Monitoring Train Locations

[JasonTracy]

I don't care where a train is going or what it is carrying, but I'd love to know when one is approaching my town. There is only one line through Columbus, Indiana, but it cuts the city in half.

Is there a common frequency reserved for a transponders that I could detect and alert from? Even if all I hear is a "beep beep" from the transponder, it would be perfect for my purposes if I only hear it when a train is nearby.

If not on the train itself, perhaps there is hardware on the track that transmits something when the train goes by? I couldn't find anything on the FCC database for my county other than the normal two-way radio for the train, which isn't transmitting at all times.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Swipesy]

Is there a common frequency reserved for a transponders that I could detect and alert from? Even if all I hear is a "beep beep" from the transponder, it would be perfect for my purposes if I only hear it when a train is nearby.

If not on the train itself, perhaps there is hardware on the track that transmits something when the train goes by? I couldn't find anything on the FCC database for my county other than the normal two-way radio for the train, which isn't transmitting at all times.

Thanks for your help!

The closest thing to what you are suggesting would be track detectors. If you are within no more than 3-4 miles you could hear on a regular scanner and train road channels the track detector give off some information of a train that just past through the detector. If you searched for track detectors in your area I am sure you will find the mile post of the detector as well as the frequency it is broadcast on.

 

[mikewazowski]

Jason, I've split your post off from the original thread in order to try and keep things on topic.

The thread you replied to drifted off course and was about to drift back off course again.

Once you revive the thread, people don't pay attention to the post dates and think they must reply to posts made over two years ago. I deleted one such reply already.

I would check out ATCSMon and see if the lines near you have already been mapped out.

 

[JasonTracy]

Thanks for the replies already, everyone! Also thank you to MikeOxlong for the fresh thread and keeping my comments on-topic. We need mods like you!

I've been unable to find any track detectors, and it appears ATCSMon won't be helpful in this area based off the names of the RR companies that use it.

The railroad is a small one, the Louisville and Indiana Railroad Company. The tracks don't support speeds over 30 mph, and the train slows to 10mph for part of the tracks near here, so I don't expect they would need any type of track sensors, correct?

I have learned of the FRED and WILMA boxes on the trains, so I added 452.9375/457.9375 MHz to my scanner to see if I can hear them. If they transmit constantly, that might be the ticket if I'm not too far away from them.

I also added the ATCS frequencies, just to see if that gets me anything in this area.

I'm using a PRO-2050 Radio Shack Trunk tracker in my basement, and the tracks are almost 2 miles away. If I don't hear anything today (train runs 4 times a day or so), then I'll move it upstairs and see what I can hear.

Any other advice is welcome! Thanks again.

 

[hpycmpr]

In addition to the 450 MHz freqs you have, which should work well for your purpose, add the railroad "road" channel for the track detectors and other comms.

Steve

 

[AK9R]

I'm not aware of any talking defect detectors on the LIRC through Columbus. If there were any, they'd transmit on the normal "road" frequency in the 160-161 MHz range.

Monitoring the EOTD (aka "FRED") may not give you enough advance warning. The EOTDs only transmit with a few watts and their antennas are just above the coupler on the last car of the train. By design, the EOTDs only have to transmit a strong enough signal to reach the receiver on the head end of the train. The data burst is brief and as long as the matching device on the head end of the train hears the EOTD periodically, life is good.

As I'm sure you know, traffic on the LIRC has picked up over the past few months as CSX is running a few autorack trains from Louisville to Indianapolis on that line. CSX and LIRC have entered into an agreement whereby CSX will pump millions of dollars into upgrading the line for heavier train cars and higher speeds in exchange for rights to run even more trains on the line.

 

[popnokick]

I'm using a PRO-2050 Radio Shack Trunk tracker in my basement, and the tracks are almost 2 miles away. If I don't hear anything today (train runs 4 times a day or so), then I'll move it upstairs and see what I can hear.

If your antenna is also in your basement, you are very unlikely to hear anything. The situation may improve slightly moving the antenna to the first level above the basement, but unlikely due to the weak signals involved. If you don't have a good antenna outside on the roof.... now is the time to get one.

 

[burner50]

I don't know anything about the area, but ATCSMON can't receive signals if there is nothing to receive...

If it is CTC, you're good... but If it isn't, you're going to have problems.

I would dial in the FRED frequencies, and also DPU frequencies.

Most FRED's are 8 watts anymore.

 

[AK9R]

The LIRC is unsignalled except at crossings (with CSX at Seymour) or junctions with other lines (with NS, I believe, at Jeffersonville and CSX at Indianapolis). Movement or track occupancy authority is by track warrant.

I'm not aware of any DPU activity on the line. The line is mostly flat. No heavy unit trains at this time. My assumption is that CSX will primarily use the line to move loaded autoracks and general merchandise out of Louisville to Chicago and the Northeast US. CSX's existing line between Cincinnati and Louisville is a challenging piece of single-track railroad and has a history of being closed for days at a time due to rock/mud slides. In addition, the CSX Queensgate Yard at Cincinnati is a bottle-neck. The LIRC deal gives CSX an outlet to the north out of Louisville that avoids potential trouble spots. Louisville is a major auto manufacturing city with two large Ford assembly plants: Louisville Assembly currently builds Escapes and the Kentucky Truck plant builds the F-250 thru F-550 line and the Expedition.

 

[W9NES]

You might want to check out the freq of 160.590. I have a short line for CSX in the Indianapolis area called the Zionsville Line, When a CSX train approaches a crossing where I have two on them a digital signal is transmitted to let me know on my scanner that a train is in my area. I also hear the horn when the train is going up and down the track. I did talk to CSX a while back and the 160.590 is a active frequency for the tail end of the train. Some people cannot hear 160.590 in the Indianapolis area but I hear it just fine and have verified the frequency with a handheld scanner while setting in a parking lot near the Zionsville line when a CSX train is on the track.

 

[JasonTracy]

Thanks everyone!
I've been hearing a few chatters even from my basement at the 45 mile marker, about 3 miles away. I also sometimes hear what sounds like a brief data burst (for those that remember modems, that sound), but I'm always too slow to see the frequency.

I think with a good antenna on the roof, I could easily detect it.

Any recommendations on an antenna? When I get one, I'll likely hook it to this USB SDR I have. The end goal I'm going for is to send myself a text when a train is about 5 miles out, giving me enough time to leave right away or know that I should plan on a delay. Like W9BU said, activity is going to increase in the next few years, so I'd like to start my planning now so we can adapt.

 

[W9NES]

Jason, I am hearing the data burst on 160.590 here on the Northwest Side of Indianapolis. The Zionsville Line is about 3 miles to my west of my home. I am using a Bearcat 300 with a telescopic antenna that came with the scanner fully extended. up stairs in my master bedroom nightstand. The scanner is about 40 feet up above ground on the second level of my home. It is amazing on what you can find when I can hear it and no one else can hear it. Just do a search from 160.200 to 161.550 and listen for the data burst. If you do not find it on 160.590 you should find it doing a search in your local area. Hope this helps Jason.

 

[burner50]

Some trains aren't required to have rear end telemetry. There is no way to detect those.

But they're very short.

 

[cbehr91]

Columbus, Indiana isn't exactly a hotspot, and on an unsignalled line which means all you'll hear are track warrants the dispatcher issues to train crews to authorize movement on the territory and maybe some switching. The rr database says the Louisville & Indiana (the regional railroad that goes through Columbus) uses 160.7250 for the road channel and 161.0250 as the yard channel. E.O.T.s (end-of-train-devices) operate on 452.9375 and 457.9375. Try those channels and you might get a heads up on when a train will come through.

I haven't known of any E.O.T.s operating in the VHF band for a long time.

 

[W9NES]

160.590 works for me every time when there is a train on the Zionsville Sub line. When I hear the train blowing the horn on the engine I turn on 160.590 and there is digital signals while the train is going north and then when the train leaves the signal gets weak until I cannot hear it. This is a CSX sub line.