1. Railfanning & Radio Monitoring How to begin monitoring and spotting trains using radio A. Straatveit K3NHT

2. 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?

3. The Local Railroads Google & Bing Maps

4. North American Railroad Map

5. Finding Railfan Spots

6. 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

7. Tuning In (Voice) Current AAR Channels 12.5/6.25 kHz Spacing Local Railroads CSX Norfolk Southern (NS) Amtrak MARC VRE DC Metro

8. Listening: Freight Defect Detector Channels Box 14: 160.320 08: 160.230

9. Listening: Passenger Railroads Metrorail Constant Communications Amtrak, MARC, VRE Use road channels of track owners RadioReference.com Database search

10. Waiting...

11. What can be heard? Engineers & Crew Signal Calls Dispatchers Train Numbers Defect Detectors

12. Data Channels EOT (End Of Train) Device No more caboose Little red box ATCS (Signaling) Monitor

13. 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)

14. 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

15. ATCS Monitor

16. Online Resources http://www.on-track-on-line.com/ http://www.modernrailroading.com/DigitalLibrary/CSX/i ndex.htm http://www.modernrailroading.com/DigitalLibrary/CSX/i ndex.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/

17. 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

18. A few more Frequencies Yards: Jessup161.490 Benning160.800 Amtrak NEC160.920

19. Be safe and photograph every train! andrew@thesquirrelconspiracy.com A. Straatveit K3NHT