Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad

[Swipesy]

I read on the news that CVSR is shutting down for 2 months to improve safety measures including "radio communications". I wonder if they are going to use NXDN? Anyone have information on what their improvement to their radios is going to be?

 

[rcid1971]

I read on the news that CVSR is shutting down for 2 months to improve safety measures including "radio communications". I wonder if they are going to use NXDN? Anyone have information on what their improvement to their radios is going to be?

Fox 8 had a sound bite with the CVSR President saying they’ll have “Summit County radios,” for access to first responders. My first guess was MARCS, but they’re in an unfortunate region where their northern stations and HQ are GCRCN and their southern stations are MARCS, including a department that’s fully strapped (E).

But I’m also thinking for a mostly volunteer railroad that used old VHF portables, many being bring your own radio, I doubt anyone more than engineers or dispatch supervisors would have a MARCS radio.

 

[Swipesy]

Fox 8 had a sound bite with the CVSR President saying they’ll have “Summit County radios,” for access to first responders. My first guess was MARCS, but they’re in an unfortunate region where their northern stations and HQ are GCRCN and their southern stations are MARCS, including a department that’s fully strapped (E).

But I’m also thinking for a mostly volunteer railroad that used old VHF portables, many being bring your own radio, I doubt anyone more than engineers or dispatch supervisors would have a MARCS radio.

Wow, that is really a mixed bag. I suppose they really don't need to use rail frequencies on their tracks. Maybe they have a "gifter". The GCRCN/MARCS could be another Euclid-Cleveland Hts- Heights deal of Pd and FD on different systems but still communicating. Thanks for the input.

 

[Swipesy]

Wow, that is really a mixed bag. I suppose they really don't need to use rail frequencies on their tracks. Maybe they have a "gifter". The GCRCN/MARCS could be another Euclid-Cleveland Hts- Heights deal of Pd and FD on different systems but still communicating. Thanks for the input.

In digging further I saw a blip about CVSR communicating through Cuyahoga Valley Park Rangers. So maybe MARCS is the choice.

 

[tweiss3]

Probably MARCS, but they won't get direct access to departments, they will likely have a TG monitored in one of the county dispatch offices.

 

[rcid1971]

Probably MARCS, but they won't get direct access to departments, they will likely have a TG monitored in one of the county dispatch offices.

Wouldn’t they have direct access to CVNP Rangers? Seems pointless to have MARCS otherwise.

 

[tweiss3]

Wouldn’t they have direct access to CVNP Rangers? Seems pointless to have MARCS otherwise.

I doubt it, but maybe. Its probably the same dispatch center CVNP is operating out of though. This way they can get all the proper information and send Rangers, local PD and/or medical/fire as needed, throughout all the regions they pass through.

 

[rcid1971]

I doubt it, but maybe. Its probably the same dispatch center CVNP is operating out of though. This way they can get all the proper information and send Rangers, local PD and/or medical/fire as needed, throughout all the regions they pass through.

CVNP operates basically out of ranger HQ, no dispatch center per se. They have direct radio access to Hudson which dispatches Peninsula PD, but everything else is POTS.

CVSR would probably be better having a P-25 Conventional radio directly to CUVA dispatch, saving on the MARCS/GCRCN user fees. I think CVNP still maintains 168.500 as a backup.

 

[Jphila20]

My wife and I rode it last fall and I spoke with some of the workers. They said a shutdown was coming because a section of tracks that had to be replaced along the river.

 

[rcid1971]

My wife and I rode it last fall and I spoke with some of the workers. They said a shutdown was coming because a section of tracks that had to be replaced along the river.

Exactly, the park service has been dealing with track erosion for some time. This was expected. The Cleveland Fake News media (lol) got it all wrong that it’s to install cameras and radios.

 

[ecps92]

I read on the news that CVSR is shutting down for 2 months to improve safety measures including "radio communications". I wonder if they are going to use NXDN? Anyone have information on what their improvement to their radios is going to be?

https://www.cvsr.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024-Temporary-Suspension.pdf

More info right from the entity themselves

 

[wa8pyr]

In digging further I saw a blip about CVSR communicating through Cuyahoga Valley Park Rangers. So maybe MARCS is the choice.

Or maybe they're simply going to install a repeater so they can communicate with the dispatcher more effectively...

Besides, CVSR probably isn't eligible to be on MARCS. Allowing non-public safety entities could affect MARCS ability to get federal grant money.

 

[rcid1971]

Or maybe they're simply going to install a repeater so they can communicate with the dispatcher more effectively...

Besides, CVSR probably isn't eligible to be on MARCS. Allowing non-public safety entities could affect MARCS ability to get federal grant money.

I suspect they maintain eligibility under a rare DHS railroad safety section that allows them to "contribute materially to homeland security," allowing them MARCS access. Common sense wise, sure, they're transporting hundreds of guests each trip, and should have direct access to first responders.

 

[wa8pyr]

I suspect they maintain eligibility under a rare DHS railroad safety section that allows them to "contribute materially to homeland security," allowing them MARCS access. Common sense wise, sure, they're transporting hundreds of guests each trip, and should have direct access to first responders.

"Contribute materially to homeland security".... I don't buy it. I've been there many times, they're a tourist railroad, nothing more. Yes, they're transporting a lot of people. Their local first responders can loan a radio to the CVSR dispatcher; problem solved.

This is all nothing more than idle speculation; wait until it plays out, then we'll know.

 

[rcid1971]

"Contribute materially to homeland security".... I don't buy it. I've been there many times, they're a tourist railroad, nothing more. Yes, they're transporting a lot of people. Their local first responders can loan a radio to the CVSR dispatcher; problem solved.

This is all nothing more than idle speculation; wait until it plays out, then we'll know.

It’s the DHS Federal Security Director for this region brainwashing CVSR management and board that they’re under the jurisdiction of TSA. It comes up all the time in their spiels and meetings with employees, volunteers and “partners.”

Which is amazing because if there ever were a critical incident on board, those bureaucrats would be nowhere to be found.

 

[N8WCP]

Purchased Motorola radios, joining the Summit system, and will share their talkgroups with CVNP. Will also have access to all Summit mutual aid talkgroups.

 

[jeffb]

Exactly, the park service has been dealing with track erosion for some time. This was expected. The Cleveland Fake News media (lol) got it all wrong that it’s to install cameras and radios.

They are working on the towpath North of station road in Brecksville

 

[cbehr91]

Purchased Motorola radios, joining the Summit system, and will share their talkgroups with CVNP. Will also have access to all Summit mutual aid talkgroups.

Is this for end-to-end communication (road channel) or otherwise?

 

[wa8pyr]

Is this for end-to-end communication (road channel) or otherwise?

Doubtful. I suspect this is simply for interoperability.

 

[N8WCP]

Is this for end-to-end communication (road channel) or otherwise?

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