California Zephyr Onboard frequencies

[BeanBagMike]

I have been trying for years looking on radio reference and other sites as well for the frequencies they use on board the California zephyr between Emeryville and Denver. I found a bunch of frequencies and they turn out to be valid but empty with no chatter what so ever. I wanna hear the crew talking to each other and the engineer while I am on the train but cant find the right frequencies.

can someone help me find frequencies please?

 

[KB1VLA]

Have you tried these? (From On Track On Line):
Denver Union Station Switching UP 96 161.550
Denver Union Station General Ops DUS 49 160.845
Denver (MP 0.0)-Prospect (1 mile) UP 39 160.695
Prospect-MP 17.4 (17 miles) UP 92 161.490
MP 17.4-East Portal Moffat Tunnel UP 23 160.455
East Portal Moffat Tunnel-Winter Park UP 97 161.565
Winter Park-Glenwood Springs UP 54 160.920
Glenwood Springs-Fruitvale (Grand Jct.) UP 23 160.455
Fruitvale-Spring Glen (Helper) UP 54 160.920
Spring Glen (Helper)-15 miles north of Provo UT UP 23 160.455
15 miles north of Provo-Salt Lake City UP 57 160.965
Salt Lake City Station UP 66 161.100
Salt Lake City-Smelter (15 miles) UP 57 160.965
Smelter-Alazon UP 24 160.470
Alazon-Elko NV (track 1) UP 96 161.550
Alazon-Elko NV (track 2) UP 24 160.470
Elko-Weso NV (track 1) UP 96 161.550
Elko-Weso NV (track 2) UP 24 160.470
Weso-Ocala NV (MP 320) UP 96 161.550
Ocala-Vista NV (just east of Sparks NV) UP 78 161.280
Vista-Rocklin CA5 UP 14 160.320
Rocklin5-West Haggin6 UP 51 160.875
West Haggin6-Emeryville UP 46 160.800

 

[karldotcom]

Dont you have a Service Scan on your radio? Either scanner, or if you have a ham, search 160-162 range

You can also get an Altamont Press Timetable which lists the current frequencies

http://www.altamontpress.com/

 

[BeanBagMike]

I use a radioshack portable scanner

 

[Jimru]

Hi Mike,

Try this:
http://www.on-track-on-line.com/amtfreq-cazr.shtml

All I did was Google: "California Zephyr Frequencies". Took me less than three minutes!

The Zephyr may be using different frequencies than the above-linked list has published, so I would include a search.

I don't know what make or model you have, but most of them have pre-programmed search ranges that include one for railroads. You may already know this, but very few scanner users seem to use the search feature for some reason. It's a very powerful tool to use.

You may also have a feature that captures frequencies from nearby transmitters, which, depending on the make and model may be called "Close Call" for Uniden scanners or "Signal Stalker" for Radio Shack. You may also already know about this feature, but again, it seems like a lot of users don't employ it often, for whatever reason. This is, once more, a very valuable tool to use when searching for frequencies, if your scanner has it.

I hope you have enough info here to start out.

Have a great trip on the Zephyr!

Best,
Jim

 

[BeanBagMike]

front says radio shack weather alert but its a RadioShack PRO-404 Handheld Scanner

 

[BeanBagMike]

Jim,

I have put those in my scanner and will try them on my trip and hope they work. will let ya know if it doesn't as ill re post here. also I googled it too and got some like that track on line link you posted but I ouldnt get any of their frequencies to have chatter or nothing



KB1VLA,

those are in my scanner too and will be tested on my trip.

thanks to both of you! and also thanks to karldotcom for info about that guide ill havta look into it

 

[Jimru]

Keep us posted!

 

[NWtoSFO]

The radios on the Zepher are very low power, but any scanner on the train will pick it up. Use earbuds so you don't draw unwanted attention to yourself.

 

[Jimru]

Ditto on the earbuds!

You don't need a big antenna, either. Most likely the stock duck or similar size is all you'll need.

 

[Kirk]

I, too, will be curious what you find. I'll be taking the Zephyr this summer from Emeryville to Chicago. My first long distance trip on a train. I'm planning to listen to the rail band, and to scan FRS, GMRS, MURS and ham simplex. I'll have a second scanner for listening to the End-of-Train devices in hopes of photographing a passing train here and there.

Good times!

 

[timkilbride]

I, too, will be curious what you find. I'll be taking the Zephyr this summer from Emeryville to Chicago. My first long distance trip on a train. I'm planning to listen to the rail band, and to scan FRS, GMRS, MURS and ham simplex. I'll have a second scanner for listening to the End-of-Train devices in hopes of photographing a passing train here and there.

Good times!

The train your on will have a EOT, unless your decoding the packets of course.

Tim

 

[BeanBagMike]

Kirk,

since u are doin this trip as well if u do the trip can u post all the workin freq u find? every 1 I try pick up nothing even on train.

also the freq everyone listed so far are any used on board so I can hear the conductors talk?

 

[timkilbride]

Kirk,

since u are doin this trip as well if u do the trip can u post all the workin freq u find? every 1 I try pick up nothing even on train.

also the freq everyone listed so far are any used on board so I can hear the conductors talk?

Last October I took a trip from Iowa to Chicago, Chicago to Seattle, then Seattle to Los Angles. I used the On Track On Line frequencies listed. Everything appeared to be accurate for my portions of the trip. The crew always says what channel they are changing to via the radio as well. So as long as you are on the right channel to begin with, you will know when they change channels.

Tim

 

[Jimru]

Kirk,

since u are doin this trip as well if u do the trip can u post all the workin freq u find? every 1 I try pick up nothing even on train.

also the freq everyone listed so far are any used on board so I can hear the conductors talk?

Mike, again, you will find them with the search feature. Even if they are, for some reason, on a non-listed frequency.
There is no reason you won't be able to find them.

Of course, load up your scanner with the listed freq's (they don't change them often, and even if they do, they can't go far!), but you will be able to listen to all the action, not to worry.

 

[Kirk]

The train your on will have a EOT, unless your decoding the packets of course.

Tim

Duh... Good point. I think this will make the EOT monitoring pointless and annoying. Oh well.

 

[Jimru]

Duh... Good point. I think this will make the EOT monitoring pointless and annoying. Oh well.

In my experience, in the Northeast Corridor, the EOT is voice, and announces the mile post, temperature and whether or not there are defects. Is this something other than the EOT I am monitoring on my trips? I always thought that's what it was.

 

[FrensicPic]

In my experience, in the Northeast Corridor, the EOT is voice, and announces the mile post, temperature and whether or not there are defects. Is this something other than the EOT I am monitoring on my trips? I always thought that's what it was.

Amtrak does not use EOT; they are used on freight trains and are digital. The voice announcements you describe sound like "trackside detectors" which are activated when the train passes over. Some "announce" every time, some only when there is a defect. The detectors may be for hot boxes, dragging equipment and commonly indicate train speed, number of axels in addition to the things you observed.

Again, as mentioned above, On Track On Line lists frequencies for the various Amtrak routes.
On Track On Line - Amtrak Radio Frequencies

John

 

[Jimru]

Amtrak does not use EOT; they are used on freight trains and are digital. The voice announcements you describe sound like "trackside detectors" which are activated when the train passes over. Some "announce" every time, some only when there is a defect. The detectors may be for hot boxes, dragging equipment and commonly indicate train speed, number of axels in addition to the things you observed.

Again, as mentioned above, On Track On Line lists frequencies for the various Amtrak routes.
On Track On Line - Amtrak Radio Frequencies

John

Thanks for clearing that up. Btw, I should have known, as these announcements are on the road channels!

 

[BeanBagMike]

i have googled the frequencies before the trip i took last time and had maybe 5-10 and none of them seemed to pick anything up.

KB1VLA i havent added those frequencies till now...

Jimru i didnt get that page when i googled before but this was maybe 4-5 years ago at least.

both the frequencies KB1VLA and the frequencies from the site jimru posted are in my scanner and i will let you know with my luck. i have a sleeper which is closer to the engine for my trip there and a coach the trip back so we will see how the frequencies pan out when i try them all. i also will note down which i see work and which i see dont work from both KB1VLA & jimru's posts