What Is The Best Way To Determine What Railroad Frequencies I Should Monitor?

[JASII]

It has been a long time since I have tried listening to the railroad frequencies. I could program in all AAR frequencies, but I would rather focus on the ones that are likely to be used.

Are any of the 7.5 kHz frequencies getting used these days?

As far as modes go, is it still mostly analog? Who or where is NXDN being used?

Is there much use of PL in the railroad band these days?

I also seem to recall that track warrants are no longer done via voice for some railroads. Is that true of all the Class 1 railroads now?

If so, that would likely mean the Road Channels are much quieter than they were in the past.

Anyway, where are the best sources of active railroad frequencies these days?

 

[AK9R]

In my experience, the 7.5 kHz freqs are not being used.

With the exception of the Florida East Coast Railway, NXDN is not being used on main lines on a widespread basis. You may find it being used in larger yards. I'd stick with mostly analog.

In my experience, PL is rarely used on railroads. Since PL is primarily used for selective access to repeaters, I'm not a big fan of programming PL tones into my scanners unless I have an interference problem.

Track Warrants are issued, modified, and cleared by voice on the dispatcher channels on CSX.

In my experience, the road channels are just as active as they've always been. Defect detectors are usually announced on road channels. Crews use the road channels when switching on the main or in smaller yards.

The RadioReference database would be my first place to look for frequencies. There are lots of Facebook groups that are focused on specific rail lines where you might find frequency info. For example, I live in central Indiana and I'm a member of groups for the Indianapolis area, CSX St. Louis Line, CSX Chicago & Evansville Division, CSX Monon line, CSX and NS in the Lafayette area, CSX Chicago Division, North Central Indiana railroads, NS New Castle District, CSX Indianapolis Line, CSX Indianapolis Division, CSX Indiana Division, INRD, LIRC, and several others.

 

[JASII]

Thank you for the reply.

According to the website of the city I live in, we have the following railroads operating in my city.

What is the best way to determine which Road Channel I should be listening to?

(I think I might want to try 160.845 for the UPRR.)

Union Pacific​

Frequency	Input	License	Type	Tone	Alpha Tag	Description	Mode	Tag
160.845		KNJZ613	BM		UP Albert Lea	Albert Lea Sub - St. Paul to Mason City IA	FMN	Railroad
160.890		WNGP579	BM		UP Altoona	Altoona Sub - Necedah WI to Minneapolis	FMN	Railroad
160.455		BM		UP 2 Utility	Ch. 2 Utility	FMN	Railroad
161.040		BM		UP 2 Road	Ch. 3 Road	FMN	Railroad
161.175		BM		UP 4 Yard	Ch. 4 Yard	FMN	Railroad
160.320		BM		UP 5 Yard	Ch. 5 Yard	FMN	Railroad
160.485		BM		UP 6 MOW	Ch. 6 Maintenance of Way	FMN	Railroad
160.575		KGC589	BM		UP Fairmont	Fairmont Sub - Butterfield to Mason City IA	FMN	Railroad
160.890		WNGG528	BM		UP Mankato	Mankato Sub - St. Paul to St. James	FMN	Railroad
160.890		WNGG528	BM		UP Worthington	Worthington Sub - St. James to Le Mars IA	FMN	Railroad

Canadian Pacific​

Frequency	Input	License	Type	Tone	Alpha Tag	Description	Mode	Tag
160.230		BM	CSQ	CP RAIL CAR	CP Rail Car Dept	FMN	Railroad
160.305		BM	CSQ	CP RAIL GE	CP Rail GE Service	FMN	Railroad
160.530		BM	CSQ	CP RAIL RDHS	CP Rail Roundhouse	FMN	Railroad
160.680		BM	CSQ	CP RAIL YARD	CP Rail Yard	FMN	Railroad
160.980		BM	CSQ	CP RAIL	CP Rail-Shoreham Intermodel	FMN	Railroad
161.370		BM	CSQ	CP RAIL CH 1	CP Rail Ch 1- Withrow to Glenwood	FMN	Railroad
161.520		BM	CSQ	CP RAIL CH 2	CP Rail Ch 2- Glenwood to Noyes Port of Entry	FMN	Railroad
161.085		BM	CSQ	CP RAIL CH 3	CP Rail Ch 3- Glenwood & West Route	FMN	Railroad
160.770		BM	CSQ	CP RAIL CH 4	CP Rail Ch 4- LaCrosse to St Criox, St Paul	FMN	Railroad
161.430		BM	CSQ	CP RAIL CH 5	CP Rail Ch 5- Yard	FMN	Railroad
160.725		BM	CSQ	CP RAIL CH 6	CP Rail Ch 6- Yard	FMN	Railroad
160.440		BM	CSQ	CPRR	CP Rail	FMN	Railroad
160.455		BM	CSQ	CPRR	CP Rail	FMN	Railroad
160.890		BM	CSQ	CPRR	CP Rail	FMN	Railroad
161.175		BM	CSQ	CPRR	CP Rail	FMN	Railroad
161.205		BM	CSQ	CPRR	CP Rail	FMN	Railroad
161.460		BM	CSQ	CPRR	CP Rail	FMN	Railroad
160.215	161.475	RM	CSQ	CPRR MRAS	CP Rail MRAS	FMN	Railroad
160.260	161.400	RM	CSQ	CPRR MRAS	CP Rail MRAS	FMN	Railroad
160.470	161.325	RM	CSQ	CPRR MRAS	CP Rail MRAS	FMN	Railroad

Progressive Rail (Twin Cities)​

Frequency	Input	License	Type	Tone	Alpha Tag	Description	Mode	Tag
161.220		BM		PROG RR Blooming	Bloomington	FMN	Railroad
160.115		BM		PROG RR Lakevill	Lakeville	FMN	Railroad
160.350		BM		PROG RR 160.35	Progressive Railroad	FMN	Railroad
160.380		BM		PROG RR 160.38	Progressive Railroad	FMN	Railroad

 

[FrensicPic]

Thank you for the reply.

According to the website of the city I live in, we have the following railroads operating in my city.

What is the best way to determine which Road Channel I should be listening to?

(I think I might want to try 160.845 for the UPRR.)

Union Pacific​

Frequency	Input	License	Type	Tone	Alpha Tag	Description	Mode	Tag
160.845		KNJZ613	BM		UP Albert Lea	Albert Lea Sub - St. Paul to Mason City IA	FMN	Railroad
160.890		WNGP579	BM		UP Altoona	Altoona Sub - Necedah WI to Minneapolis	FMN	Railroad
160.455		BM		UP 2 Utility	Ch. 2 Utility	FMN	Railroad
161.040		BM		UP 2 Road	Ch. 3 Road	FMN	Railroad
161.175		BM		UP 4 Yard	Ch. 4 Yard	FMN	Railroad
160.320		BM		UP 5 Yard	Ch. 5 Yard	FMN	Railroad
160.485		BM		UP 6 MOW	Ch. 6 Maintenance of Way	FMN	Railroad
160.575		KGC589	BM		UP Fairmont	Fairmont Sub - Butterfield to Mason City IA	FMN	Railroad
160.890		WNGG528	BM		UP Mankato	Mankato Sub - St. Paul to St. James	FMN	Railroad
160.890		WNGG528	BM		UP Worthington	Worthington Sub - St. James to Le Mars IA	FMN	Railroad

Canadian Pacific​

Frequency	Input	License	Type	Tone	Alpha Tag	Description	Mode	Tag
160.230		BM	CSQ	CP RAIL CAR	CP Rail Car Dept	FMN	Railroad
160.305		BM	CSQ	CP RAIL GE	CP Rail GE Service	FMN	Railroad
160.530		BM	CSQ	CP RAIL RDHS	CP Rail Roundhouse	FMN	Railroad
160.680		BM	CSQ	CP RAIL YARD	CP Rail Yard	FMN	Railroad
160.980		BM	CSQ	CP RAIL	CP Rail-Shoreham Intermodel	FMN	Railroad
161.370		BM	CSQ	CP RAIL CH 1	CP Rail Ch 1- Withrow to Glenwood	FMN	Railroad
161.520		BM	CSQ	CP RAIL CH 2	CP Rail Ch 2- Glenwood to Noyes Port of Entry	FMN	Railroad
161.085		BM	CSQ	CP RAIL CH 3	CP Rail Ch 3- Glenwood & West Route	FMN	Railroad
160.770		BM	CSQ	CP RAIL CH 4	CP Rail Ch 4- LaCrosse to St Criox, St Paul	FMN	Railroad
161.430		BM	CSQ	CP RAIL CH 5	CP Rail Ch 5- Yard	FMN	Railroad
160.725		BM	CSQ	CP RAIL CH 6	CP Rail Ch 6- Yard	FMN	Railroad
160.440		BM	CSQ	CPRR	CP Rail	FMN	Railroad
160.455		BM	CSQ	CPRR	CP Rail	FMN	Railroad
160.890		BM	CSQ	CPRR	CP Rail	FMN	Railroad
161.175		BM	CSQ	CPRR	CP Rail	FMN	Railroad
161.205		BM	CSQ	CPRR	CP Rail	FMN	Railroad
161.460		BM	CSQ	CPRR	CP Rail	FMN	Railroad
160.215	161.475	RM	CSQ	CPRR MRAS	CP Rail MRAS	FMN	Railroad
160.260	161.400	RM	CSQ	CPRR MRAS	CP Rail MRAS	FMN	Railroad
160.470	161.325	RM	CSQ	CPRR MRAS	CP Rail MRAS	FMN	Railroad

Progressive Rail (Twin Cities)​

Frequency	Input	License	Type	Tone	Alpha Tag	Description	Mode	Tag
161.220		BM		PROG RR Blooming	Bloomington	FMN	Railroad
160.115		BM		PROG RR Lakevill	Lakeville	FMN	Railroad
160.350		BM		PROG RR 160.35	Progressive Railroad	FMN	Railroad
160.380		BM		PROG RR 160.38	Progressive Railroad	FMN	Railroad

You might start out monitoring the frequencies you posted above. Determine what is actually in use in your area, determine use, etc. From there, you can narrow it down to what is useful to you.

 

[JASII]

Does each sub have it's own channel.

Or, to ask this another way, once the channel is determined for a given sub, is it used from one end to the other?

 

[chrismol1]

How I started is looking at the FCC database and search my county and adjacent counties. Their base stations used to talk to dispatchers will be licensed there, sometimes road channels as well on a tower site. Yard channels licensed, at least where I am they are very good at licensing their channels properly. I've found a new channel and repeater that way

 

[Boombox]

Try the road channels at first. They used to be the most active in my region.

 

[AK9R]

If a subdivision is controlled by the same dispatcher end-to-end, then it probably uses the same road (and dispatcher) frequencies end-to-end.

In mountainous terrain, the railroads often have remote bases on top of the mountains to give them increased range. In flatter terrain, the railroads often use remote bases on shorter towers along the right of way. For example, the dispatcher who controls the CSX line that runs near me has a remote base in Indianapolis, Crawfordsville, which are roughly 40 miles apart, and one location in between. The dispatcher is physically located in Jacksonville, Florida. The audio and control for these remote bases is done over Internet connections.

There is some overlap in channel usage. The AAR channel that is used as a road channel on the branch line near me is also the road channel on the main line running northeast from Indianapolis and on several lines in the Cleveland area and New York and New England.

 

[phask]

Depending on what scanner(s) you have available, why not load all the AAR freqs? Make note of what is active and THEN create your own set.

 

[JASII]

I checked the Defect Detector webpage. It shows defect detectors north of me and south of me on 160.845. (Subdivision: Albert Lea)

I scanned that today and listened to the recordings. It definitely sounds like the UP Road channel for the Albert Lea Subdivision near me.


Railroad: Union Pacific
Division: Twin Cities
Subdivision: Albert Lea
Location: Rosemount, MN
Milepost: 337.8
Model: Unknown
Functions: HBD-DED-HWD
Frequency: 160.8450
Active: Yes
Talk On Defect Only: No

Submit A Correction | View On Google Maps

Link To This Detector:
Defect Detector Map



Railroad: Union Pacific
Division: Twin Cities
Subdivision: Albert Lea
Location: Northfield, MN
Milepost: 315.6
Model: Unknown
Functions: HBD-DED
Frequency: 160.8450
Active: Yes
Talk On Defect Only: No

Submit A Correction | View On Google Maps

Link To This Detector:
Defect Detector Map

Home - DefectDetector.net

Information & Audio Clips Of Railroad Defect Detectors

defectdetector.net

 

[Charlie]

Be sure to have a look at the FCC ULS database for other railroad frequencies listed under the previous operator(s) of the line. You will still find some active licenses under Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern, for example.

Also, based on the general location information you have provided, you may be able to receive the CN Osage sub on 161.190...but don't hold your breath. Licenses here are still listed under Chicago, Central and Pacific, BTW.

 

[ratboy]

I have a couple of radios, including my BC125AT and Yaesu Vx-170 searching the entire railband. The Bearcat goes through the whole band in a couple of seconds, but the Yaesu receives a little better with big audio. On really slow scanning older radios, I had about 2 dozen programmed, "just the hits". Back in the Conrail and early days after the split, I heard a lot of really great stuff searching the entire band. Lots of arguments and crews begging for "just one more unit, anything will do us good!". Almost always, the answer was no. Then the struggling train would pass a power move, and the fun would begin.

 

[dave3825]

Are any of the 7.5 kHz frequencies getting used these days

As far as modes go, is it still mostly analog? Who or where is NXDN being used?

Is there much use of PL in the railroad band these days?

I travel so I stuck everything in my scanners.

 

[ratboy]

My SDS200 has had one hit on a rail frequency at home. ONE, on 161.070. At work, zero. Any other radio I own has dozens of hits on the slowest of nights on that freq alone. I don't put in PTC or telemetry, I don't want to hear noises and digital squawks.

 

[cbehr91]

CSX started using a PL tone (I think it's 250.3Hz, but don't quote me on that) on its dispatcher bases and maintainer's radios a few years ago. I never heard a straight answer as to why. When it started a lot of fellow scannerists were up in arms about it, but I didn't notice it because my Icom 2m transceivers and receivers filtered it out.

In the past, Conrail (and perhaps other roads') defect detectors emitted a 100Hz tone to activate recorders at the dispatcher's office even if the nearby dispatcher base was muted.

 

[JASII]

...When it started a lot of fellow scannerists were up in arms about it, but I didn't notice it because my Icom 2m transceivers and receivers filtered it out...

Why were they up in arms over that?

 

[AK9R]

Why were they up in arms over that?

Most amateur radio and land mobile radio gear filters out the audio frequencies below approximately 250 Hz so that the user does not hear the CTCSS tones in the audio. Maybe some scanners don't have effective high pass audio filters.

 

[cbehr91]

Why were they up in arms over that?

Because the hum was annoying on top of a lot of railroad comms being hard to hear.

 

[JASII]

That is interesting. Although a completely different service, some 911 PSAP that page (tone out) fire departments have removed PL when the page out is sent.

 

[ratboy]

There used to be a local PD that had a really bad tone blended into the audio, I was happy they went digital just because that "Urrrrrrrrrr" went away.