RAILforum: I got a scanner for Christmas

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Posted by Mr. Toy (Member # 311) on :

I got a scanner radio for Christmas. I've learned to program it and I have pretty much everything I want in it, including my local airport and police, and of course, trains.

I live near Monterey, CA. From home I hear UP transmissions from somewhere, but I'm not sure where. I do hear instructions for Amtrak Capitol Corridor trains, as well as the Coast Starlight and UP freight trains. I have also heard maintenence crews but I have yet to hear a transmission from an actual train, at least that I was able to indentify as such. I haven't been able to determine where the trains actually are or which direction they are going.

However, In most cases, I don't really know what the heck I'm listening to. I don't understand the jargon yet. I hear references to places like Watsonville, Salinas and Gilroy. I also hear frequent references to "Logan" which I am not familiar with. Can anyone help me decipher what I'm hearing?

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Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth.
-Mr. Toy

The Del Monte Club Car

Posted by KA6BGJ (Member # 662) on :

Mr. Toy, On TW home page, you will find a box called RAIL SEARCH. Click on that and then enter RAILROAD RADIO COMMUNICATION in the search box. You will come up with 183 web pages about radio communications on trains. Check it out because Im sure you will find this very interesting Info.

Hope this helps you get the most out ofg your scanner.

Posted by Konstantin (Member # 18) on :

Thank you KA6BAJ. Even though I do not have a scanner yet, I would also be interested in reading about it. But where do I find the "TW home page"? What does that mean?

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Elias Valley Railroad (N-scale)
www.geocities.com/evrr

Posted by CK (Member # 589) on :

Konstantin, Hello, KA6BGJ is referring to the Trainweb (TW) home page. You can find "search" on the home page.
KA6BGJ, Thank you for the information. I find it very useful.

Posted by Konstantin (Member # 18) on :

Thank you. Now I understand. I am not too good with abreviations.

Posted by KA6BGJ (Member # 662) on :

CK, You are welcome. Am glad to help anytime I can with the limited knowledge I have concerning AMTRAK or the Railroad Industry.

Posted by Mr. Toy (Member # 311) on :

Thanks to all who replied. I am starting to get the hang of the scanner. I had my first "railfanning" experience a few days ago and it has a sad ending.

The Coast Starlight (#11) was running about 4 hours late. The Amtrak website indicated the train would get to Salinas at 4:00pm. However, the 800 number indicated it would arrive at 3:30, a 30 minute discrepancy.

I drove to a point just south of Salinas. I arrived at 3:30 and waited. As a photographer, my main aim was to get a nice photo. A scrawny cypress tree was at hand to help frame the picture, and an old farm plow was on the ground to provide some foreground interest. The lighting was perfect. I had a nice compositon set up.

Around 4:00 I had seen nothing and heard nothing on the radio. I wondered if I had missed the train, (as I had a week before in Castroville), but I waited a little longer. About 4:10 I finally heard the engineer talking to the dispatcher, and it was still north of Salinas. This reassured me that I would get to see the train and get my shot.

As the train approached I heard the "end of train" signal so now I know what that sounds like. I made my final preparations, and when the train was within a quarter of a mile my camera battery suddenly died! The train went by, my photo op was lost. Bummmmer.

Maybe sometime next week I can try again, with my mechanical camera that doesn't need a battery to trip the shutter.

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Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth.
-Mr. Toy

The Del Monte Club Car

[This message has been edited by Mr. Toy (edited 02-09-2002).]