Pre-employment physical question.

I really want to start working for the railroad but I know that you need to take a color vision test in your physical. My question is, what color vision test do they usually do, the plate test with all the little dots or the lantern test with the lights. I am mildly colorblind, in that i cannot see certain shades of very light colors but as far as street lights I have no problems what so ever.

The dots, where you see a number in the circle, most likley. The kind at the doctors office bro.

do you know how many of those you would need to get right to pass? Kind of a wierd question I know, but I think that would be my only limitation and would suck if I took the physical and only got that wrong but could actually see the signals for the train lights. They only use the red, green, and yellow color lights right?

Dont know, id think %100??? I have dyslexia a bit, i remember i said something like 93 insted of 39 on one of the cards. Nurse kinda raised an eyebrow with a smile and a look like "SAY IT RIGHT, OR YOUR NOT GONNA PASS." Call a doctors office and find out, im sure they know.

thanks for answering my questions I have been worried about this for a while. I knew I was really mildly color blind but never thought about until I recently wanted to get a job with the railroad and foud out that this is a requirement.

Welcome

I also have another kind of stupid question. Do many workers get fingers crushed or cut off by train parts? Is this pretty common?

No, those days are long gone. A guy still could stick his hand where it doesnt belong, opening knuckles with the cars too close, get your hand crushed. Pretty safe place to work if you have a good head on your shoulders, there are some that dont.

seaward wrote:do you know how many of those you would need to get right to pass? Kind of a wierd question I know, but I think that would be my only limitation and would suck if I took the physical and only got that wrong but could actually see the signals for the train lights. They only use the red, green, and yellow color lights right?

Might be different for new hires, but our engineer's agreement includes a provision that if you can not pass a vision or hearing test, you can take a field test under actual conditions to determine your ability. You might be able to request same if you have trouble with initial tests. And it's red, green & amber, BTW.

The field test can not be used for initial hire, only for qualified people to keep qualified.
On initial hire on MNCR anyway a slide test was given and the colored dots test.

For me on the UP for the initial and the re-current they used the little spiral book with the colored dots to trace the line with your finger and say the number once you have looked at it.

I've yet to hear from any one including the old guys (30+ years) losing or crushing a finger/hand.

I haven't seen anyone lose a finger either. I have seen, though, two people coupled-up,(Oak Island & Englewood) three conductors run over by train. One lost "A" leg,(Tallulah, La,.) other two cut in half. (One LENGTHWISE, Croxton)). One conductor shoved into the side of a tractor trailer, at a crossing, and crushed to death.(North Bergen) A track forman, working on a bridge, rerailing cars, cut in half, by a cable that suddenly snapped. (Kingston)No fingers though...................

Heard about a female conductor that was riding the rear of the train as it was being backed into a building where they unload coal cars. She had the engineer pick up the speed a little because she couldn't hold on much longer. Before she could get the train to stop, she got squeezed between the car and the building. She is alive but don't know if she will be working again.

I had a low-back sprain 1yr ago (work comp) with current job, do you think this would be an issue with pre-employment physical/new hire app.

I am now at 100% with no work restrictions.

thanks,
brian