CSX Tampa

[Brales60]

So, not much around here with rail, but I'm a big train fan (not a foamer). We have the Seminole Gulf out of Ft Myers which is about 30 miles south, but the line does run up this way. They haven't been up here since Hurricane Ian smoked the bridges over two rivers. Pretty sure those are fixed, but haven't heard much. Anyways, loaded CSX out of Tampa the other day for kicks which is about 60-70 miles north. Just got some hits for the first time with voices, a tad fuzzy, but I could hear them. I locked on them, so we'll see what I can find. I was pretty excited with something besides the normal stuff.

 

[Brales60]

Just heard dispatch telling the train something about destination and switches. Pretty clear considering it's 75 miles north. Haven't heard what the road is saying, just some buzzing. This train language on the scanner stuff is new to me.

 

[Brales60]

Hmmm, no edit button. Anyways, finally heard the engineers talking to dispatch pretty clear.

 

[AK9R]

Danny Harmon, who posts to YouTube channel Distant Signal, lives in central Florida and has posted several videos of rail action in the Tampa area.

https://www.youtube.com/@distantsignal

 

[Brales60]

Danny Harmon, who posts to YouTube channel Distant Signal, lives in central Florida and has posted several videos of rail action in the Tampa area.

https://www.youtube.com/@distantsignal

Thanks, I know exactly who he is, and have watched all his stuff. I think he's in Lakeland or close.

 

[AK9R]

This YouTuber runs an auto repair shop in Bradenton that backs up to the "Tropicana Yard" that Danny sometimes mentions.

https://www.youtube.com/@RainmanRaysRepairs

 

[Brales60]

Picking up Lakeland and Plant City now too. Pretty interesting.

 

[LH2428]

How are you programmed? which freq? I am in Valrico running a Railroad scan on my Pro 197 and cant get a hit

 

[railroader1994]

Good afternoon! I am the Roadmaster for CSX in Tampa.

Channels following the AAR plan are as follows

08- JF dispatcher

012- Yeoman Yard, Uceta yard

032- Tampa Terminal (Port Tampa spur *runs from Amtrak south to the end of track for A-LINE. Yeoman yardmaster controls this portion*) , A-line from Amtrak TUS to the Lakeland Sub,Yeoman Sub), Bradenton crews switching in Tropicana Yard, Neve Spur

066- Palmetto sub, Clearwater sub, Brooksville Sub and AZA portion of Tampa Terminal between YN and East Tampa

025- Hookers Point locals, Rockport crews utilize sometimes as well

045- Engineering crews heavily utilize this to talk amongst themselves and also use DTMF to activate road crossings while hy-railing

 

[LH2428]

Good afternoon! I am the Roadmaster for CSX in Tampa.

Channels following the AAR plan are as follows

08- JF dispatcher

012- Yeoman Yard, Uceta yard

032- Tampa Terminal (Port Tampa spur *runs from Amtrak south to the end of track for A-LINE. Yeoman yardmaster controls this portion*) , A-line from Amtrak TUS to the Lakeland Sub,Yeoman Sub), Bradenton crews switching in Tropicana Yard, Neve Spur

066- Palmetto sub, Clearwater sub, Brooksville Sub and AZA portion of Tampa Terminal between YN and East Tampa

025- Hookers Point locals, Rockport crews utilize sometimes as well

045- Engineering crews heavily utilize this to talk amongst themselves and also use DTMF to activate road crossings while hy-railing

Good afternoon and thank you very much. I just dialed those in my Sds 200 and Pro-197 along with the Valrico terminal

 

[railroader1994]

If anybody wants timetables emailed to them, shoot me a message with your email

 

[ngel]

Can anyone pick up rail frequencies from west side of Pasco or Pinellas and which frequencies do you hear them on? I believe this would be maybe a CSX road frequency.

 

[WX4JCW]

If anybody wants timetables emailed to them, shoot me a message with your email

we may need to chat when i extend from Taft to Tampa in Run8

 

[kny2xb]

Can anyone pick up rail frequencies from the west side of Pasco or Pinellas and which frequencies do you hear them on? I believe this would be maybe a CSX road frequency.

I live in North Clearwater/Dunedin, I usually have 160.230, 160.590, & 161.100 running, I have those tagged as dispatch, Tampa road, & Clearwater road respectively

Usually 161.100/AAR 66 is the most active, but that could be lousy timing on my part

 

[ngel]

I live in North Clearwater/Dunedin, I usually have 160.230, 160.590, & 161.100 running, I have those tagged as dispatch, Tampa road, & Clearwater road respectively

Usually 161.100/AAR 66 is the most active, but that could be lousy timing on my part

What kind of antenna are you using?

 

[kny2xb]

What kind of antenna are you using?

If I'm inside, I use my PRO-106 connected to my GMRS j-pole
It actually performs pretty well as a scanner antenna, I monitor rail, civil air, & mil-air, for being tuned to GMRS, it doesn't do a bad job
When this heat finally breaks, I'm going to put up a separate scanner antenna

462 MHz Land Mobile (GMRS) J-Pole Antenna - KB9VBR Antennas

The GMRS J-Pole is tuned for maximum performance on the 462 - 467 MHz General Mobile Radio Service and UHF public safety band. This is a full Power GMRS antenna that will work great with handheld and base units. Don't be limited in performance by VC encased wire antennas. GMRS radios are...

www.jpole-antenna.com

When I start scanning in the car, I have an E/M Wave commercial tri-band NMO EM-M43002 on a JetStream mag mount
https://www.emwaveinc.com/antennas.php?page_id=86&item_id=237

If I'm portable, I alternate between two Part 90 h-t's, an Alinco DJ-A10 & an Icom IC-F50, each has a Laird 150-162 MHz 10.5" loaded quarter-wave with SMA-F & SMA-M connectors respectively

VHF 150-160 MHz 10.5" High Gain Antenna SMA Male TE Connectivity EXH-155-SMI

Manufacturer: ICOM; Frequency Range: 150-160 MHz; Length: 10.5"; Construction: Molded; Antenna Type: 1/4 wave base loaded; Connector: SMA Male; Warranty: 5 Year

theantennafarm.com

I'm going to buy a Smiley 5/8 Slim Duck 155 MHz to rotate between the two h-t's, I usually use them for MURS at work, but I think for rail receive, it should be pretty close, preferably an upgrade from the 1/4 wave

5/8 SLIM DUCK 155 MHZ — Smiley Antenna

5/8 SLIM DUCK Super efficient VHF antenna show a OMNI directional 6 dbd gain flexible base loaded antenna, manufactured tough enough for the military and aesthetically pleasing for the consumer. Sealed in synthetic rubber and utilizing the Tuned Antenna's one piece NT-MIL Space Age covering system (

www.smileyantenna.com

Smiley has the link wrong for some reason, but this does take you to the 155 MHz 5/8 Slim Duck page

Anyway, that's what I use right now for rail monitoring

73

 

[NYAirOne]

If I'm inside, I use my PRO-106 connected to my GMRS j-pole
It actually performs pretty well as a scanner antenna, I monitor rail, civil air, & mil-air, for being tuned to GMRS, it doesn't do a bad job
When this heat finally breaks, I'm going to put up a separate scanner antenna

462 MHz Land Mobile (GMRS) J-Pole Antenna - KB9VBR Antennas

The GMRS J-Pole is tuned for maximum performance on the 462 - 467 MHz General Mobile Radio Service and UHF public safety band. This is a full Power GMRS antenna that will work great with handheld and base units. Don't be limited in performance by VC encased wire antennas. GMRS radios are...

www.jpole-antenna.com

When I start scanning in the car, I have an E/M Wave commercial tri-band NMO EM-M43002 on a JetStream mag mount
https://www.emwaveinc.com/antennas.php?page_id=86&item_id=237

If I'm portable, I alternate between two Part 90 h-t's, an Alinco DJ-A10 & an Icom IC-F50, each has a Laird 150-162 MHz 10.5" loaded quarter-wave with SMA-F & SMA-M connectors respectively

VHF 150-160 MHz 10.5" High Gain Antenna SMA Male TE Connectivity EXH-155-SMI

Manufacturer: ICOM; Frequency Range: 150-160 MHz; Length: 10.5"; Construction: Molded; Antenna Type: 1/4 wave base loaded; Connector: SMA Male; Warranty: 5 Year

theantennafarm.com

I'm going to buy a Smiley 5/8 Slim Duck 155 MHz to rotate between the two h-t's, I usually use them for MURS at work, but I think for rail receive, it should be pretty close, preferably an upgrade from the 1/4 wave

5/8 SLIM DUCK 155 MHZ — Smiley Antenna

5/8 SLIM DUCK Super efficient VHF antenna show a OMNI directional 6 dbd gain flexible base loaded antenna, manufactured tough enough for the military and aesthetically pleasing for the consumer. Sealed in synthetic rubber and utilizing the Tuned Antenna's one piece NT-MIL Space Age covering system (

www.smileyantenna.com

Smiley has the link wrong for some reason, but this does take you to the 155 MHz 5/8 Slim Duck page

Anyway, that's what I use right now for rail monitoring

73

I've had good luck with the Remtronix 842B for my 396XT handheld when out and about railfanning.