Railroad "guard" frequency for emergencies?

[K3HY]

Got a silly question. Is there a 'guard' frequency that railroads monitor, similar to aviation? Is there some kind of emergency phone number that law enforcement can call that gets routed to the correct rail company, in case of something on the tracks etc?

 

[buddrousa]

Each mainline and railyard has their own assigned frequency and the train operator knows this from his paperwork.

 

[JeremyG760]

Got a silly question. Is there a 'guard' frequency that railroads monitor, similar to aviation? Is there some kind of emergency phone number that law enforcement can call that gets routed to the correct rail company, in case of something on the tracks etc?

I know that all of the crossings around here have a specific phone number on each, as well as a crossing identification number. It is a white on blue sign with instructions to call that if there is an issue near a crossing. I just assumed this would go to a dispatch center who is responsible for that track. I don't know if it is a nationwide thing, but I definitely see it on every crossing here in southern California

 

[K6CDO]

I know that all of the crossings around here have a specific phone number on each, as well as a crossing identification number. It is a white on blue sign with instructions to call that if there is an issue near a crossing. I just assumed this would go to a dispatch center who is responsible for that track. I don't know if it is a nationwide thing, but I definitely see it on every crossing here in southern California

It is a national thing (FRA requirement) and the phone number goes to the owner of the rails, who controls train movement on them. The tag also includes the milepost.

 

[UPCoffeyvilleSubMain2]

Got a silly question. Is there a 'guard' frequency that railroads monitor, similar to aviation? Is there some kind of emergency phone number that law enforcement can call that gets routed to the correct rail company, in case of something on the tracks etc?

Hi, that's a good question, in my opinion.

As JeremyG760 has said, emergency communications for the public is based on telephone call centers which phone numbers generally can be found on small signs on railroad properties including warning bell/light/gate poles at grade crossings.

These ring into phone systems which in the case of UP at least, have menus to pick the situation being reported, specifically to prioritize actual emergencies.

I have called into the UP number a few times, including on a non-emergency basis once when a crossing signal activated and stayed active multiple times for blocking automotive traffic for long periods in absence of any train traffic.

I was surprised when the signal maintainer arrived in his truck about 15 minutes later and gratified when it false-activated again while I was chatting with him.

I have heard emergency comms related to an incident on a snowy day when an automobile struck a train that was already passing through a street crossing with all the warning equipment active, between the lead loco and mid-dpu.

I heard the dispatcher notify the crew they needed to stop.

The crew seemed unaware of the collision.

Upon hearing this, I drove straight to the crossing, where I found the train stopped blocking 3 crossings and automotive traffic in complete turmoil.

This is when things turned weird, because I thought I heard a transmission on the normal UP dispatcher AAR 077, 161.26500, identifying the talker as KCPD and saying he needed the crew to contact him on a cell phone number which he gave on the transmission.

This was received on my BC125AT which I'm 99% sure had no other freqs programmed at the time other than the AAR 07-97 channels saved in the scan banks, was not in search mode and close call was not active.

It seems weird that what seemed to happen could have happened.

Maybe the KCPD had boarded a loco and found it empty then used the radio but that seems doubtful.

Anyway, I am unaware of any designated railroad emergency/guard frequency similar to aviation 121.5 .

 

[kruser]

It is a national thing (FRA requirement) and the phone number goes to the owner of the rails, who controls train movement on them. The tag also includes the milepost.

Yep, the same signage is here as well. I also see warning signs posted with the ones we are talking about that mention the fact that "remote controlled" locomotives operate on these tracks. These signs also have a toll free number on them.
I have no idea how far away the operator is that's controlling the locomotive or switcher but I assume within eyesight mostly. They use remote controlled power for swapping chloramine tank cars in and out of a couple drinking water treatment plants along the Missouri river.
I'm not even sure who operates on the tracks. Possibly Missouri Valley RR. It's an old line that used to connect St. Louis with Kansas City but it's no longer used for cross state operations. I think the right of way still exists across the state though and I read something a while back about someone possibly using the track again. I think it may have been a (MKT) Missouri, Kansas, Texas RR track at one time. I know the tracks still connect with the TRRA in St. Louis and UP's Jeff City sub around an Ameren Electric power plant in Labadie, MO.

 

[wa8pyr]

Got a silly question. Is there a 'guard' frequency that railroads monitor, similar to aviation? Is there some kind of emergency phone number that law enforcement can call that gets routed to the correct rail company, in case of something on the tracks etc?

Not a silly question.

Re #1, no. For rail employees, all they usually have to do is dial 911 on the assigned frequency for the line they're on and it will put them right through to the dispatcher, with priority over everybody else.

Re #2, most public safety agencies will have the number to call on hand in their dispatch center, which routes them (usually) to either the railroad police or the chief dispatcher. As others have noted, there is a number for the public posted at railroad crossings; this usually goes to the railroad PD for large railroads (and a designated call center for small railroads, if their crossings are even posted).

 

[JoshuaHufford]

I've heard the dispatcher come on and say "Answering Emergency Call" when they were toned up. I can tell the tones are a different sequence than normal as well, I didn't realize the numbers could be 911, but it would make sense.

 

[Mojaveflyer]

I know that all of the crossings around here have a specific phone number on each, as well as a crossing identification number. It is a white on blue sign with instructions to call that if there is an issue near a crossing. I just assumed this would go to a dispatch center who is responsible for that track. I don't know if it is a nationwide thing, but I definitely see it on every crossing here in southern California

All railroads have their '800' numbers posted at ALL PUBLIC crossings. If you do a search on line for the Amtrak Emergency Notification System video it's an excellent source of info about railroad crossings. Operation Lifesaver presents classes all over the country about crossing safety. You can contact the State Coordinator for your state by going to OLI.ORG and looking for a presentation. I've been a presenter for 30 years and after working for BN for 18 years I got to deal with many instances of a tie at a railroad crossing between a car and a train....