Rail and DMR appearing in East Iowa.

[chris451rr]

I have been hearing DMR on some rail freqs in East iowa
for example 160.350, UPRR W Lead. The other channel may have been 160.890
I heard this on another channel, and I have a dmr scanner but was programmed for analog at the time I heard it. Now I switched this channel over to DMR and I see slot 1 color 1.
So all I've heard about them converting to NXDN are incorrect, they are converting to DMR at least here.
\Personally I think DMR gives them a greater variety of radio vendors then the NXDN does.
Although I note that performance is good on both (at or better than analog.)
The repeater is set to beacon approx each 5 minutes.
I first noticed this a few days ago when scanning for rail activity, waiting for a train to pass under a bike trail bridge that goes right over dual tracks. Meanwhile I have not heard NXDN.

 

[burner50]

It would have to be some shortline over there.

RR's have hundreds of thousands of radios, and they're committed to NXDN.

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[radioman2001]

There are many posts about the NXDN or non NXDN conversion here. Most RR are stuck with going NXDN as that what the FRA and the AAR want for shared and mainline tracks. Yard or closed trackage is something else. The radio co-ordination arm of the AAR will not co-ordinate any new licenses or mod any old ones unless they are NXDN (unless the distance spacing between users is less than an acceptable one to prevent hearing digital transmissions on a CS radio). As I have stated before in other posts the RR is free to go into the FCC database and add any other authorized emission to their license for a fee.

 

[timkilbride]

Were you in Cedar Rapids when this occurred? If so, the CRANDIC is using DMR for maintenance/shop services. The tower is located just South of Beverly yard on Edgewood road.

Tim

 

[PJH]

That's what we were hearing correct? I never got to make that change if you'd like to

 

[RadioDitch]

It would have to be some shortline over there.

RR's have hundreds of thousands of radios, and they're committed to NXDN.

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Vermont Railway System is an example of a slightly larger system which is an exception to that. Portions of their system, particularly on the VTR B&R Subdivision and VTR Northern Subdivision, are using the OneVoice Network DMR UHF Trunked System, TG700036. Admittedly it is bridged full-time to AAR 12/12 to prevent the obvious incompatibility issues with non-equipped and foreign units.