It used to be fun responding to South Station or North Station where if the incident was related to Commuter Rail we'd have the MBTA Police, but if it was Amtrak we'd have Amtrak Police.
Southcoast Rail Project
- Thread starter kb1kvd
- Start date
Transit police has been patched on the COMIRS and the MSP trunk for a while.
Since you are listening on AAR 091 (161.475 MHz) that would be the South Coast Dispatcher, train crews, signal maintainers, and track patrols. More than likely you are going to hear the dispatcher since they have 5 base site on the territory which cover from Middleboro to Fall River and New Bedford. Generally you are not going to hear conductors since they're inside the train on a handheld unless your next to the train. You will hear the loco's from about 3-4 miles away but that's about it. Engineering Dept employees are usually using handhelds as well so hearing them far away is also rather limited unless they're hi-railing then they're using the mobile with a high gain antenna.
Fall River and New Bedford layovers are on AAR 051 (160.875 MHz) just like every other layover with the exception of Readville which is on AAR 007 (160.215 MHz) and Southampton Street which is on AAR 063 (161.055 MHz). The yard channel is really only going to be active during the overnight hours when the trains are coming into the layovers and mechanical forces are getting equipment ready. Once the equipment is tied down for the night the mechanics may operate on the mechanical channels AAR 047 (160.815 MHz) but most times they're radio silent at the outlaying points. The only yards that are really active 24/7 are Boston Engine Terminal on AAR 051, Readville on AAR 007 and Southampton St on AAR 063.
Since you are listening on AAR 091 (161.475 MHz) that would be the South Coast Dispatcher, train crews, signal maintainers, and track patrols. More than likely you are going to hear the dispatcher since they have 5 base site on the territory which cover from Middleboro to Fall River and New Bedford. Generally you are not going to hear conductors since they're inside the train on a handheld unless your next to the train. You will hear the loco's from about 3-4 miles away but that's about it. Engineering Dept employees are usually using handhelds as well so hearing them far away is also rather limited unless they're hi-railing then they're using the mobile with a high gain antenna.
Well since it is MBTA property the Transit police have a presence on the South coast rail territory. They've already had to deal with a few calls down in the New Bedford area this week.
IIRC, since one of the Commuter Rail line extends past T.F. Green Airport the Transit Police have jurisdiction down there was well. In MA at least they have full jurisdiction in any city or town where the MBTA has facilities or property.
Transit has jurisdiction wherever MBTA trains operate or Mass DOT owned trackage.
CapeCodChris
Member
I just started monitoring 161.475 today and noticed on my SDS200 that I sometimes see DMR or slot 1. What am I missing?
There's no DMR in use on our system. The only digital we have running on that frequency is NXDN but that's used up at Boston Engine Terminal. The only thing I can think of is maybe a bit of ducting and you're hearing someone else far away or it's a bit of falsing on the scanner.
This is likely it. The SDS 200 is notoriously known for VHF High Band overload issues.
ecps92
Member
Unless Chris has a good site into Boston, the band has been dead for a couple of days now
