VRE railroad frequencies?

[Starion]

Does anyone know what frequencies Virginia Railray Express uses? I can't find a list on the internet and I tried searching the VHF railroad band with my amateur mobile radio.

I'm not sure if VRE uses 160.920, or if only Amtrak uses that frequency.

 

[Starion]

Nevermind: I heard that VRE might be sharing frequencies with CSX and Amtrak.

 

[radio]

RE: VRE Frequencies

VRE and Amtrak: DC to Fredericksburg use the CSX/RF&P Frequencies

Road: 161.550 (Ch 96)
Dispatcher: 160.410 (Ch 20)

VRE and Amtrak: DC to Manassas use the old Norfolk Southern Frequencies. (I'm not sure who owns that line after the CSX/NS settlement with the Conrail sale.)

Road: 160.950 (Ch 56)
Dispatcher: 160.245 (Ch 09)

Note: I have seen in writing that they and the freight trains on this NS line use a 160.245 (Ch 09) Dispatcher-to-Train and a 160.830 (Ch 48) Train-to-Dispather combination but I have never heard that. I have only heard the 160.245 use. In fact, most of what I hear on train traffic is them speaking to the dispather on the road channel.

 

[n4jri]

VRE trains should also use the Conrail & Amtrak freqs when in their territory.

When crossing the Potomac at Rosslyn ("RO Tower"), the train will switch to 160.800 for the Landover Line, and then at Virginia Ave., will switch to 160.92 for the Amtrak line to Union Station.

Given that Conrail has been taken over by CSX & NS, I don't know if the Landover Line freq has or will change.

Because the Manassas line has to use CSX/RF&P tracks from FA to RO, this means a total of four road freqs for Manassas trains, and three for Fredericksburg trains.

73/Allen (N4JRI)

 

[Starion]

Thanks n4jri. I'kk keep scanning the 160 and 161 band with my Icom IC-2100 and 5/8 wave antenna. I think I'm a little too far from the train tracks to hear the trains, but I'll keep listening. I am about ten miles west of the Alexandria Amtrak / VRE station.

73

 

[Starion]

I heard something on 160.410. The signal is very strong. I wonder if I'm listening to a repeater. I can't hear anything on the other frequencies, but I'll keep trying. I'm about 8 miles west from the Alexandria Amtrak / VRE stations. I am about four or five mines north of the Franconia / Springfield station.

I'll keep listening to the other frequencies.

I need to learn about train towers.

 

[n4jri]

This is the dispatcher frequency for CSX on the segment between Richmond and Alexandria.

73/Allen (N4JRI)

 

[Starion]

Ok, thanks. Later, I'll post a list of frequencies that I found while scanning the 160 - 161.6 MHz range.

 

[Starion]

I know why I couldn't hear anything on the Road: 161.550 (Ch 96) frequency. I turned the squelch up all the way AND the radio's attenuator is on. I had to enage the attenuator because I hear some excessive noise on the D.C. Metrorail frequencies.

I can hear the trains on Ch 96 passing through Springfield.

Thanks for all the help everyone.