[Scan-DC] Information about railroad radio system?

[John Pak]

Thanks!
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Daniel Brown 
  To: John Pak 
  Cc: Sean Hoyden ; Scan-DC at mailman.qth.net 
  Sent: Saturday, December 12, 2009 11:03 AM
  Subject: Re: [Scan-DC] Information about railroad radio system?



  Some RR's have multiple channels, actually. Check radio reference - regional pages have "area wide" frequencies which list RR's. Maryland and Delaware both have a pretty good list. There are also a couple of "live feed" type sites which will help fill your scanner banks. For example, see http://www.railroadradio.net/



  On Sat, Dec 12, 2009 at 10:06 AM, John Pak <pak.john1 at gmail.com> wrote:

    Thanks much!  So it sounds like each railroad gets its on frequency?

     ----- Original Message -----
     From: Sean Hoyden
     To: John Pak
     Cc: Scan-DC at mailman.qth.net
     Sent: Saturday, December 12, 2009 9:41 AM
     Subject: Re: [Scan-DC] Information about railroad radio system?


     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
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     Premiere Realty Group
     703.899.8893

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  http://www.brauhaus.org