Metro North New Haven Line Radio Changes

[Kitn1mcc]

Still not as rugged as the old GE MRK

 

[KC2zZe]

I havn't placed an order yet but I suspect it will be for 4000 Icom IC-F3161DT portables with multi-unit rack chargers and all the other accessories needed.

My agency uses the UHF version of this portable, the IC-F4161. A pretty darned good selection, 2001. When programmed correctly, couldn't be more intuitive to use by the most novice ("Push this button to talk, release to listen") of users and, for the more advanced user, could easily be loaded with features.

Still not as rugged as the old GE MRK

Kit, I hear you loud and clear. Being a Big M guy back in the day, I fondly recollect MX-340s. True bricks of radios; nothing like today's dainty portables.

 

[Kitn1mcc]

From what i remeber the MRK did not have a good battery life

 

[N1SQB]

District Questions

Just curious, on F-3 I hear district G and district F.Can someone explain what district covers what areas and why two districts on the same frequency? I get great reception so I clearly hear both, just trying to understand what I'm hearing,

Thanks!

Manny

 

[Kitn1mcc]

here is some good info

here is emilly's page
Taking a visit to the OCC – Metro-North’s Operations Control Center | I Ride The Harlem Line…

here is some good info on sub chat

CP is control point

 

[radioman2001]

The Tower that is mentioned in this article was just demolished last fall. I was very saddened to see it go as others or those slated to befall the same fate. They are windows into the past and how this great country was able to move large amounts of material and people for over 100 years during times of war and peace. The person who retired from the position I have just taken over his father was a tower operator in Tarrytown and the pictures he has shows the technology of the day and what was used for over 50 years. It worked and there were very few accidents, something said for people vs machine.
One of the other articles listed on the bottom of the page that shows a comical glimpse of the new Operations center is not totally untrue. I was at GCT helping with another project with the GCT radio shop (new dispatch consoles) and we went up to the new center which was not operational yet and they were playing Flight Simulator. Quite impressive as the screen is roughly 20 ft by 40ft, and the person there stated they were testing the new multi-screen display and were balancing the colors and brightness to make it appears as one big screen. OK Maybe, but it was fun none the less.
There is one tower just North of Harmon Yard that is still there and probably will be for some time, it's called CD Tower and it houses the C&S installation gangs. It was saved years ago by a very insightful Assistant Director who got it renovated. I was hoping for an office there, but it appears unlikely at this stage of my career.

Oh BTW the reason you hear multiple desks is the reason we are splitting the N Haven lines frequencies, the overlap causes confusion sometimes.

 

[N1SQB]

here is some good info

here is emilly's page
Taking a visit to the OCC – Metro-North’s Operations Control Center | I Ride The Harlem Line…

here is some good info on sub chat

CP is control point

Thanks Kit and it was very nice chatting with you about this at the Hamfest on Sunday!

BTW the reason you hear multiple desks is the reason we are splitting the N Haven lines frequencies, the overlap causes confusion sometimes.

That thought crossed my mind while monitoring the channel which is what prompted me to ask the question. I want to thank you both for the information you have provided. Some of my fondest memories as a teenager were taking the train into the city. The pictures on the bottom half of that article remind me of the Denzel Washington / John Travolta movie, The Taking Of Pelham 123 which came out 3 years before this article was written. I LOVED the dispatch scenes which showed the screens and everything. Sometimes you wonder with scenes like that, how much is Hollywood and how much is real. The pictures in the article seem to be close to what the movie showed.

Manny

 

[radioman2001]

I prefer the original "The Taking of Pelham 123" with Walter Matthau circa 1974. Very non political correct at times which makes it funny,and they used the actual dispatch center in that movie late at night. I was down there in the mid 80's doing an upgrade for a contractor.
I can't say if they used the actual center for the remake movie, but they might have used it as a template to build a look alike set. I guess Denzel likes trains thats 2 movies he has made with them.
The articles made me think of the days I used to commute in the 60's from Hawthorne to Wakefield for grade school, and yes it was a different time where you could do that. Would not subject a child today to that kind of travel by themselves.

 

[N1SQB]

Interesting!

Taking the train to school, now that's one I've never heard before! LOL I am a father of 3 daughters. No way in this world, given todays' society, that I would send them anywhere alone, As far as the original Pelham movie, I believe you are refering to this one? :http://www.bestbuy.com/site/the-tak...33b&ksprof_id=15&ksaffcode=pg11229&ksdevice=c

The "other" train movie Washington made ( Unstoppable ), in my opinion, was a lot more more on the ridiculous side. We all KNOW in real life, that train engine ( the 777) along with the cargo it was pulling, would have derailed many times over before reaching the length of care free rail travel the movie gave it. Seriously, State Troopers shooting at the train? RIIIGHT! But, I love trains regardless so I'll still watch the hollywood versions either way, just because! As long as there is a legal way to monitor them, I will have my ears tuned!

Just out od curiosity, once all is said and done, which district will stay on F-3 and which disctrict will move?

Manny

 

[Kitn1mcc]

if you want to see how an old school tower works go the SoNO tower

Welcome to the SONO Switch Tower Museum!

 

[N1SQB]

Looks interesting! Funny thing is I had family living in South Norwalk for YEARS and never knew about this!
Thanks for posting!

Manny

 

[radioman2001]

"Just out of curiosity, once all is said and done, which district will stay on F-3 and which district will move?"

I would have to look in my Engineers Handbook, I usually don't worry about that. I don't like to play on or anywhere near the tracks so I don't have to call the desks.
The split will be at Stamford, anything East of it will be on 160.335.

 

[Kitn1mcc]

any news

 

[radioman2001]

Still programming the 4000+ radios, havn't heard any further news on a cutover date, and we did have some issues with a particular brand of control head plus the shop keeps screwing us up by mixing 4 and 8 channel radios. Possibly in the spring.

 

[Kitn1mcc]

fun times ahead

 

[CqDx]

I was surprised to find a XG-75 with scan control head on a M2 I rode yesterday. The radio was already reprogrammed with the NH West/East Channel.

 

[radioman2001]

Quote" I was surprised to find a XG-75 with scan control head on a M2 I rode yesterday. The radio was already reprogrammed with the NH West/East Channel."

Not a XG they are M7300 radios, since the 7100,7200 was EOL when we needed radios. The M-7 and M7a are supposed to get the same package in the next few years due to the Orion and 7100 EOL and no parts available.

 

[N1SQB]

PL question

I was wondering if anyone can explain why some trains and or personnel on the NHVN line are registering a 123.0 pl on the scanners but dispatch or RTC is not?

Manny

 

[slapshot0017]

I wonder if it has anything to do with hitting specific receivers.

 

[Kitn1mcc]

Maybe to help keep the RTC quite . at the valley all the Radio used to do a PL of 77.0 mostly to keep the noise out my truck lol