Nevada, MO RR Traffic

[scanman1958]

I wanted to start here just in case it would give me a larger group of listeners to respond. If it needs to be put in the RR monitoring forum, OK.

About two days ago I was monitoring RR traffic from just west of Lebanon, MO. Heard what sounded like a roll call of trains on 160.635 AAR Ch35. Very garbled and fast talking person on the radio. I did hear this. UP 2691---mile post 615---east track, west track?---Nevada Dispatch. Lots of other train numbers called out and many times I heard mile posts mentioned. I believe there is a Missouri - Northern Arkansas Branch line that goes through Nevada. Was I actually hearing the Nevada dispatcher? And was this the right frequency for that area?

 

[wbloss]

MNA has a phone patch on that freq - could have been something from that

 

[steener]

Here's a link to a Rail Guide map that shows the mileposts for railroad routes and locations around the country:
Rail Guide

I find it useful because it you can usually determine roughly where a train is by listening for the defect detectors.
AAR 35 is what MNA uses here in Southwest Missouri. Also, if you're ever in the Branson area, the Branson Scenic railroad uses this channel for their operations since they operate on MNA track north to Reeds Spring and south into Arkansas.

Here is some of what I've been able to monitor from the Joplin area:
-UP is on AAR51 (Parsons) quite a bit.
-CPKC typically uses AAR10 and AAR11 for dispatch/train communications.
-The CPKC (broadcast as KCS) detectors are usually on AAR10.
-I hear BNSF Fort Scott on AAR39 and BNSF Cherokee on AAR54.
-Occasionally I can hear SKOL (Southeast Kansas and Oklahoma) on AAR45.

Another potentially useful resource is the page on the DPD productions website that has some known AAR channel usage:
DPD Rail frequencies

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Paul

 

[steener]

The closest milepost 615 would be north of Adrian, Missouri on the Nevada subdivision. As for the East/West track; It may have been some Union Pacific "foreign power" (a UP Locomotive leading the train) working the siding or setting out hoppers at West Central Agri Services in Adrian.

Regards,
Paul

P.S. make sure you monitor 457.938 (End of Train) and 452.938 (Head of Train). If you hear a databurst on either of these, then a train is probably within a few miles of your location.

 

[scanman1958]

Thanks to wbloss & Paul. Good info.

I was monitoring from Bennett Spring with an outside antenna and did not think I would hear too much because of the one sub through Lebanon. It was nice to hear what I did. Not quite sure it was a phone patch, maybe it was. I could not hear any train radios. Next time I go down there I will try again.

I have been on the Branson Scenic Railway twice. Once for a regular trip and another for a dinner train. Only wish the ride was a little longer.

 

[scanman1958]

I also found a website that is a "defect detector map". Pretty cool stuff.

 

[wbloss]

Defect Detector Map

 

[TheBoz]

I wanted to start here just in case it would give me a larger group of listeners to respond. If it needs to be put in the RR monitoring forum, OK.

About two days ago I was monitoring RR traffic from just west of Lebanon, MO. Heard what sounded like a roll call of trains on 160.635 AAR Ch35. Very garbled and fast talking person on the radio. I did hear this. UP 2691---mile post 615---east track, west track?---Nevada Dispatch. Lots of other train numbers called out and many times I heard mile posts mentioned. I believe there is a Missouri - Northern Arkansas Branch line that goes through Nevada. Was I actually hearing the Nevada dispatcher? And was this the right frequency for that area?

I know I’m a few months late on this, but MNA has UP power running empty coal trains from Newport, Arkansas to Kansas City on this line, so hearing the UP locomotive number is very possible, I’m not sure what the east, west track would refer to, there are a few sidings in that area, Butler and Lone Tree (between Archie and Harrisonville, they are usually occupied with cars for Scoular at Adrian. As for the dispatcher, we have a tower at Nevada on 165.635, but the dispatcher is in St Albens, Vermont, relayed by phone patch, it could be possible to pick it up that far away, I’ve picked up traffic off of the Nevada tower when I’ve been in Springfield, MNA has about five or so miles of track in the southwest part of Springfield that they switch.