Railfanning & Radio Monitoring How to begin monitoring and spotting trains using radio A. Straatveit K3NHT
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 Railroads Google & 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 Box 14: :
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: MHz (Tail) 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 – BCP Channel – 5 Norfolk Southern MCP – BCP
ATCS Monitor
Online Resources ndex.htm ndex.htm
Some Frequencies Capitol Sub: Road: Disp: Old Main Sub: Road: Disp: Metro Sub: Road: Disp: Baltimore Term Sub: Road: Disp: Pope's Creek Sub: R&D: RFP Sub: Road: Disp:
A few more Frequencies Yards: Jessup Benning Amtrak NEC
Be safe and photograph every train! A. Straatveit K3NHT