Roanoke Area Train People

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Ghstwolf62

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For anyone interested a guy I know on Ham radio was telling me there is going to be some big restored train coming to Roanoke Saturday and staying Sunday as well. Over 20,000 people expected to greet its return. So if you're a rail fan as he is you might be interested, he works for them too and retires in 4 days. Thanks to KB4IPA Steve in Troutville.

Queen of Steam returns to the Star City Saturday - WSLS 10 NBC in Roanoke/Lynchburg Va

Queen of Steam returns to the Star City Saturday

ROANOKE (WSLS 10) - More than 20,000 people are expected welcome home the restored Class J 611 Saturday.

Volunteers have put in thousands of hours of work to restore the locomotive. The project cost approximately $1 million. The locomotive will arrive in the Star City between 2 and 4 p.m.

Further Coverage: A look inside the progress on 611 and cars for excursions

It will stop at the O Winston Link Museum where a day full of activities are planned.

Click here for a look at the map of the 611's journey back to Roanoke.

The 611 will then be stationed at the Virginia Museum of Transportation on Sunday. There will be opportunities to climb aboard the cab and talk with engineers who worked on the restoration process.

For more on the return of the "Queen of Steam", visit 611 | Virginia Museum of Transportation
 

K4NNW

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From what the news sources have mentioned, 20k was a VERY conservative prediction. It was estimated that around 70,000 showed up for 611's return. Supposedly some area amateur radio operators had a special event station commemorating her return, but I didn't get a chance to operate there or work said station. I did, at least, get to drive past the museum on Sunday to see 611 in between Class A #1218 and Class Y6b #2156. This morning, 611 left for Manassas, VA to run a trip or two there.
 

reconrider8

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Its supposed to be running to petersberg in the next couple of weeks I'm thinking of shooting up there and seeing it if I can
 

gcgrotz

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It would be well worth your time. She put on quite a show in Charlottesville yesterday. Pulled to a stop right in front of me and dozens of others on the platform. They are having a 2 hour layover there, time your visit to see the departure.
 

DavidNVA

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Here's 611 at Manassas yesterday.
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

freqhopping

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Where would be the best place (closer to Radford) to see it when it's making the Roanoke to Radford runs?

Is there an accessible place to see the Christiansburg grade?

Looks like I'll be in Pulaski a few weekends from now. If the timing is right I'd like to go get some good pics and video for my dad.
 

NS9710

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The correct channels are listed in the DB, I've gone through great lengths to ensure that the info is accurate and up to date to the best of my abilities.
 

Ghstwolf62

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Was looking around at FCC licenses in my area last night and ran across something that may be of interest to train people.

Alleghany, Bath, Botetourt and Roanoke counties at least have new licenses issued mostly in the last month for frequencies that list NB and Nexedge as emission types. There may be even more counties but I only checked those. Rockbridge noticeably doesn't have any.

Don't know if that means its only a CYA license or if they'll actually be switching to digital comms.

Thought I'd stick it up here for those who might follow such. Nothing heard in CF area digital so far on train channels.

Also noticed PS P25 licenses issued for several areas such as Rockbridge and Bath counties too. Haven't heard any there though.
 

K4NNW

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Was looking around at FCC licenses in my area last night and ran across something that may be of interest to train people.

Alleghany, Bath, Botetourt and Roanoke counties at least have new licenses issued mostly in the last month for frequencies that list NB and Nexedge as emission types. There may be even more counties but I only checked those. Rockbridge noticeably doesn't have any.

Don't know if that means its only a CYA license or if they'll actually be switching to digital comms.

Thought I'd stick it up here for those who might follow such. Nothing heard in CF area digital so far on train channels.

Also noticed PS P25 licenses issued for several areas such as Rockbridge and Bath counties too. Haven't heard any there though.

I'm guessing/hoping that the Nexedge license is for CYA purposes. So far, I've not heard anything outside of analog on the road channels.
The P25 is probably for their police (encrypted, last I heard).
 

Ghstwolf62

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That's entirely possible. I've heard so many things about it that I'm not sure if they'll ever go there now. It seems to be up for debate. TPTB decided but no one likes it apparently or they want DMR or something else. LOL

Be interesting on the P25 as it seems to be fire/rescue related. Bath jumped on board with Alleghany's Nexedge disaster although they rarely use it, the bath license is for a fire dept. although not the county one. Bath SO uses KW crap and is 99% analog. I have heard encrypted Nexedge on rare occasions though. They can communicate with Alleghany on their channels with their encryption codes. I imagine it was done for regional interop purposes. Covington was the same and doesn't use it at all anymore. They refuse as it sucks so bad.
 
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