MBTA Rail Service to New Bedford & Fall River ?

[Citywide173]

That listing is Stuff within the last few Decades. My Pro-2001 Is Before this Listing say 40 years ago 1979 GRE. Thing Still Runs Great for its age.

Peter N1EXA

I always thought the Pro-2001 was a JIL scanner built for Radio Shack.

 

[KEWB-N1EXA]

I always thought the Pro-2001 was a JIL scanner built for Radio Shack.

Could be...Just A hobby for me...Been doing it since the 1970s...
Maybe the Bearcat 15 is made by JIL (Japanese Electronics Industry ) or Japanese institute of Labor - meaning its made in japan by a member of the Japanese electronics industry...Its not made by Electra though made in the USA.
Peter N1EXA

 

[kb1kvd]

So all this Digital Racket On my Train Frequencies in the morning is The Railroad in Maine Bombing in because of Springtime Ducting.....~
Today I had Dispatch 160.920 Analog Come in like it was next door....~Think it
was The Providence Worcester Dispatch.

Peter N1EXA

All that digital (P25) on the railroad channels is the State of Maine COMNET system which is Maine State Police, Fish and Game and so on. There's also Public service of New Hampshire on the Grafton and Upton road channel.

 

[ecps92]

Thanks, spent time with Mr Google with No Results and could not find many of the older
Electra Radios in the RR Wiki Uniden Scanners - The RadioReference Wiki

Nope
It's A Bearcat 15 made in Japan inside and out it does not look like the Electra Product from the Thin Fiber PCB to the Housing Its not covered in Plastic Wood tone even the LED's on the front are Square. Your going to have get that google shovel and dig for this one ( Bearcat 15 Japan )... Guy was selling them New On Ebay a few months back as Warehouse found stock for
$49.95 each...He sold them out fast now he has the Plastic body Electra.Indiana Bearcat 5 for sale at $39.95 each .
As For the Bearcat 15 even the crystal holder is not pins on the board and a jumper wire its a 10 position socket with a 4 way switch for each crystal. Its heavy and has all metric screws it has the same frame work as the 1970s Radio Shack GRE made scanners. even the chrome plated decals on the back and top are in the GRE style of the 70s.



I buy the Crystals new on ebay $10 each from a vendor who will cut any frequency for 10.8 IF or 10.7 IF .

Peter N1EXA

 

[KEWB-N1EXA]

Thanks, spent time with Mr Google with No Results and could not find many of the older
Electra Radios in the RR Wiki Uniden Scanners - The RadioReference Wiki

RadioPics Database - Bearcat 15

Here is the link that a fellow member found of the Beacat 15...For Hobby shop talk its figured its Japanese and made by GRE or JIL ( Japanese Institute of Labor)
Now When Uniden Of Japan took Over Electra They probably got a good deal on a shipping container of these and re branded them the Bearcat 15. My Manual has a sticker placed over the manufacturer of the radio but the manual has a Radio Shack look to it. I also have A Bearcat 5 Which is one of the Last Electra Products Made. Though is not the IV or the V its still has the Electra Look and the PCB inside is like the regency stuff of that era.

Peter N1EXA

 

[kb1kvd]

I am just tooling in my head the traffic control on 1 track from Middleboro being split to 2 cities...Now on this single track you are running inbound and outbound
trains during the day and late night running freight. The radio traffic is going to be interesting and Id assume A remote tower will have to be in New Bedford
or along the route from Taunton to fill the gap. What is the Power in Wattage
of a Train engine radio and Base control running Simplex ? Id assume hand helds
are 2-3 watts at most and when Bay Colony is close I can listen to the engineer
and crossing signal man talk. The Other day Bay Colony called Mass Coastal Engine to Engine and it seems like it was 15-25 watts based on the signal I got.

I'm asking these questions while the fishing is good on the subject - Your the first to respond with some working information to my questions on the subject.

Peter N1EXA

We would most likely have the freights either run late night like on portions of the Middleboro mainline already does or we could run the freights in between passenger trains much like the do on parts of the Franklin Branch and stoughton branch. The operating rules for the southcoast rail haven't come out yet for the commuter rail, so I won't know exactly how they plan on doing it. I can say from past experience on our other 13 lines that's how it could possibly go. Yes we would have a base radio setup to cover the territory, I can't go into specifics due to we're currently working out that plan. The typical base site would be a 50 watt radio with a 4 bay dipole up 60-80ft running simplex. Since most if not all road operations are done simplex or semi duplex (Pan Am railways), the only repeaters you'll will hear on a railroad are for MW, and other non road functions. Adding a repeater to a road channel adds another point of failure on a radio system and makes interoperability with other railroad difficult. As for the portables we use we're running a full 5 watts, but it with the stock rubber duck which is just a radiating dummy load. The engine radios are 50 watts with a sinclair antenna mounted on the roof, so they have a nice ground plane in comparison to the portables. As for the portables most times they're attached to the person's hip so the radio doesn't get out very far, but train crews in general are not really worried about dx, they only care if the engineer heard them and maybe the dispatcher.

I don't mind answering questions about how the railroad radio systems work, since over the years I've come to notice that there's a ton of inaccurate information and I've been trying to clarify it in order to improve the hobby.

 

[KEWB-N1EXA]

We would most likely have the freights either run late night like on portions of the Middleboro mainline already does or we could run the freights in between passenger trains much like the do on parts of the Franklin Branch and stoughton branch. The operating rules for the southcoast rail haven't come out yet for the commuter rail, so I won't know exactly how they plan on doing it. I can say from past experience on our other 13 lines that's how it could possibly go. Yes we would have a base radio setup to cover the territory, I can't go into specifics due to we're currently working out that plan. The typical base site would be a 50 watt radio with a 4 bay dipole up 60-80ft running simplex. Since most if not all road operations are done simplex or semi duplex (Pan Am railways), the only repeaters you'll will hear on a railroad are for MW, and other non road functions. Adding a repeater to a road channel adds another point of failure on a radio system and makes interoperability with other railroad difficult. As for the portables we use we're running a full 5 watts, but it with the stock rubber duck which is just a radiating dummy load. The engine radios are 50 watts with a sinclair antenna mounted on the roof, so they have a nice ground plane in comparison to the portables. As for the portables most times they're attached to the person's hip so the radio doesn't get out very far, but train crews in general are not really worried about dx, they only care if the engineer heard them and maybe the dispatcher.

I don't mind answering questions about how the railroad radio systems work, since over the years I've come to notice that there's a ton of inaccurate information and I've been trying to clarify it in order to improve the hobby.

Ill Have to say your the first to give real answers to my questions asked.
As for Rail ( MBTA) coming to New Bedford Trains seem to be the last thing
on Peoples minds they Squabble about Parking spaces and Building Styles.

Currently I find the rail traffic to New Bedford is not heavy but there is a Santa Fe Refer Car over by the fish processing plant , Scrap steel and Rail cars of Sheet Rock which is taken by Bay Colony and transported to Delgato Construction in Dartmouth so there is activity but no Trash Train like from the Cape.
Ive been hearing Analog with A Voice Scrambler Traffic on 160.350 ARR CH16
are They Railroad Ops or Somebody else ?

Peter N1EXA

 

[kb1kvd]

Ill Have to say your the first to give real answers to my questions asked.
As for Rail ( MBTA) coming to New Bedford Trains seem to be the last thing
on Peoples minds they Squabble about Parking spaces and Building Styles.

Currently I find the rail traffic to New Bedford is not heavy but there is a Santa Fe Refer Car over by the fish processing plant , Scrap steel and Rail cars of Sheet Rock which is taken by Bay Colony and transported to Delgato Construction in Dartmouth so there is activity but no Trash Train like from the Cape.
Ive been hearing Analog with A Voice Scrambler Traffic on 160.350 ARR CH16
are They Railroad Ops or Somebody else ?

Peter N1EXA

The only users I can think of is Naugatuck railroad, Pan Am railways welding shop and Maine state police. The Maine state police are running encryption analog and P25 on that frequency from a coastal Maine site. Sadly the state of maine got 17 railroad channels that they use for various public safety functions, so because of that we have to constantly deal with them blasting into our sites even during times when the band is not open. Their sites that are using the railroad spectrum are mostly located in southern Maine and on the coast on some good sized hills, which makes for a good water shot into southeastern Massachusetts. I regularly see them at my QTH at a -100 or better signal a lot of the time. I know neither the naugatuck or pan am are using any sort of digital or even encryption, which leaves the MSCOMMNET system as the only user.

 

[KEWB-N1EXA]

The only users I can think of is Naugatuck railroad, Pan Am railways welding shop and Maine state police. The Maine state police are running encryption analog and P25 on that frequency from a coastal Maine site. Sadly the state of maine got 17 railroad channels that they use for various public safety functions, so because of that we have to constantly deal with them blasting into our sites even during times when the band is not open. Their sites that are using the railroad spectrum are mostly located in southern Maine and on the coast on some good sized hills, which makes for a good water shot into southeastern Massachusetts. I regularly see them at my QTH at a -100 or better signal a lot of the time. I know neither the naugatuck or pan am are using any sort of digital or even encryption, which leaves the MSCOMMNET system as the only user.

That's most likely it. On 2 Meter 146.52 talked to a guy in Maine the other day
like he was next door. In the Past Ive got as far as New Foundland on 2 meters.The Rail Band is 20 Mhz higher so it works on that too. Seems like it
may be a good spring for Ducting signals long range.

Peter N1EXA

 

[kb1kvd]

This spring is definetly going to be good for band lift. We've already been getting SEPTA on our Boston West road channel (160.590) and LIRR/MetroNorth on our Old Colony road channel (160.725).

 

[KEWB-N1EXA]

Currently AAR 041 160.725 is only used on the old colony commuter rail lines (Middleboro mainline, plymouth/kingston, and greenbush branches) and currently the New Bedford mainline,Fall River branch, Middleboro secondary and framingham secondary are on AAR 021 160.425. Those lines right now are dispatched by Iowa Pacific Mass Coastal dispatcher. Once southcoast rail actually goes in then MBTA (keolis) would would take it over and then we would extend the old colony dispatcher radios down to the south coast line. Mass Coastal would have to be on our road channel for all moves on those lines. Which means AAR 021 would no longer be used south of probably weir junction or east of cotley. As of right now we're still a couple of years away from having anything in place. We're working closely with the south coast rail project contractors and engineers in designing the infrastructure for the radio system for the south coast rail project.

Here's another MBTA/Keolis set of Questions
Are these trains going all the way to Boston or just to the Middleboro Yard/Station from New Bedford or Fallriver and then you switch to a Boston Train ?
So if a train comes from Say the Middleboro yard or Boston to New Bedford or Fall River and the engine is on the front does the train go in reverse back to Middleboro / Boston or does the engine have to move to the opposite end of the train because of some RR Rule or do you stick an engine on each side and go back a forth ? I would think that compounds the operating cost and is overkill
on a multi car commuter train. Is there a legal front and rear of an Engine?
and Is the last car on the train run On the 220 or 450 Mhz data channel ? like
on Freight trains instead of A caboose .
Peter N1EXA

 

[KEWB-N1EXA]

The Bearcat 15 was a pre-Uniden radio manufactured by Electra. If you look at the back, there may or may not be an "Acquired by Uniden" sticker covering over the Electra info. Electra made their own radios. RadioPics Database - Bearcat 15

What's interesting is Under the sticker its an Electra product and the sticker over
says Acquired by Uniden so it seems this is right when Uniden Took Over the Electra corp. Its made in Japan So its kinda of a gap filler for the company until
they made a new product. Its also one if not the last crystal Scanners Uniden/Electra Sold.
So its A real odd Duck Kinda Radio. Crystal scanners are A thing of the past
but the Scanning Lights or Leds are hypnotic as you wait for it to stop on a
Call. No its not a trunking phase 2 simulcast techno wonder that has to be downloaded with data to function but everyone should experience one at some point in the hobby.

Pete N1EXA

 

[kb1kvd]

Here's another MBTA/Keolis set of Questions
Are these trains going all the way to Boston or just to the Middleboro Yard/Station from New Bedford or Fallriver and then you switch to a Boston Train ?
So if a train comes from Say the Middleboro yard or Boston to New Bedford or Fall River and the engine is on the front does the train go in reverse back to Middleboro / Boston or does the engine have to move to the opposite end of the train because of some RR Rule or do you stick an engine on each side and go back a forth ? I would think that compounds the operating cost and is overkill
on a multi car commuter train. Is there a legal front and rear of an Engine?
and Is the last car on the train run On the 220 or 450 Mhz data channel ? like
on Freight trains instead of A caboose .
Peter N1EXA

The train is supposed to be a Boston to New Bedford/Fall River run via Middleboro. The plan I had seen invloved either moving Middleboro/Lakeville station to where the current middleboro layover is or providing a walkway from the current station to the new proposed station. Since our trains already have operating controls on either end, so there wouldn't need to move the engine or add a second engine. The way our trains and actually most commuter rail operations in the United States operate is they have a locomotive on the outbound end and a cab car on the other. The cab car has all of the controls that the locomotive has, just without the prime mover and passenger seats instead. Cab cars get their controls to and from the locomotive via a 27 pin cable called a trainline. In passenger service we don't use an EOT device since we have a full operating controls thus negating the need for an EOT. EOT devices are only used in freight service where you have the potential of varying braking rates on the brake system. On passenger trains varying braking rates are not that much of an issue due to the simple lenght of the train plus on commuter trains there's an opertaing control system in the cab car with all the gauges that are needed for the braking system.

 

[KEWB-N1EXA]

The train is supposed to be a Boston to New Bedford/Fall River run via Middleboro. The plan I had seen invloved either moving Middleboro/Lakeville station to where the current middleboro layover is or providing a walkway from the current station to the new proposed station. Since our trains already have operating controls on either end, so there wouldn't need to move the engine or add a second engine. The way our trains and actually most commuter rail operations in the United States operate is they have a locomotive on the outbound end and a cab car on the other. The cab car has all of the controls that the locomotive has, just without the prime mover and passenger seats instead. Cab cars get their controls to and from the locomotive via a 27 pin cable called a trainline. In passenger service we don't use an EOT device since we have a full operating controls thus negating the need for an EOT. EOT devices are only used in freight service where you have the potential of varying braking rates on the brake system. On passenger trains varying braking rates are not that much of an issue due to the simple lenght of the train plus on commuter trains there's an opertaing control system in the cab car with all the gauges that are needed for the braking system.

I'm getting smart on Massachusetts commuter trains now... Thanks
Ive really had no information from the local news or Politician's.

Saw the Union Pacific Big Boy Run On Youtube...Which then drove me to google how a Steam Engine works...

Peter N1EXA

 

[KEWB-N1EXA]

The train is supposed to be a Boston to New Bedford/Fall River run via Middleboro. The plan I had seen invloved either moving Middleboro/Lakeville station to where the current middleboro layover is or providing a walkway from the current station to the new proposed station. Since our trains already have operating controls on either end, so there wouldn't need to move the engine or add a second engine. The way our trains and actually most commuter rail operations in the United States operate is they have a locomotive on the outbound end and a cab car on the other. The cab car has all of the controls that the locomotive has, just without the prime mover and passenger seats instead. Cab cars get their controls to and from the locomotive via a 27 pin cable called a trainline. In passenger service we don't use an EOT device since we have a full operating controls thus negating the need for an EOT. EOT devices are only used in freight service where you have the potential of varying braking rates on the brake system. On passenger trains varying braking rates are not that much of an issue due to the simple lenght of the train plus on commuter trains there's an opertaing control system in the cab car with all the gauges that are needed for the braking system.

Has Any Imformation on your Job Come Up about any Test Dates ? Radio Chatter is still off in the Distance on 160.7250..

Looking to see if any MBTA Keolis Trains are coming down for Track Testing ... Radio Dispatch and Yard Parking ?

Since MA Coastal Pulled Everything out of the New Bedford Yard Ch21 160.4250 has been pretty Quiet except for the weekly Drop Off
of Freight cars for the Bay Colony Run out to Dartmouth / Westport Ch 13 160.3050

Just Watched a Painful Presentation by the Local Politicians on the Local Cable Channel about the Project. Questions were not answered
and others were just diverted to the looking into it mode... They could not explain what kind of trains they were. Welded Rail Vs Bolted Rails
Platforms and what will the station look like little more they cant explain where the one in New Bedford is even going ?

This will be interesting when the next phase kicks in.

Pete N1EXA

 

[kb1kvd]

Nothing yet, the radio sites haven’t really been set up yet. What you’re hearing on 160.725 is the old colony dispatcher on the pilgrim base radio. Testing isn’t probably on the docket until probably next year. There’s still a lot of comm work that needs to be done and lots of meetings with engineers that need to be done. The rail type will most likely be the MBTA standard 136lbs rail continuous welded rail. I believe the original rail is 115lbs stick rail which isn’t that good for anything that is running at speed.

 

[EricCottrell]

Nothing yet, the radio sites haven’t really been set up yet. What you’re hearing on 160.725 is the old colony dispatcher on the pilgrim base radio. Testing isn’t probably on the docket until probably next year. There’s still a lot of comm work that needs to be done and lots of meetings with engineers that need to be done. The rail type will most likely be the MBTA standard 136lbs rail continuous welded rail. I believe the original rail is 115lbs stick rail which isn’t that good for anything that is running at speed.

Hello,

I agree about the rail. I was on the recent MBRRE excursion from Lakeville to New Bedford and Fall River. We ended up not going to all the planned stops because of speed restrictions. The track going to Fall River was not in very good shape.

73 Eric

 

[KEWB-N1EXA]

I think you mean Electra. GRE and Uniden (the company that bought Electra) are direct competitors.

Opened up the hood and took A look.. Heres the photo...
Its a Bearcat by Electra Aquired By Uniden and the Chassis is made BY GRE In Japan and this is the exact Chassis as the Radio Shack PRO 48.

 

[KEWB-N1EXA]

I always thought the Pro-2001 was a JIL scanner built for Radio Shack.

Seeing I had the Golden Screw driver out I opened up the Pro 2001 and It show Thats A GRE Chassis also.