[Scan-DC] Information about railroad radio system?

[Sean Hoyden]

I don't know what the CTAC acronym stands for, but that's the dispatching
(traffic control) center in Wilmington, Delaware.  Anything that happens on
the Northeast Corridor between DC and Boston has to be cleared through the
CTAC first.

Not sure that there's really a comprehensive source for information about
railroad radio observation, but I'd recommend trying to get a hold of the
books by Thomas White, The Art of Train Dispatching and The Elements of
Train Dispatching, titles might be a litter different, my copies are in a
box somewhere in my basement, it was required reading while I was training
to be a rail traffic controller (aka dispatcher) myself.

As far as listening to other railroad frequencies. . . the others that most
immediately come to mind are:

AAR Channels 8, 14, and 94 - CSX Road/Dispatcher Channels for everything in
Maryland and Pennsylvania (less the ex CONRAIL territories)

Channel 96 covers the RF&P between Richmond and DC.

56 and 72 cover the Norfolk Southern in most of the local area, 56 being the
former SOUTHERN road channel and 72 belonging to the N&W which is active
mostly out West in the Shenandoah Valley and up into Western Maryland and
West Virginia.

Unfortunately, I'm a bit short for time (have a meeting to attend) so I
can't go through the entire list of frequencies I have for the immediate
area.  You can look up the AAR Channels here
http://www.qsl.net/n4jri/aar_ch.htm

You might also try looking up http:www.railroadradio.net for online streams.


Regards,
Sean

On Sat, Dec 12, 2009 at 6:37 AM, John Pak <pak.john1 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I have started to listen to more railroad radio trafic.  Can any one tell
> me a good comprehensive source that explains how railroads radio systems
> works?  Basically I am looking for railroad radio listening 101.
>  Forexample, I have been listening to 160.9200 which I understand is the
> mtrack road for this area.  What does ctac mean?  Where is ctac?  Thanks for
> any help.
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-- 




Sean Hoyden
Sales Agent
Premiere Realty Group
703.899.8893

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