How to Track Trains | CrissRails

NOTICE: • A Quick Announcement! ... (Railroads Don't Use The Amateur Band)
You might think that catching freight trains is a game of chance. With no way of really knowing when they will come by. If your railroad doesn't follow a timetable, you probably would like to have at least some idea of when the next one arrives. In this video we share two main ways of doing this.
LINKS -------------
Groups.io = groups.io/
Trainmon5 = trainmon5.com/
Radio in this video = Baofeng UV-5R
(We recommend using a scanner instead)
Music By KevinMacleod --------------
Acid Trumpet by Kevin MacLeod
Link: incompetech.filmmusic.io/song...
License: filmmusic.io/standard-license
The Complex by Kevin MacLeod
Link: incompetech.filmmusic.io/song...
License: filmmusic.io/standard-license

[@jasondonovan5034]

Railroads do not use the amateur radio band. Railroads have their own set of assigned frequencies set aside specifically for them. Just like the aircraft band and marine band there is a railroad band. Amateur radio band is for hobbyists to use and experiment with among themselves. It just so happens that the cheap ham radios have wide receive coverage beyond the ham bands. The device you have also isnt a scanner. Its a ham radio with basic scanning functions. A dedicated radio scanner is designed to find active communications very quickly--easily 80 channels per second compared to the 5-10 per second from these cheap radios. Also the railroads are slowly changing to digital NXDN, which these radios don't pick up. It will be a long time before its used on the road channels, but yards, shops, and security operations are starting to switch over in some parts of the country.

[@crissrails7539]

Hi we never said the word scanner in this video however we are looking at getting a nice scanner. As far as the amateur radio band is concerned we are in the process of making a revision on this video to address this mistake

[@btraker]

@@crissrails7539Yet to be fixed...

[@crissrails7539]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qH66daNjqZl1hMU

[@michaelzubal5100]

Found 50 and 53 this morning. Very easy to find and access. Then saw a train pulling onto the main heading south from Ship using TM5 and 12 mins later went ripping by 53 in south chambersburg. My first time. It works!

[@crissrails7539]

great

[@Theonewhoistointerestedi-zo1ls]

Thanks so much for mentioning the Trainmon5. I liked the idea of ATCS but I was always stuck at how I was going to bring around a laptop and keep it connected to the Wi-Fi and not look sus to 90 percent of people.

[@guruoo]

You might try a 7" Windows, or Linux tablet. Or Android, for that matter.

[@The_DuMont_Network]

Dell makes laptops with WAN connections. You can also use your cell phone as a hotspot. Millions of people carry laptops around with them.

[@ElDarren]

That's some James Bond cracking the code skills there with that app!😮

[@crissrails7539]

Thanks

[@Celluarexpress]

Track trains and that's really funny dude because I was literally just thinking about finding a software-defined radio for this

[@HighRail_Division]

I only clicked on this because I saw that the Lurgan Branch was included and I got happy to see my territory get (somewhat) highlighted for once.

[@crissrails7539]

thx

[@michaeloconnor3631]

1997 was the year the rail was made, Shoestring taught me that

[@colinmyster7750]

Rip shoestring

[@Theonewhoistointerestedi-zo1ls]

Interesting fact: did you know that curious George teaches you how an ATCS system works. It’s the train episode. And I’m now embarrassed that I missed that.

[@crissdrums3975]

Interesting! I’ll have to check that out

[@pmurray8645]

Very Useful...thank you!

[@Buzz_CT]

Your query about Beth Steel in your video... Rail Mill Mark: 136-10 CC BETH STEELTON 1999 IIII 136 lbs per yard-Section 10, Control Cooled process (main line of choice today), made by Bethlehem Steel in it's Steelton, PA plant during 1999 April.

[@crissdrums3975]

Thanks

[@sdizzzzzy3509]

I don’t even know what this means but thank you.

[@mroe34]

Great video. Thank you. I learned a lot. Don’t worry about the ham radio operators who seem worried about you mentioning the ham radio bands. These people are known as SAD HAMS and they are pathetic, lonely, amateur radio operators who think they know everything about everything and they get some sick pleasure out of letting everyone else know when someone makes a mistake. Just ignore them.

[@crissrails7539]

thx

[@pm3m]

Thanks for the guidance....very informative. I'm waiting on TM5 acceptance. I see a few other KZbin videos that need updating of information. I'll let you know how things turnout.

[@n5ifi]

Railroads don't use amateur radio frequencies. They use frequencies located above the Amateur radio bands. Ham Radio has nothing to do with Railroads even if you can use a Ham Radio to monitor railroads.

[@crissrails7539]

Hi. We released a video addressing this mistake.. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qH66daNjqZl1hMUsi=nsUGAqkirrwhkKdN

[@TheWisconsinRailfan]

i know it has been 2 years since you made a video but its time you probably make that video on how to read the railroad singnals on ATCS or Mon5. it would help a lot of people!

[@crissrails7539]

Video is live right now!

[@andrewl9191]

I'd like to figure out how to use this atcs thing, or whatever visual thing to track trains etc. It seems to be some kind of secret on rail streams.

[@crissrails7539]

@@andrewl9191 kzbin.info/www/bejne/a6rFc5ewZpeeY7Msi=Y3Q1-j1FtjEpBmMH

[@ralphschutz5475]

ATCS isn't expanding, it's dying out! NS for example has ceased using that type of system and switched to a newer system and UP and others have begun converting like CSX did sometime ago. You also incorrectly stated that the railroads using the Amateur Radio band, they in fact use that portion of the business band that is apportioned to them. You need to do more fact checking in order to put out correct and useful information!

[@crissrails7539]

As stated to many other commenters, I simply said the wrong thing in the moment and didnt notice. We are in the process of making a revision on this video to address the amateur radio band mistake.

[@user-pb6vc2tm6i]

Thank you very much for the information in your video! As I am a new railfan, this will be a great help! Have a very blessed day.

[@crissrails7539]

Glad it was helpful!

[@colbystensland2508]

Totally random but I have about 1700 linear feet of the old pikes peak rail made in Chicago in 1891 I It’s the same rail Nicola Tesla rode on to access his test eq at the top of pikes peak in Colorado I actually rode on that specific rail when I was stationed in Colorado Springs Thank you for sharing your information

[@crissrails7539]

Very cool! A great piece of railroad history for sure

[@Tactical2Wheels]

Quick note: That's not the amateur radio band. That's business band which is just above the ham band in both the UHF and VHF bands

[@crissrails7539]

Please watch my quick update video. Thx

[@crissdrums3975]

I am referring to rail fans. Rail fans can use the baofeng to tune in

[@michaelzubal5100]

Good info! Waiting on my TM5 approval. Would you be cool with meeting up and showing me the ropes? I live in Chambersburg, PA.

[@northeast_rail9606]

I got the same scanner.

[@CarstenBauer]

Amateur band is NOT 160MHz as stated. The 2m Band is 144-148MHz.

[@dougbarnowski5224]

@CarstenBauer Also BaoCRAP is not a good radio at all, theirs a reason their a dime a dozen! #CheapChineseJunk

[@CarstenBauer]

@@dougbarnowski5224 there's

[@RANA.productions]

What do you do when they haven’t accepted your Membership in 4 months?

[@crissdrums3975]

Took me a couple of months

[@rguiweghuioghsoihgsg]

Same, it took me 8 months to be accepted

[@CentralGeorgiaRailfan8051]

Keep you're g-mail open and by that I mean keep the app itself open that's how my friend did it and it worked for him it also worked for me as well I got accepted in 3 days

[@RANA.productions]

@@CentralGeorgiaRailfan8051 don’t worry mine just got accepted in December (:

[@tristansrailfanproductions155]

i just got the scanner today

[@crissdrums3975]

How is it?

[@tristansrailfanproductions155]

@@crissdrums3975 it works well

[@The_DuMont_Network]

That is not a scanner. Scanners have no transmitting capability. This is a transceiver. Transmitting on ANY frequency on which you are not the possessor or agent of a possessor of an FCC license is a FEDERAL crime. While you can use these cheap Asian knockoffs, you will find that many of them are not TYPE ACCEPTED for use as transmitters in many services in the United States.

[@billwilliams3998]

The UV-5r will receive railroad transmissions.

[@crissrails7539]

yes it does. thx Bill

[@MacombOfficial]

Why anything UP sub nothings on? No signals or anything is on?

[@truck_dude]

How do I find mile posts? I'm very new to Railfanning

[@crissrails7539]

Check out this interactive map. You can see tons of information including the locations of mileposts. fragis.fra.dot.gov/GISFRASafety/

[@Theonewhoistointerestedi-zo1ls]

How many days does it usually take for train mon 5 to approve your account

[@crissrails7539]

It can take anywhere from a week to a month ( on average)

[@Theonewhoistointerestedi-zo1ls]

@@crissrails7539 I just got approved

[@Timelapse-ht8ei]

Does it work in other countries? Or only in the USA

[@crissrails7539]

US ONLY

[@YourLocalFoamer]

How do I find Mileposts in my area?

[@crissrails7539]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/o2ixip55nq18hqcsi=GFzKEsjkMuICzitJ Hopefully this helps you

[@YourLocalFoamer]

It did! Thank you, I really appreciate it.

[@JakeyPoo-reinvented]

There are phone numbers you can get to track and catch them

[@crissrails7539]

really? where?

[@JakeyPoo-reinvented]

@@crissrails7539 I personally hopped the train from Wichita to Dallas-Fort Worth with a guy that had been at it for a number of years he simply pointed his phone at the train car and it sent him the text of approximate when it's supposed to leave when it's where it's going I saw this two out of the three major train systems have that and answer your question you got to get it from a train Hopper

[@crazyrailfan]

Does anyone know where to fill out the questionnaire, I’m actually kinda stuck here?

[@crissrails7539]

You should recieve the email once you sign up for ATCSmon

[@Adamdaj]

This comment maybe long overdue, but I'll put on the table. According to what you said or how said it about Railroad Radio use the Amateur Radio Frequencies, which sounded strange. However, I knew what you meant in VHF spectrum near the 2m Band, Right? Anyone knows that it is unlawful to transmit on AAR Channels with permission, which unless you land a job with a railroad, you'll never be granted permission. Although, according to the FCC rules and regulations, only in extreme emergencies are you allowed to transmit frequencies not available to the average individual. But the must be if the Engineer and Conductor are unable call for help and you yourself are unable get a cell phone signal. Other than that, you can listen all you want, but if you decide to press the PTT, you will face charges longer than most trains.

[@Csxhopper]

Foamerville

[@crissrails7539]

Thanks

[@Csxhopper]

@@crissrails7539 Not you. The crowd this draws in. But yes a baofang and a upgraded antenna is all you need folks.

[@paulalmquist5683]

@0:54 "we use the tried and true ham radio of course. Railroads operate and communicate with each other and dispatch using the amateur radio band." Where did you get that idea. FALSE. FALSE. FALSE. First: "amateur radio band." "band" singular, there are several (18) amateur radio bands. Second: You may be able to use a receiver that can pick up ham bands and some adjacent frequencies but that does not mean those adjacent frequencies are part of an amateur radio band. Third: the frequencies shown in the video on the display of your receiver (160.900 and 460.450 MHz) are not in any of the amateur radio bands. Ham band charts can be found in multiple places on the Net. Just google "ham band chart". Verify what you say before acting like an authority. Edit your video or take it down.

[@crissrails7539]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qH66daNjqZl1hMU

[@dennismcgough9476]

“Beth Steel” was Bethlehem Steel Company. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethlehem_Steel.