Transfield Snow Removal

Status
Not open for further replies.

richrowl

Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2003
Messages
264
Location
Chesterfield Co Virginia
In Richmond Transfield Services is busy doing snow removal on an LTR system, LCN-1 452.2375 clearing Interstates and feeder roads. Talkgroups range from 0-01-066 up to 0-01-101. hardly no activity on the VDOT freqs. TG 1-01-083 is Transfield base. Sub-Contractors are Colony and Peachtree Hauling.
 

mike_s104

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Aug 25, 2004
Messages
4,806
Location
Berkeley Co. WV/ Loudoun Co. VA
In Richmond Transfield Services is busy doing snow removal on an LTR system, LCN-1 452.2375 clearing Interstates and feeder roads. Talkgroups range from 0-01-066 up to 0-01-101. hardly no activity on the VDOT freqs. TG 1-01-083 is Transfield base. Sub-Contractors are Colony and Peachtree Hauling.

Could it be that VDOT is on STARS?
 

trainman111

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Sep 23, 2005
Messages
1,082
Location
Richmond, VA
I have a question regarding Transfield that I hope somebody can answer. Obviously, when in the metro area, TSNA operates on the Commtronics Richmond #1 LTR system , but what about when they are out of range of that system? I know they handle I-85 in Greenville and Mecklenburg counties as well as I-295 in Prince George. When in these areas, do they rely on a separate radio system, or on another form of communication like Nextels?
 

AES-256

Member
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Messages
119
What sites and control channels are you hearing? I didn't have anything on my 2096 last night at 8PM. Who were you hearing? In my last conversation with program managers, there were no plans to add VDOT other than giving access to VDOT Supervisors (3 in NOVA) and safety service patrol.

Trust me on this one, STARS is locked down and if you are not a State Agency with an absolute need, you’re not getting on. Hell, Emergency Management can't even program their own radios and are limited on what talkgroups they can have.

MOTERHEAD, that memo that came out 3 weeks ago says it all. If you want to talk to somebody use SIRS, refer to NIFOG or buy a scanner :mad:
 
Last edited:

W4UVV

Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2002
Messages
1,634
Location
Prince George, Virginia--Central Va.
Undocumented FCC Database License(s)

I have a question regarding Transfield that I hope somebody can answer. Obviously, when in the metro area, TSNA operates on the Commtronics Richmond #1 LTR system , but what about when they are out of range of that system? I know they handle I-85 in Greenville and Mecklenburg counties as well as I-295 in Prince George. When in these areas, do they rely on a separate radio system, or on another form of communication like Nextels?

I can answer your question. Transfield operates their own licensed repeater on 461.5750 mhz., pl 173.8 for their southern Va. interstate operations. Don't expect to see their license in a FCC general menu or advanced database search as you will not find it. Bad FCC. Additionally the Un. of Richmond, probably Facilities Dept., pl 114 also uses this frequency. Again don't look for it in a FCC general menu or advanced database search as you will not find it either. Bad FCC again. These two users represent a number of vhf/uhf transmissions I receive off air and flag to make special efforts to id. Sometimes I can id the user and sometimes I can't. Either way they are added with all the other users in my frequency directory for future recall.

Hope this answers your question.
 

trainman111

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Sep 23, 2005
Messages
1,082
Location
Richmond, VA
Thank you! That is exactly what I was looking for! Do you have any idea how strong their repeater may be or where it's located? I'd like to pick it up here in Chesterfield, but I'm thinking that may be somewhat of a stretch.

Nick
 

W4UVV

Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2002
Messages
1,634
Location
Prince George, Virginia--Central Va.
Transfield So. Va. Repeater Location

Thank you! That is exactly what I was looking for! Do you have any idea how strong their repeater may be or where it's located? I'd like to pick it up here in Chesterfield, but I'm thinking that may be somewhat of a stretch.

Nick

I am not sure exactly but I believe it is located at their facility near the intersection of Rives Road and South Crater Road in south Petersburg near I95. The repeater is not strong. I suspect it may be only 20 watts omnidirectional as today a number of vehicles down on I95 near the state line had problems getting into it will understandable audio. I think the tower is about 50-60 ft. high.

With a decent outside antenna configuration you should have no difficulty hearing it in Chesterfield. A Scantenna mounted as high as practical pointed south should work fine. If you need more help PM me.
 

KF4ZTO

Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2005
Messages
564
Location
Virginia
Ahh, makes sense now. I thought most of the snow removal was being done by ICA (Infrastructure Contractors of America) but I guess its Transfield. Interesting to see how only the VDOT supervisors have gotten STARS radios but everybody else is still on lowband. I rarely hear VDOT simplex communications anymore either, it seems to either be on their repeaters or nothing. I remember hearing 45.760 (VDOT channel 25) when I still lived in Fairfax being used on I-66 whenever it snowed...
 

W4UVV

Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2002
Messages
1,634
Location
Prince George, Virginia--Central Va.
Confusing and messy

Ahh, makes sense now. I thought most of the snow removal was being done by ICA (Infrastructure Contractors of America) but I guess its Transfield. Interesting to see how only the VDOT supervisors have gotten STARS radios but everybody else is still on lowband. I rarely hear VDOT simplex communications anymore either, it seems to either be on their repeaters or nothing. I remember hearing 45.760 (VDOT channel 25) when I still lived in Fairfax being used on I-66 whenever it snowed...

It is very confusing and messy. I am recalling from memory and my facts may not be exact. Unless things have changed ICA has the I64 maintenance contract for the Peninsula and Tidewater area.and also for I64 west of Louisa Co. to the W. Va. state line. ICA additionally may have a contract for I81 north to the MD line and south to Wytheville where Transfield has the contract for I81 to Bristol at the TN line. ICA also has a contract for I95 north of Fredericksburg to NOVA for I395/I495. Transfield has the responsibility for the central and southern portions of I95/I64/I85 as listed in my previous post. About a year ago I created a map showing who was what where but I cannot locate it now. If I can find it I'll post it.

As for snow removal a number of local companies are additionally contracted by VDOT for snow removal.
They will pre-position their salt/sand truck at various locations before a storm arrives. Shoosmith in Chester as well as a number of others that Richard Rowland posted were contracted in the Richmond area. I assume the same local contracting occurs in other parts of the state also.

VDOT certainly does not do what they did years ago. There were several dead mature pine trees on an undeveloped section of Ft. Lee, across the road from my property, with one in particular that might fall on the road in the next big storm. I called the Ft. Lee Safety office and reported safety of life situation to the woman who answered. She took a report and subsequently I heard nothing. I called the Petersburg Residency and Prince George CH VDOT offices, reported it and asked for somebody to come and cut the trees before they fell. No, no, no. That's not their job. I was advised contractors do much of VDOT's work these days. I called Prince George Electric Coop and reported it and asked for help. No can do. It' on Ft. Lee property and they could be sued. I even called the Prince George PD and reported it to a Community Relations Sergeant. I never heard anything from him. About 3 months later I heard a tremendous thud outside my house. I ran outside and surprise surprise the tree I had reported had fallen across the road at about 3PM with the additionally traffic of school buses beginning to make their runs.. My road is a heavily traveled Ft. Lee perimeter road with lots of traffic during certain periods of time. The car closest to the fallen tree missed getting squashed by about 30 ft. It just so happened that the driver was the new Inspector General for Ft. Lee and he was livid after I told him I had reported the safety hazard almost a year earlier. He had a camera with him and took pictures. The PG PD came, VDOT came and somebody, possibly VDOT, appeared with a large front end loader and pushed the debris to the road shoulder. None of them wanted to hear my "I told you so". About a month later I heard chain saws. Obviously the Inspector General told the Ft. Lee Safety Office to cause a contract be awarded ASAP. In the process I am sure he also told the Chief of the Safety Office his experience my comments. The tree trimming co. was from Elizabeth City, NC, and had driven up about 90 miles that morning to remove other the dead trees that still were a safety hazard. Could VDOT at Prince George CH 1/2 mile away done the one day's work? Of course they could but that was not their job. I am confident that the woman in the Safety Office who logged my report and never followed up was given a verbal or possibly a written reprimand by her supervisor. So, why has VDOT's empire been on the decline? This situation is one reason why.
 

KF4ZTO

Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2005
Messages
564
Location
Virginia
Wow, I never realized VDOT was in such a condition. Contracting out their job isn't always the best idea...and it makes them harder to scan! Personally, I agree with the state's current plan of having their supervisors on STARS and everybody else on 47 MHz (and lets be realistic here, 27 MHz as well). All of the day to day lowband operations of VDOT on STARS would overload the system.
 

W4UVV

Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2002
Messages
1,634
Location
Prince George, Virginia--Central Va.
Transfield/ICA Interstate Maintenance Areas

Here is listing of Transfield licensed radio operations:

Map Number 1. I95/I295/I64 Central Va. area (Richmond) LTR system located in Richmond.
Commtronics LTR System 452.2375 mhz. LCN1(default channel frequency)
Talkgroups 0-01-066 to 0-01-161

Map Number 2. I85/I95 Tri-Cities/Southside Va. (Petersburg) Repeater located at Petersburg.
461.5750 mhz. (pl 173.8)

Map Number 3. I77/I81 Southwest Va. (Wytheville) (Transmitters at Max Meadows) (74.4 pl for all freqs.)
(Uses a Motorola system that may not decoded by scanners). All frequencies are repeater outputs except as otherwise noted:
43.78 mhz. Simplex
158.4150 mhz.
159.6300 mhz.
159.6450 mhz.
159.8550 mhz. (Simplex Relay)
159.9450 mhz.
451.4500 mhz.
452.6000 mhz.

Map Number 4. I64 Peninsula and Tidewater area Interstates only for mowing grass in the medians and off the shoulders.
152.9000 mhz. Repeater output. Repeater located in Norfolk.

ICA: No radio systems licensed.

Map Letter A. ICA I64 Peninsula and Tidewater areas.
Believed to be a user on Gately LTR system possibly WPNP421 or WPNV861.

Map Letter B. ICA I64/I64/I66/I81 Shenandoah Valley area.
Believed to be a user on one or more of the area's LTR systems or uses Nextel.

Map Letter C. ICA I66/I95/I395/I495 NOVA area.
Believed to be a user on one or more of the area's LTR systems i.e., Fredericksburg or uses Nextel.

Attached is a state map with Transfield maintenance responsibilities colored in red and ICA's in blue. It was done from memory and is not 100% accurate but reasonably accurate. Someone in the ICA maintenance areas will have to monitor the various LTR systems within their monitoring area to confirm ICA as a LTR system user.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top