bread, give it a shot. just keep in mind it's a basically a scam & you'll be fed a lot misinformation. becuase in addition to the money you pay, the railroad pays AMDG for every warm body they send down the pipeline, regardless of whether or not they're physically or tempermentally fit to do the work.

It's legit. I'm in it now. This is my first week. CSX hired them to do pre-screening and teach the basics. AMDG DOES NOT guarantee you a job with CSX, only an interview. This is the main reason I have not quit my current job.

It is very intense. Not hard so far, but alot of information to absorb. So far I've only had the daily quizes, and I am mantianing about a 96 average.

Our class went to Selkirk for the first time yesterday. I can tell they don't like the trainees, or CSX for that matter. Our mentor was good. He kept saying how hard the airhoses were to couple in the winter, did a great job showing me how to install the EOT, and called Selkirk "the last strong hold". From the sound of things, Selkirk badly needs people. I'll be based in Selkirk when I get back from Atlanta, so I hope these guys are going to be willing to teach me when I get back.

Based on the trip to Selkirk, I can tell I'll be coupling the airhoses in the yard for a long time!

I agree with thirdtrick on some points. You are not really going to learn anything at the school. Your knowledge will come from the old heads that have been on the job for years. I was at Selkirk for one day and I can see that. Our mentor was saying "we don't do it like that here" and such. Sometimes you can tell even the instructors of the class are like WTF is this?! You can see that they are glad they are retired.

I think the instructors know what railroading is really like, but aren't getting down to the nitty-gritty, for some reason. I can see how some might become bitter, thinking that once you go to the school, you are the top dog.

If you think like this, you WILL quit within two years.

I see it like most jobs. When you are new, you will be treated like the lowest of the low. I expect this to be at least 2 years at Selkirk. I'll be doing the jobs that no one else wants to do.

However, the money is there, and I am willing to deal with this.

My only hope is that the old heads will show me how to do the job right, without getting myself killed.

DJ wrote:AMDG DOES NOT guarantee you a job with CSX, only an interview.

Basically as long as you pass the course, drug test, and physical.....and do not lie about anything on your applications with CSXT, you're hired.

Basically you are paying AMDG for a spot at the bottom of the seniority roster.

DJ wrote:Based on the trip to Selkirk, I can tell I'll be coupling the airhoses in the yard for a long time!

No you won't.

If you end up coupling alot of hoses, that means you're doing somebody else's job.

For example if you are on a train orignating there, you'll only lace the hose between the engine and the head car, plus one more if you have to pick-up another track. Otherwise the car dept. laces all hoses before they do their inspection of the train (which is way before the crew is called).

If you have an "add-on" engine.....you don't do anything, that's the job of "The Flying Squad".

If you're working a yard job, you don't need to lace any hoses because not using air.

DJ wrote:I'll be doing the jobs that no one else wants to do.

Like the Worcester Pools, or the River-Line to Jersey

DJ wrote:My only hope is that the old heads will show me how to do the job right, without getting myself killed.

Actually, from what I've heard from alot of the Sekirk guys lately, it's the newbies you have to be careful of. Many of them don't know their way around the yard, even though they are "qualified".

Thanks for the correction, CSX Conductor. I thought the conductor trainees did this.

If you don't mind, I'd like to ask what my duites in the yard would be. I'm not being to be a wise guy.

I think what I'm really asking is what can I expect as a trainee at Selkirk?

I can see what you're saying about us newbees. I can see how I might mess things up for the guys that know what they're doing.

Yesterday at Selkirk was a real eye-opener for me, and we did'nt really do that much. I felt like an idiot out there. The mentors said I did good, but I could feel that I need alot of work. Granted it was the first time I had ever done anything like this, but still.

No way 2 weeks in Atlanta is going to teach me everything I need to know.

However, the money is there, and I am willing to deal with this.

My only hope is that the old heads will show me how to do the job right, without getting myself killed.

key points- work safe, take your time, try not to tear up the yard or kill anyone, and before you know it you'll have a good job with great benefits & terrible hours. most old heads are sweethearts underneath.[/quote]

There's no crime against being new. You'll run into guys who were evidently born in a locomotive cab or on a switching lead. Ask a lot of questions and trust your gut. If something doesn't feel right, STOP. You'll be fine. I'm coming on my first year and sometimes I still feel like that deer in the headlights, but I'm confident that I'm not going to get anyone hurt.

DJ wrote:No way 2 weeks in Atlanta is going to teach me everything I need to know.

Atlanta is mainly to get you acquainted with moving equipment, I believe. I can't speak from experience because we went to Cleveland for our one week.

SteelWheels21 wrote: If something doesn't feel right, STOP.

Very true, good advice.

DJ wrote:If you don't mind, I'd like to ask what my duites in the yard would be. .......I think what I'm really asking is what can I expect as a trainee at Selkirk?

Yard duties depend on which assignment.

On the hump, the foreman stands there and pulls pins. (Very boring)

On the East End Pullers (a.k.a. buck-jobs) you'll basically pull tracks out of the class yard and double them up for outbound trains.

Over the Top End you'll probably work spotting auto racks.

FYI: Yard jobs go alot higher seniority-wise, that's why I posted earlier that you'll probably be working either Selkirk South (the River-Line to Jersey) or Selkirk East (the B&A to either Worcester, Framingham or Boston).