Strang Noise On My Railroad Scanner

[SPERT20906]

On 160-230 I am hearing some weird tones & was wondering what this means, I live in the WHEATON MARYLAND area of the NORTH EAST line.

Thanks.

Bob

 

[SCPD]

They could be end of train beacons or other type of telemeter data transmitted for railroad procedures.

 

[SPERT20906]

They could be end of train beacons or other type of telemeter data transmitted for railroad procedures.

Thanks, I will listen to see if I hear it when they blow their horns.

Bob

 

[mancow]

Do what?



:roll:

 

[Rayjk110]

The only even remote "Beacon" is the EOT device placed on the rear coupler - I forget the exact frequency, it's 467.xxxx something-or-other.

If you're hearing wierd noises, it could be the result of a cheap/old scanner that can't handle intermod/images.

 

[WX4JCW]

Certain RR's use telemetry in the AAR Channel area as well,
a recording would be helpful

 

[califzeph]

I hear that all the time, sorta sounds like a computer modem. I live across the street from the Roseville train yard, and often have my back up scanner on Signal Stalker. I think this yard uses remote control switching locomotives, so it may have something to do with that.

 

[SPERT20906]

The only even remote "Beacon" is the EOT device placed on the rear coupler - I forget the exact frequency, it's 467.xxxx something-or-other.

If you're hearing wierd noises, it could be the result of a cheap/old scanner that can't handle intermod/images.

I am using my VHS/USF one for all train & it only happens once in a while, it seemed to be a tone like a test tone or something because it seems to send out one type then answer back with another tone. So they could be doing test because they are having some problems with the auto detector system.

Thanks;

Bob

 

[SPERT20906]

I hear that all the time, sorta sounds like a computer modem. I live across the street from the Roseville train yard, and often have my back up scanner on Signal Stalker. I think this yard uses remote control switching locomotives, so it may have something to do with that.

Metrorail?

I think you might be right for the CSX/AMTRACK/MARK trains because I keep hearing them [voice] talking about hand throw & auto switching, almost sounds like a testing thing.

Bob

 

[Rayjk110]

They usually call the dispatcher from portables/mobiles with a DTMF KeyPad, and what that does is it pages the dispatcher.

IE, around here when a train needs to contact the dispatcher, say, amtrak, they will dial 057 on their portables. This is recognized by the dispatch radio at the local tower and it sends back a 900hz tone or some 4-5 second tone. You may be just hearing the tone because sometimes it's dialed up from portables, which you cannot always hear.

 

[SPERT20906]

They usually call the dispatcher from portables/mobiles with a DTMF KeyPad, and what that does is it pages the dispatcher.

IE, around here when a train needs to contact the dispatcher, say, amtrak, they will dial 057 on their portables. This is recognized by the dispatch radio at the local tower and it sends back a 900hz tone or some 4-5 second tone. You may be just hearing the tone because sometimes it's dialed up from portables, which you cannot always hear.

Yes, metrorail has pager tones on their mikes too or buttons to call central. I do not hear them to well but sometimes. I guises since AMTRAK/MARC/CSX are bigger & have a lot of repeaters I could hear the tones without the dispatcher calling, but it is computer tones.

[I love talking about the trains more then with my 800 scanner problems, because all problems work out sooner or later anyway]


Bob

 

[Rayjk110]

Either that or someone is 'kerchuking' the links.

IE Union Pacific (ala UP) has ALL Their dispatchers in Omaha. It goes thru microwave links to the final transmitters at the nearest location. That's when when the dispatcher de-keys and you hear alotta pops and clicks, they're at a remote location.

That's how it is at the Metra/UP north line yard over here, all the trains talk to whoever in omaha. could be that. not sure.

 

[SPERT20906]

They usually call the dispatcher from portables/mobiles with a DTMF KeyPad, and what that does is it pages the dispatcher.

IE, around here when a train needs to contact the dispatcher, say, amtrak, they will dial 057 on their portables. This is recognized by the dispatch radio at the local tower and it sends back a 900hz tone or some 4-5 second tone. You may be just hearing the tone because sometimes it's dialed up from portables, which you cannot always hear.

Thanks, I think a while back I heard where the engineers have computers in the cabs so they & the dispatcher can see what is down the line [something with computers because I once heard something about text messages]

Bob

 

[Rayjk110]

Computers? What?

I know conductors on Amtrak have laptops for business use that I frequently see, but that's all I know of.

On the new control stand and even the desk style control stand (like on the dash-9), some railroads have adopted the use of 2 LCD Screens in place of the actual control needles, sometimes even 3 LCD's - but of all the cabs I've ever been in, I've never seen a computer implemented anywhere.

Also, I remember reading somewhere that 1 road had used a camera in the front, but I think it only activated when the train went into emergency braking and then recorded into the locomotive's black box.

Typically the dispatcher can tell where a train is at based on the sensors of signals, and the little gray rectangles (about 3" by 6") that are on the side of cars and loco's that get scanned at certain points, primarily where shippers can tell where their car is at, but can be used for tracking purposes as well. I have a couple here that I've found trackside.

 

[SPERT20906]

Computers? What?

I know conductors on Amtrak have laptops for business use that I frequently see, but that's all I know of.

On the new control stand and even the desk style control stand (like on the dash-9), some railroads have adopted the use of 2 LCD Screens in place of the actual control needles, sometimes even 3 LCD's - but of all the cabs I've ever been in, I've never seen a computer implemented anywhere.

That must be what they were talking about.

Also, I remember reading somewhere that 1 road had used a camera in the front, but I think it only activated when the train went into emergency braking and then recorded into the locomotive's black box.

That may be true, & safe as well.

Typically the dispatcher can tell where a train is at based on the sensors of signals, and the little gray rectangles (about 3" by 6") that are on the side of cars and loco's that get scanned at certain points, primarily where shippers can tell where their car is at, but can be used for tracking purposes as well. I have a couple here that I've found trackside.

Cool, maybe thiis is what CSX means on their web site by tracking your cargo?

Thanks

Bob

 

[Rayjk110]

Probably is. I know they're placed every 15-20 miles or so. Basically so the dispatcher can tell what cars/how many are on the train, and what loco. All the square really carries is the Road Name and Road Number - and I think tracking is just cross referenced to which car it was put in.

 

[SPERT20906]

Probably is. I know they're placed every 15-20 miles or so. Basically so the dispatcher can tell what cars/how many are on the train, and what loco. All the square really carries is the Road Name and Road Number - and I think tracking is just cross referenced to which car it was put in.

Thanks, would not mind being an engineer. But running my trains is enough, God bless.

Bob

 

[gcgrotz]

They usually call the dispatcher from portables/mobiles with a DTMF KeyPad, and what that does is it pages the dispatcher.

IE, around here when a train needs to contact the dispatcher, say, amtrak, they will dial 057 on their portables. This is recognized by the dispatch radio at the local tower and it sends back a 900hz tone or some 4-5 second tone. You may be just hearing the tone because sometimes it's dialed up from portables, which you cannot always hear.

160.230 is the CSX road freq here in central VA. The tone referred to by Rayjk110 comes when they call a dispatcher using a dtmf tone and the base acknowledges with what sounds like a telephone ringing tone. The key to this would be if you hear a dispatcher come on shortly after the tone.

Most of the EOTs are in UHF but NS used a VHF freq, something like 160.115 (don't quote me on that) but I had it in the scanner a long time and have never heard anything on it and LOTS of trains pass through here (and some even stop) on NS every day.

Maybe you could record what you are hearing and post it?

 

[SPERT20906]

160.230 is the CSX road freq here in central VA. The tone referred to by Rayjk110 comes when they call a dispatcher using a dtmf tone and the base acknowledges with what sounds like a telephone ringing tone. The key to this would be if you hear a dispatcher come on shortly after the tone.

I heard this this moring when I was leaving to go shopping

Most of the EOTs are in UHF but NS used a VHF freq, something like 160.115 (don't quote me on that) but I had it in the scanner a long time and have never heard anything on it and LOTS of trains pass through here (and some even stop) on NS every day.

I can always set my railroad scanner to scan or just putt 160.115 in to find out.

Maybe you could record what you are hearing and post it?

How do I do this?

Thanks.

I like the railroad part [this] better then the other parts of this site, people seem nasty when I am talking about my 800 scanner. I just saw the railroad one this weekend. I may just log out as SPERT & log on with just my towns SP20906 [should have done this in the first place, but did not have Yahoo then]. Also if anyone has any railroad sites [model/real] please post them here, thanks & God bless you all!

Bob

 

[brucewarming]

CSX CH 8 160.230 is the main road channel here in Martinsburg WV. Now I have been getting digital on 161.250. I wonder what that is all about? It sounds like a control channel? Strong signal too!