These 30 practice questions show the kind of questions and explanations you get with PrepRaven. They cover all 9 abilities from the official notice (Exam No. 7603) for the NYC Subway Train Operator Exam, three or four for each ability, from easy to hard. Every question is original. None of them is a real exam question.
Use this free practice test to study for the MTA New York City Transit Train Operator exam (Exam 7603). Filing closed on July 28, 2026, and the notice says multiple-choice testing is expected to begin on Saturday, December 5, 2026. The questions are set where train operators work: stations, tunnels, yards, terminals and crew offices. Every line, station, rule, signal tag and name in them is made up for practice, so the answer always comes from what the question states, never from real subway rules.
The notice's examples for Spatial Orientation and Visualization mention reading a subway map and seeing the scene in the front window turned around in the rearview mirror. PrepRaven does not copy the subway map or draw street scenes. Our map questions use drawn street and building maps, and our picture questions use drawn rooms and wall racks that are turned or seen in a mirror. These are our own practice versions, and the real test may look different. A four-function calculator is allowed on the real test; the math questions here keep to that.
Written Comprehension
Understand written sentences and paragraphs, such as a bulletin about a service change.
Question 1 (easy)
Read the made-up operating bulletin, then answer the question.
Bulletin 118, Ashgrove Line. From Monday, November 9, through Friday, November 20, track crews will replace rail on the northbound local track between Wexley Street and Ondine Avenue. On those dates, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, when workers are on the track, northbound trains must not go faster than 10 miles per hour between the two stations. Outside those hours, the normal speed limit applies, but operators must sound the horn once when passing the work area. Flagging workers will wear orange vests and carry yellow flags. Report any worker who is too close to a moving train to the control desk at once.
According to the bulletin, what must a northbound operator do when passing the work area at 6:30 PM on November 12?
- A. Keep the speed at or below 10 miles per hour between the two stations
- B. Sound the horn once while passing the work area
- C. Stop and wait for a flagging worker to wave the train on
- D. Call the control desk to report that the work area is active
Show answer
Correct answer: B. November 12 falls within the work dates, but 6:30 PM is outside the 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM work hours, so the normal speed limit applies and the operator must sound the horn once. The 10 miles per hour limit holds only during the work hours.
Question 2 (medium)
Read the made-up general order, then answer the question.
General Order 14, door faults. If the door panel light shows that a door is not closed and locked, the operator must not move the train. The operator first tells the conductor, who checks the doors on the car named on the panel. If the conductor finds an object in the door, the conductor removes it, and the operator may move the train once the light shows all doors closed. If a door does not close after two tries, the conductor locks that door out of service and posts a "Door Out of Order" sign, and the operator tells the control desk the car number. A train with more than two doors locked out must go out of service at the next terminal.
On a train with no other door problems, Conductor Rafael Ortiz tries twice to close a stuck door on car 4412, and it still will not close.
According to the order, what happens next?
- A. The train goes out of service at the next terminal
- B. The conductor tries a third time to close the door
- C. The train waits in the station for a car inspector
- D. The door is locked out and signed, and the desk gets the car number
Show answer
Correct answer: D. After two failed tries, the order says the conductor locks the door out and posts a sign, and the operator tells the control desk the car number. The train goes out of service only when more than two doors are locked out, and this is the first one.
Question 3 (medium)
Read the made-up crew notice, then answer the question.
Crew Notice 9, reporting for duty. Train operators must sign in at the crew office at least 15 minutes before the start of their tour. An operator who expects to be late must call the crew office at least one hour before the start of the tour, so that a relief operator can be assigned. An operator who calls later than that, or does not call, may be marked absent for the full tour. An operator who arrives after the tour has started must not take a train until the crew dispatcher assigns one. Operators taking a medicine that can cause drowsiness must tell the crew dispatcher before signing in.
Train Operator Denise Oyelaran's tour starts at 5:30 AM. Her car will not start at 4:50 AM, and she calls the crew office at 4:55 AM to say she will be late.
Based on the notice, which statement is correct?
- A. She called after the one-hour deadline, so she may be marked absent for the tour.
- B. She called in time, because she called more than 30 minutes before her tour.
- C. She may take her usual train as soon as she arrives, as long as she signs in first.
- D. She must sign in at least 15 minutes after she arrives at the crew office.
Show answer
Correct answer: A. The deadline to call was one hour before 5:30 AM, which is 4:30 AM, so her 4:55 AM call was late and she may be marked absent. The notice says one hour, not 30 minutes, and a late operator must wait for the crew dispatcher to assign a train.
Question 4 (hard)
Read the made-up rule on red signals, then answer the question.
Rule 31, red signals. A train must stop before a red signal. If the signal stays red for 2 minutes, the operator calls the control desk and gives the signal number, and the desk may give permission to pass it. With permission, the operator moves at no more than 10 miles per hour to the next signal and must be ready to stop short of any train or object. If the radio does not work, the operator waits 5 minutes, sounds the horn twice and then moves on at no more than 10 miles per hour, but only if the signal post has a yellow tag. A signal with a black tag must never be passed without the desk's permission, even when the radio does not work.
Train Operator Lucia Ferreira stops at red signal K4-12, which has a black tag on its post. After 2 minutes, she finds that her radio does not work.
According to the rule, what should she do?
- A. Wait 5 minutes, sound the horn twice and then move on at no more than 10 miles per hour
- B. Move on at no more than 10 miles per hour, ready to stop short of any train or object
- C. Stay stopped at the signal, because it has a black tag and she has no permission
- D. Sound the horn twice and pass the signal at once, because her radio is not working
Show answer
Correct answer: C. A black-tag signal must never be passed without the desk's permission, even when the radio does not work, so she stays stopped. Waiting 5 minutes and sounding the horn is allowed only at a signal with a yellow tag.
Written Expression
Use English words and sentences so that others understand what you wrote, such as in an incident report.
Question 5 (easy)
Train Operator Samuel Brandt's facts: At 8:12 AM at Calloway Square Station, customer Thomas Avery told Operator Brandt that a man had dropped a backpack onto the northbound track. Operator Brandt did not see it happen.
Which sentence is the most complete, clear and correct for the incident report?
- A. At 8:12 AM, a man dropped a backpack onto the northbound track at Calloway Square Station.
- B. At 8:12 AM, customer Thomas Avery reported that a man had dropped a backpack onto the tracks.
- C. At 8:12 AM, customer Thomas Avery reported that a man had dropped a backpack onto the northbound track at Calloway Square Station.
- D. At 8:12 AM at Calloway Square Station, customer Thomas Avery reported a backpack on the northbound track, a man had dropped it there.
Show answer
Correct answer: C. The third sentence gives the time, the station, the track and who reported it, and it credits the event to Mr. Avery because the operator did not see it. The first states as fact something the operator did not see, the second leaves out the station and the track, and the fourth joins two sentences with only a comma.
Question 6 (medium)
Train Operator Hassan Malik's facts: At 3:40 PM, he saw a person in a red jacket walking on the northbound track about 200 feet south of Brisbee Road Station. He then stopped his train and called the control desk. The track power was turned off at 3:42 PM.
Which entry is the most complete, clear and correct for his report?
- A. At 3:40 PM, I saw a person in a red jacket walking on the northbound track about 200 feet south of Brisbee Road Station. I stopped my train and called the control desk, and the track power was turned off at 3:42 PM.
- B. At 3:40 PM, I stopped my train and called the control desk, and then I saw a person in a red jacket walking on the northbound track about 200 feet south of Brisbee Road Station. The track power was turned off at 3:42 PM.
- C. At 3:40 PM, I saw a person in a red jacket walking on the northbound track. I stopped my train and called the control desk, and the track power was turned off at 3:42 PM.
- D. At 3:40 PM, I saw a person in a red jacket walking on the northbound track about 200 feet south of Brisbee Road Station, I stopped my train and called the control desk, and the track power was turned off at 3:42 PM.
Show answer
Correct answer: A. The first entry gives every fact in the order it happened, in correct sentences. The second puts the stop before he saw the person, the third leaves out where the person was, and the fourth joins full sentences with commas.
Question 7 (hard)
Train Operator Gus Petrakis's facts: Time: 11:05 PM. Place: Ondine Avenue Station. What he was told: Conductor Maya Chen told him that customer Nathan Pruitt fell between the train and the platform while boarding car 5. Operator Petrakis did not see the fall.
Which sentence is the most complete, clear and correct for his report?
- A. While boarding car 5 at 11:05 PM, Conductor Chen told Operator Petrakis that customer Nathan Pruitt had fallen between the train and the platform at Ondine Avenue Station.
- B. At 11:05 PM at Ondine Avenue Station, Conductor Chen told Operator Petrakis that he had fallen between the train and the platform while boarding car 5.
- C. At 11:05 PM at Ondine Avenue Station, customer Nathan Pruitt fell between the train and the platform while boarding car 5.
- D. At 11:05 PM at Ondine Avenue Station, Conductor Chen told Operator Petrakis that customer Nathan Pruitt had fallen between the train and the platform while boarding car 5.
Show answer
Correct answer: D. The last sentence gives the time, the place, the customer's name and the car, and it says the information came from Conductor Chen. The first sentence says the conductor was boarding car 5, the second does not make clear who "he" is and the third states the fall as fact, although the operator did not see it.
Problem Sensitivity
Tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, such as an object on the track ahead.
Question 8 (easy)
Train Operator Keisha Morgan is bringing a southbound local train into Halvern Road Station at 10:40 PM. The platform lights are on, and about 20 customers are waiting. As her headlights light up the track ahead, she looks over the scene.
Which detail most clearly shows that something is wrong or likely to go wrong?
- A. Several customers at the far end of the platform are leaning out to look down the track toward her train.
- B. A metal shopping cart is lying on its side between the rails just past the end of the platform.
- C. The signal at the far end of the platform is green, and the signal after it is also green.
- D. A pigeon flies up off the rail and lands on a beam as the headlights reach the station.
Show answer
Correct answer: B. A shopping cart between the rails is an object on the track that the train could strike, so she must stop and report it. Customers leaning to look for a train are common and call for watching, not stopping, and two green signals and a pigeon are normal.
Question 9 (medium)
The stretch of track just south of Parrish Hill Station often holds some water after rain, and track crews have told operators that this is normal as long as the water stays below the tops of the wooden ties. After a night of heavy rain, Train Operator Victor Salas runs the first northbound train through the area at 5:15 AM.
Which detail he sees most clearly shows that something is wrong or likely to go wrong?
- A. Water is covering the ties and is rising toward the tops of the rails.
- B. There are puddles of water between the ties, as there are after most storms.
- C. Drops of water are falling from the tunnel roof onto the walkway beside the track.
- D. The tunnel air smells damp, and the walls look darker than they usually do.
Show answer
Correct answer: A. The crews said water is normal only while it stays below the tops of the ties, so water over the ties and rising is the warning sign. Puddles between the ties, drips and damp air are expected after heavy rain at this spot.
Question 10 (medium)
Train Operator Imani Brooks has run the same type of train on the same line for three years. On a dry, clear morning, she makes her usual trip with every seat on the train taken. She notices several things during the trip.
Which detail most clearly suggests that something is wrong with the train?
- A. The cab heater blows cool air for the first few minutes after she starts the train.
- B. The train is louder on the open, elevated track than it is in the tunnel.
- C. With every seat taken, the train takes a little longer to reach full speed.
- D. When she brakes at her usual spot, the train stops half a car length past the marker.
Show answer
Correct answer: D. On dry rails, braking at the usual spot should stop the train at the marker, so sliding half a car length past it points to a brake problem. A heavier load can slow the start a little, and a cool heater at first and extra noise outside the tunnel are normal.
Question 11 (hard)
A made-up bulletin says that track work on the southbound express track between Calloway Square and Brisbee Road ends at 5:00 AM each day. Before they leave, crews must remove all tools and materials from the track, but they may store materials on the walkway beside the track.
At 5:40 AM, Train Operator Andre Whitfield runs the first southbound express train through the work area.
Which detail he sees is most likely a sign of trouble ahead?
- A. Bundles of new wooden ties are stacked on the walkway beside the track.
- B. The end of a long steel bar on the walkway sticks out over the rail past the curve.
- C. A section of new rail looks shinier than the older rail on each side of it.
- D. Orange cones are stacked on the walkway at the far end of the station platform.
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Materials may be stored on the walkway, but a bar that sticks out over the rail is in the train's path and could strike the train. Ties and cones on the walkway follow the bulletin, and new rail is expected to look shinier after the work.
Deductive Reasoning
Apply a stated rule to a specific case and pick the logical action, such as a rule for leaving a terminal.
Question 12 (easy)
Made-up rule for Fenwick Yard: A train operator may move a train in the yard only after the yard tower gives permission by radio, and the train must not go faster than 5 miles per hour. At any switch marked with a red flag, the operator must stop and wait for a yard worker to set the switch.
At 2:15 AM, four operators move trains in the yard.
Which operator follows the rule?
- A. Operator Lopez has radio permission and moves at 8 miles per hour to make up lost time.
- B. Operator Hughes moves at 4 miles per hour after a yard worker waves her on, before the tower answers.
- C. Operator Tanaka has radio permission, goes 4 miles per hour and waits at a red flag for a yard worker.
- D. Operator Brennan has radio permission, moves at 5 miles per hour and slowly passes a red-flagged switch.
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Operator Tanaka has the tower's permission, stays under 5 miles per hour and waits at the red flag, which meets every part of the rule. Operator Brennan's speed is allowed, but passing a red-flagged switch without waiting is not, and the other two lack the speed limit or the tower's permission.
Question 13 (easy)
Made-up cab rule for the Ashgrove Line: Besides the train operator, only two kinds of people may ride in the operator's cab: a supervisor who shows a photo ID, or an employee who shows a written cab pass for that day. Customers may never ride in the cab, even on a crowded train. Train Operator Colleen Doyle is about to leave Wexley Street.
Who may ride in her cab?
- A. A train supervisor who shows her his photo ID
- B. A customer who feels faint and asks to sit away from the crowd
- C. A track worker in uniform who says his foreman approved the ride
- D. A new conductor who wants to learn the line but has no written pass
Show answer
Correct answer: A. A supervisor who shows a photo ID is one of the two kinds of riders the rule allows. A customer may never ride in the cab, and the track worker and the new conductor have no written cab pass.
Question 14 (medium)
Made-up rule on the Kestrel Line: At a transfer station, an operator may hold the train up to 1 minute past its departure time so that customers from a connecting train can board, unless the control desk has told the operator to keep moving. A hold longer than 1 minute, or a hold at a station that is not a transfer station, needs the desk's permission. Calloway Square, Ondine Avenue and Tarrant Plaza are transfer stations, and Halvern Road is not. Train Operator Rashid Karimi has no permission from the desk today.
Which hold is allowed by the rule?
- A. A 1-minute hold at Ondine Avenue after the desk told him to keep his train moving
- B. A 45-second hold at Calloway Square for customers coming from a connecting train
- C. A 50-second hold at Halvern Road for customers running down the stairs from the street
- D. A 2-minute hold at Tarrant Plaza for customers coming from a connecting train
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Calloway Square is a transfer station, the hold is under 1 minute and the desk has not said to keep moving, so it is allowed. The Ondine Avenue hold breaks the desk's order, Halvern Road is not a transfer station and 2 minutes is longer than 1 minute without permission.
Question 15 (hard)
Made-up rule for taking a train out of service: A train must leave service at the next terminal if two or more doors are locked out, if the heat or air-conditioning has failed in two or more cars, or if the public address system cannot be heard in any car. Exception: if the public address fails in only one car and the failure begins between 12:00 midnight and 5:00 AM, the train may finish its trip as long as the conductor walks through that car to make the announcements. Each time below is when the problem begins.
Which train must leave service at the next terminal?
- A. At 2:10 AM, the public address fails in one car, the conductor walks through it to announce, and one door is locked out.
- B. At 7:40 PM, the air-conditioning fails in one car, and one door in another car is locked out.
- C. At 4:30 AM, the public address fails in car 3, the conductor announces in that car, and the heat fails in car 6.
- D. At 11:50 PM, the public address fails in one car, and the conductor walks through that car to announce.
Show answer
Correct answer: D. The exception covers only public address failures that begin between 12:00 midnight and 5:00 AM, so a failure at 11:50 PM, ten minutes before midnight, sends the train out of service even though the conductor makes the announcements. Each of the other trains has at most one locked door, one failed heat or air-conditioning unit, or a public address failure covered by the exception.
Information Ordering
Follow a given rule or set of steps in the correct order, such as the steps of a pre-trip inspection of a train.
Question 16 (easy)
Made-up pre-trip check for a train in the yard, done in this order:
- (1)Walk around the outside of the train and look for loose or hanging parts.
- (2)Enter the cab and turn on the battery switch.
- (3)Test the headlights and the horn.
- (4)Make a brake test.
- (5)Tell the yard tower that the train is ready.
At the start of her tour, Train Operator Nora Feld walks around her train, enters the cab and turns on the battery switch.
What should she do next?
- A. Test the headlights and the horn
- B. Make a brake test
- C. Tell the yard tower that the train is ready
- D. Look under the cars for loose or hanging parts
Show answer
Correct answer: A. She has done Steps 1 and 2, so Step 3, testing the headlights and the horn, comes next. The brake test is Step 4, the call to the tower is Step 5 and the walk-around for loose parts is already done.
Question 17 (medium)
Made-up procedure when a customer pulls an emergency brake cord between stations, done in this order:
- (1)Bring the train to a full stop.
- (2)Tell the control desk where the train is.
- (3)Announce that customers should stay calm and stay inside the train.
- (4)Have the conductor find the car where the cord was pulled and learn why.
- (5)Reset the brake when the desk gives permission.
If you learn that a customer is sick or hurt, ask the desk for medical help right away, then go on with the next step.
Train Operator Tyrone Ellison has stopped his train between Brisbee Road and Tarrant Plaza and told the control desk where it is. A customer knocks on the cab door and says that a woman in car 3 has fainted.
What should he do next?
- A. Announce that customers should stay calm and stay inside the train
- B. Have the conductor go to car 3 to learn why the cord was pulled
- C. Ask the control desk to send medical help to the train
- D. Reset the brake and move the train on to Tarrant Plaza
Show answer
Correct answer: C. He has just learned that a customer is sick, and the procedure says to ask for medical help right away before going on. The announcement is the next numbered step, but the medical request comes first, and resetting the brake needs the desk's permission at Step 5.
Question 18 (hard)
Made-up rule for the car defect sheet at Fenwick Yard: List cars with a brake defect first, then cars with a door defect, then cars with any other defect. Within each group, list the cars from the lowest car number to the highest. A car with both a brake defect and a door defect is listed only once, in the brake group. Tonight's defects are listed below.
Car 6120: door will not close
Car 6215: brake slow to release
Car 5874: horn weak
Car 6031: brake slow to release
Car 5902: door will not close and brake slow to release
Car 5987: door opens slowly
Which car is listed third on the defect sheet?
- A. Car 5902
- B. Car 6215
- C. Car 5987
- D. Car 6031
Show answer
Correct answer: B. The brake group comes first, from the lowest number to the highest: 5902 (it has both defects, so it goes in the brake group), then 6031, then 6215, which makes Car 6215 third. Putting Car 5902 in the door group would make it third by mistake, and Car 5987 would be third only if the groups were ignored.
Spatial Orientation
Tell where you are in relation to a place, or where a place is in relation to you. The real notice describes reading a subway map; our practice uses our own drawn grid maps, not the real subway map.
Question 19 (easy)
Use the map. The gray squares are streets, and north is at the top. The map shows a made-up neighborhood around two stations. Train Operator Paul Haddad parks at the Bus Depot before his tour and walks to the Crew Office to sign in.
In which direction is the Crew Office from the Bus Depot?
- A. East
- B. North
- C. Northwest
- D. Northeast
Show answer
Correct answer: D. The Crew Office is in the top row on the right, and the Bus Depot is in the bottom row on the left, so the Crew Office is up and to the right: northeast. It is not level with the Bus Depot, which rules out east, and it is to the right, not straight up or to the left.
Question 20 (medium)
Use the map. The gray squares are hallways, and north is at the top. Train Operator Grace Nakamura is at the Tower Stairs in a made-up crew building, and her supervisor says she may pick up her radio at any of four rooms.
Walking only on gray hallway squares, which of these rooms can she reach by walking through the fewest hallway squares?
- A. Crew Room
- B. Dispatcher
- C. Supply Room
- D. Washroom
Show answer
Correct answer: B. She walks 3 hallway squares east along the lower hallway to the Dispatcher's south side. The Crew Room looks close because it is straight north, but First Aid blocks the way, so that walk takes 6 squares, the same as the Washroom, and the Supply Room takes 5.
Question 21 (hard)
Use the map. The gray squares are streets, and the arrows show one-way streets. Before her tour, Train Operator Rosa Castellanos stops at the Pharmacy and then drives to the Yard Gate to park. Driving only on gray squares and obeying the one-way arrows, she takes the shortest legal route. Count every street square on the route, including the first one next to the Pharmacy and the last one next to the Yard Gate.
How many street squares does she drive on?
- A. 6
- B. 8
- C. 9
- D. 10
Show answer
Correct answer: C. The two arrows on the street between the School and the Warehouse point south, so she cannot drive north on that street. She drives west to the street beside the Park, north to the top street and east to the Yard Gate: 9 squares, while 6 is the blocked route north beside the Warehouse.
Number Facility
Add, subtract, multiply and divide quickly and correctly, such as track-marker math to find your location. A four-function calculator is allowed on the real test.
Question 22 (easy)
On the made-up Ashgrove Line, Train Operator Bianca Russo's train leaves Wexley Street at 7:48 AM. The running times to the next four stations are 3 minutes, 4 minutes, 2 minutes and 5 minutes, and these times include the stops.
At what time does the train reach the fourth station?
- A. 8:02 AM
- B. 7:57 AM
- C. 8:12 AM
- D. 8:01 AM
Show answer
Correct answer: A. 3 + 4 + 2 + 5 = 14 minutes, and 7:48 AM plus 14 minutes is 8:02 AM. The answer 7:57 AM leaves out the last 5 minutes, and 8:12 AM and 8:01 AM come from slips when the time passes the hour.
Question 23 (medium)
On the made-up Kestrel Line, track markers stand every 100 feet, and their numbers go up by 1 going north. Train Operator Darnell Hayes is stopped beside marker 1,268 on the northbound track. The control desk tells him that a stalled train is beside marker 1,315 on the same track.
How many feet north of him is the stalled train?
- A. 470 feet
- B. 4,700 feet
- C. 4,300 feet
- D. 5,300 feet
Show answer
Correct answer: B. 1,315 - 1,268 = 47 markers, and 47 x 100 = 4,700 feet. The answer 470 multiplies by 10 instead of 100, and 5,300 and 4,300 come from slips in the subtraction.
Question 24 (hard)
On the made-up Ashgrove Line, each track marker shows its distance in feet from the start of the line, and the numbers go up in the direction Train Operator Priya Raman is moving. The front of her 10-car train is at marker 18,450, and each car is 60 feet long. She must keep moving until the rear of the train reaches marker 19,020, where a signal stands.
How many feet must the front of the train move?
- A. 570 feet
- B. 1,770 feet
- C. 1,110 feet
- D. 1,170 feet
Show answer
Correct answer: D. The train is 10 x 60 = 600 feet long, so its rear is at 18,450 - 600 = 17,850, and 19,020 - 17,850 = 1,170 feet. The answer 570 is how far the front alone is from the signal, and 1,110 uses nine car lengths instead of ten.
Visualization
Imagine how something looks after it is turned, flipped or unfolded. The real notice describes pictures, such as a scene seen in the front window and then rotated in the rearview mirror; our practice uses our own drawn layouts that are turned or mirrored.
Question 25 (easy)
Train Operator Sofia Lindqvist goes into the crew room at the start of her tour. The drawing shows the room from above, with north at the top. She comes in through the West Door, so she faces east.
From where she stands, which item is in the far left corner of the room?
- A. Coffee Maker
- B. First Aid Kit
- C. Lockers
- D. Sign-in Desk
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Facing east, her left hand points north and the far wall is the east wall, so the far left corner is the northeast corner, where the Lockers are. Picking the Coffee Maker comes from reading the drawing as if she faced north, and the First Aid Kit is in her far right corner.
Question 26 (medium)
The key rack in the crew office hangs on the wall, and the drawing shows it as you face it. A yard worker trades the places of the Gate Key and the Cab Key. Train Operator Marcus Webb then looks at the key rack in a mirror on the opposite wall, and a mirror shows left and right reversed.
In the mirror, where does the Gate Key appear?
- A. Bottom left
- B. Bottom right
- C. Top right
- D. Top left
Show answer
Correct answer: A. After the trade, the Gate Key hangs at the bottom right, and the mirror reverses left and right, so it appears at the bottom left. Bottom right forgets the mirror, and top right forgets the trade.
Question 27 (hard)
The drawing marked Original shows a made-up yard tower room from above. Train Operator Elena Vasquez must pick the plan that shows the same room only turned, with nothing moved and nothing flipped. Each of the other plans shows a mirror image or has two items traded.
Which plan shows the same room, only turned?
- A. Plan A
- B. Plan B
- C. Plan C
- D. Plan D
Show answer
Correct answer: C. A quarter turn counterclockwise puts the Radio at the top left, the Desk standing upright in the middle of the top two rows, the Chair at the top right and the Map Board lying along the bottom right, which matches Plan C. Plans A and D are mirror images, and Plan B is turned but has the Radio and the Chair traded.
Customer Service
Give passengers information in a professional and courteous way, such as directions to a location.
Question 28 (medium)
Train Operator Jerome Pratt's train is stopped at Ondine Avenue Station, waiting for a signal, and a made-up line rule lets him answer a short question through the cab window while stopped. A customer with a suitcase asks how to get to Brisbee Road. Brisbee Road is on the Kestrel Line, and the nearest place to change to that line is Calloway Square, two stops ahead on this train.
Which reply is the most helpful and professional?
- A. Brisbee Road is on the Kestrel Line. The map inside the car shows where you can change.
- B. Stay on for two stops to Calloway Square, and change there to the Kestrel Line.
- C. I'm not allowed to give directions from the cab, but the station agent upstairs can help.
- D. Ride to Calloway Square and ask a station agent there which train goes to Brisbee Road.
Show answer
Correct answer: B. The second reply gives the full route in a few words: where to ride, where to change and which line to take. Pointing to the car map leaves the customer to work out the change, and the rule does let him give short directions.
Question 29 (medium)
Train Operator Aisha Rahman's train stops between Halvern Road and Parrish Hill because of a signal problem ahead. The control desk tells her the train should move in about 5 minutes. A made-up line rule says that after any unplanned stop, the crew must tell customers the reason if it is known, how long the wait may be and what they should do.
Which announcement best follows the rule in a professional and courteous way?
- A. Ladies and gentlemen, we are delayed. We will be moving shortly. Thank you for your patience.
- B. We are stopped because of a signal problem ahead. Please stay calm, and please do not pull the emergency cord.
- C. We are stopped because of a signal problem. I do not know how long it will take, so please be patient.
- D. We are held for a signal problem ahead and expect to move in about 5 minutes. Please stay on the train.
Show answer
Correct answer: D. The last announcement gives the reason, the expected wait and what to do, as the rule requires, in a calm and polite way. The second gives no wait time, and the third says the wait is unknown, although the desk gave an estimate.
Question 30 (easy)
At Larchmere Terminal, Train Operator Kevin O'Brien is waiting to start his next trip when an older man at the cab window asks whether this train goes to Parrish Hill. It does not. Parrish Hill is on the Kestrel Line, which leaves from the other side of this same platform.
Which reply is the most helpful and courteous?
- A. No, sir. Take the Kestrel Line train across the platform to Parrish Hill.
- B. No, this train does not go there. Please check the map on the wall.
- C. You will need to ask the station agent upstairs, sir. I only operate the train.
- D. Yes, stay on board, and the conductor will tell you where to change.
Show answer
Correct answer: A. The first reply answers his question politely and tells him exactly which train to take and where to find it. Sending him to the map or to the station agent leaves him without the answer the operator already knows, and the last reply is wrong.
What these questions are, and are not
The official notice lists the abilities the test may cover. It does not publish the number of questions, the time limit or how many questions cover each ability, and it does not publish sample questions. These questions practice the listed abilities in subway train operator settings (stations, tunnels, yards, crew offices and cabs), with made-up lines, stations, names and rules. They are not copies of the real test, and the real test may look different.
Frequently asked questions
What is on the Train Operator test?
A multiple-choice test that may be given at a computer or on paper. Notice 7603 lists nine abilities: Written Comprehension, Written Expression, Problem Sensitivity, Deductive Reasoning, Information Ordering, Spatial Orientation, Number Facility, Visualization and Customer Service. See the 9 abilities, explained.
When is the 2026 Train Operator exam?
Filing for Exam 7603 ran from July 1 to July 28, 2026, and is closed. The notice says multiple-choice testing is expected to begin on Saturday, December 5, 2026, and the Admission Letter appears on your OASys Dashboard 14 days before testing begins. Details are in how the exam works.
How many questions are on the real exam, and how long is it?
Notice 7603 does not say. It publishes no question count, no time limit and no number of questions per ability. A past Train Operator form, Exam 4605 in May 2024, had 60 four-choice questions, according to its proposed answer key.
Can I use a calculator?
Yes. Notice 7603 allows a hand-held, battery or solar calculator with four functions only (add, subtract, multiply and divide).
Is memorization on the test?
No. Some older pages say the Train Operator test covers memorization, but Notice 7603 lists no Memorization ability and no Inductive Reasoning. Study the nine abilities the notice lists.
Are the map and picture questions like the real ones?
Not necessarily. The notice does not show what its subway map or picture questions look like. Ours are our own practice versions: drawn street and building maps, and drawn rooms and racks that are turned or seen in a mirror.
What score do I need to pass?
70%. Passing puts you on the eligible list, and your score sets your place on it. You must also meet the license, diploma and work experience rules; see how to become a train operator.
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More free guides: how the exam works, the 9 abilities, explained, how to become a train operator and salary.
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Last updated October 2026