[Scan-DC] Railroad Communications Conflict

[Andrew Clegg]

Way cool. I'm going to program FRED and AAR channels into my scanner.  
I drive the entire length of 66 on a regular basis and there are  
tracks that parallel it most if the way.


On Dec 24, 2009, at 15:51, "b_thom at juno.com" <b_thom at juno.com> wrote:

> I'm not sure this means much to those of you who enjoy listening to  
> trains on a scanner. If the information is transmitted, then it is  
> accessible to someone, however. Even on mechanically-controlled  
> airbrake systems, FREDs* (flashing rear-end devices), mounted on  
> couplers, send information on brake line pressure up to the front of  
> the train. Someone might get something from this.
>
> http://www.smartpdf.com/register/2009/Nov/30/E9-28482.pdf
>
> DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
> Federal Railroad Administration
> Petition for Waiver of Compliance
>
> In accordance with Part 211 of Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations  
> (CFR), notice is hereby given that the Federal Railroad  
> Administration (FRA) has received a request for a waiver of  
> compliance from certain requirements of its safety standards. The  
> individual petition is described below, including the party seeking  
> relief, the regulatory provisions involved, the nature of the relief  
> being requested, and the petitioner’s arguments in favor of relief.
>
> Association of American Railroads
> [Waiver Petition Docket Number FRA–2009–0102]
> The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has petitioned, on  
> behalf of its member railroads, for a temporary waiver of compliance  
> from the requirements of 49 CFR 232.109(g)(2), which state that  
> locomotives placed into service for the first time on or after  
> October 1, 2007, shall display in real-time in the cab of the  
> controlling (lead) locomotive the total train dynamic brake  
> retarding force available in the train. AAR petition seeks relief  
> due to conflicts found in the common communication channel, known as 
>  ‘‘C–Band’’ shared by the dynamic brake system reporting  
> (DBSR) and Electronic Controlled Pneumatic (ECP) brake systems. AAR  
> requests this relief until January 1, 2011, to allow it the time to  
> have conversion modules manufactured and installed on its members’ l 
> ocomotives. AAR states that when locomotives equipped with ECP brake 
> s were placed in service, it was discovered that operation of the EC 
> P systems and DBSR conflicted due to the sharing of a common communi 
> cations band, the C–Band. Consequently, AAR developed a standard  
> (S–5509) in February 2008, providing for using the A–Band for  
> DBSR. During the period of modification and conversion of its member 
> s’ locomotives, there will be times when the total train dynamic bra 
> ke retarding force required by 49 CFR 232.109(g)(2) cannot be displa 
> yed in the controlling locomotive because some
> locomotives will be equipped to transmit on A–Band and some on C–  
> Band. AAR further states that during the period of conversion, the e 
> ngineer shall be provided with a record of dynamic brake operational 
>  status as required by 49 CFR 232.109(a).
>
> * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flashing_rear-end_device
>
> Railfan usage
> Railfans and railway photographers sometimes monitor FREDs as early  
> warning systems to detect approaching trains. FREDs in North America  
> operate on the 452.9375/457.9375 MHz frequency pair with the  
> exception of those operated by Norfolk Southern Railway, which uses  
> AAR channel 67 (161.115 MHz). Railfans often program these  
> frequencies into their scanners, which can provide a handy indicator  
> of train activity (usually 2–5 miles, transmitting at 2 watts).
>
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