Railfanning & Radio MonitoringHow to begin monitoring and spotting trains using radio
A. StraatveitK3NHT
Getting Started
The local railroads Railmaps
Finding railfan spots
Finding railfans
Tuning in
Listening Freight Timetables & Schedules
Passenger Railroads
Waiting...
What can be heard?
Data Channels
EOT Device
ATCS Monitor
Online Resources
Questions?
The Local RailroadsGoogle & Bing Maps
North American Railroad Map
Finding Railfan Spots
Finding Railfans
Where: Museums Railfan Groups Rail Modelers Train Shows Historical Societies Volunteer Railroads By The Tracks
Local Examples: National Railroad
Historical Society Riverdale Park Railfans Baltimore Streetcar
Musuem Walkersville Southern
Railroad Pope's Creek Railfan
Group RF&P Historical Society
Tuning In (Voice)
Current AAR Channels 12.5/6.25 kHz Spacing Local Railroads
CSX Norfolk Southern (NS) Amtrak MARC VRE DC Metro
Listening: Freight
Defect Detector Channels Box14: 160.32008: 160.230
Listening: Passenger Railroads
Metrorail Constant Communications
Amtrak, MARC, VRE Use road channels of track owners
RadioReference.com Database search
Waiting...
What can be heard?
Engineers & Crew
Signal Calls Dispatchers Train
Numbers Defect
Detectors
Data Channels
EOT (End Of Train) Device No more caboose Little red box
ATCS (Signaling) Monitor
EOT (End Of Train) Device
What is the EOT? What do you hear? How Can I use EOT
Data? Frequencies:
457.9375 MHz (Tail) 452.9375 MHz (Head)
ATCS Monitor
Realtime updates of train locations
Interactive “dispatcher” view
Web interactive data Receiver updates (Icom
R1500) EOT Monitoring Possible 1+ Hour lead time on
trains Only works in certain
areas
800 MHz & 900 MHz Channel – 2
CSX MCP – 896.9375 BCP - 935.9375
Channel – 5 Norfolk Southern MCP – 897.9375 BCP - 936.9375
ATCS Monitor
Online Resources
http://www.on-track-on-line.com/ http://
www.modernrailroading.com/DigitalLibrary/CSX/index.htm
http://www.atcsmon.com/ http://www.railroadmap.com/ http://maps.bing.com http://maps.google.com http://www.dpdproductions.com http://thesquirrelconspiracy.com http://youtube.com/fedoramentok/
Some Frequencies
Capitol Sub: Road: 160.230 Disp: 160.320
Old Main Sub: Road: 160.230 Disp: 160.320
Metro Sub: Road: 160.230 Disp: 160.320
Baltimore Term Sub: Road: 160.230 Disp: 161.100
Pope's Creek Sub: R&D: 161.070
RFP Sub: Road: 161.550 Disp: 160.410
A few more Frequencies
Yards: Jessup 161.490 Benning 160.800
Amtrak NEC 160.920