Category Archives: Riding the Rails

Favorite Scanners: BC125AT

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Another entry on our favorite scanners, past and present!

Today we look at the BC125AT
The BC125AT is the premier analog conventional scanner in Uniden’s line. While it does not work on digital or trunking systems it is a fantastic scanner for analog and conventional systems. It is a favorite for planewatchers and railfans due to it’s small size and large display. It comes with the rubber-duck style antenna and beltclip. It improves on the less expensive BC75XLT in that it supports alpha-tags and PL/DCS.

I spend a lot of time trackside or at airports and the BC125AT is almost always with me. I clip it to my camera strap and it works great. The small size really helps!

This also works in the old-fashioned “Banks & Channels” programming mode. It has 10 banks of 50 channels each totaling up to 500 available channels. If the newer modes of scanner programming confuses you then this might appeal to you.

I use Banks 1 and 2 for rail channels, I put them in AAR Channel positions,  for example AAR Channel 79 is in channel 79 on the scanner. I have a bank each for a few of the local airports and a couple for some local operations. I leave the last bank open to enter in anything I might want to listen to on a trip or event.

The BC125AT uses regular or rechargeable AA batteries and can charge with the USB cable. Free programming software is available from Uniden or you can use the awesome ARC125 software from Butel for an even better experience.

 

Riding the Rails – Conway Scenic Railroad

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If you like trains and railroading, like I do, bring your scanner with you the next time you take a train trip. It will give you an exciting behind–the–scenes look at railroading!

Conway Scenic Railroad
North Conway, NH

Over Labor Day weekend, my family and I made the trip up to White Mountains of New Hampshire for some rest/relaxation, shopping and a train ride! The Conway Scenic Railroad is a must for any rail fan.

Conway offer many rail excursions:

The Valley Trains
Conway Excursion – 11 Miles, 55 minute round trip
Bartlett Excursion – 21 miles 1-3/4 hour round trip
Route maps – Train Schedules

The Notch Trains
Crawford Depot Excursion –  5 hour round trip
Fabyan State Excursion – 5 1/2 round trip
Route maps – Train Schedules

Saturday we made our way to North Conway Station. The station is very impressive with its Victorian-style construction and size. Behind the Station you will find the boarding platform and a small yard with an 85′ turntable and roundhouse. Due to time, we choose the shorter Conway Excursion.

Riding Conway Scenic Railroad
We boarded the open air coach #1557 formally from Boston & Maine Railroad. Pulling us south to Conway Station was #573 a GP-7 Diesel Electric Locomotive. Along our 55 minute roundtrip journey we passed breath taking views of Moat Mountain Range and cross the Saco and Swift Rivers. Once we reach Conway Station engine 573 made a run around move (uncoupling and passing us on the siding to couple onto the other end).

North Conway Model Railroad Club
I’m also a big fan of model trains as well, while there I was able to see North Conway Model Railroad Club (NCMRRC).  The club occupies  former Boston and Maine Freight House, located in the North Conway Rail Yard.  NCMRRC operates a 500 sq ft HO scale layout, features replicas of the North Conway Station, yard and Crawford Notch.

Engines 4266 and 252 in the yard behind North Conway Station
 Engine 252 on the turntable
View from open-air car 1557 of the Moat Mountain Range
Engine 573 making the run around at Conway Station
Engine 573 Passing us on the siding at Conway Station.

Scanning Conway Scenic Railroad
On the Conway Excursion communications took place on 160.2500 their main road channel.  Be sure to program 161.3250 and 160.4250 as well.

If you’re visiting the area for the weekend, you may want to bring a digital scanner since most of the law enforcement is operating on digital conventional VHF.

My Scanning Gear
Uniden BCD396XT with the stock antenna
Soft leather Case with Swivel

Riding the Rails – Downeast Scenic Railroad Ellsworth, Maine

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If you like trains and railroading, like I do, bring your scanner with you the next time you take a train trip. It will give you an exciting behind the scenes look at railroading!

Downeast Scenic Railroad
Ellsworth, ME

Over my Fourth of July Vacation I spend some time camping in Bar Harbor, Maine. Where I found the Downeast Scenic Railroad. On Saturday or Sunday you may see the Black and Red 1948 diesel engine, green vintage passenger cars and red caboose running alongside you as you travel on Route 3/1 in Ellsworth, Maine.


Tickets and Boarding the Downeast!
You can pick up tickets at Cadillac Mountain Sports located on 34 High St in Ellsworth, Maine and you can board the train directly behind the store.  Check Downeast Scenic Railroad website for train schedule.

Taking a ride of the Historic Calais Branch Line Along this ten mile 90 minute trip along the historical Calais Brach Line you will learn about the local manufacturing and see many forms of Maine’s wildlife from Moose to Bald Eagles, from deer to snapping turtles.

My Family and I boarded the Saturday 1:30 PM train, pulled by Engine #54 1948 General Electric Locomotive (Formerly owned by Belfast & Moosehead Railroad in Unity, Maine).  Two Green Vintage Passenger cars and one open flat car completed the train set. We made our way to Ellsworth Falls then the engine switched directions on a run around track then making our way to Washington Junction the rail yard for Downeast Scenic Railroad. At Washington Junction Engine #54 made the run around again, to take us back to Ellsworth.

Great ride on a hot summer day in July, next time I’m in the Bar Harbor/Ellsworth area I will do this again for sure!

Run around at Ellsworth Falls

Run around at Washington Junction 

Engine 1055 at Washington Junction

Caboose 2608, MOW Hopper Car, and Engine 53 in Washington Junction Yard
Washington Junction Yard Office and Dispatch
Sights along the line
Downeast Scenic Engine 54 heading back to Ellsworth
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Extending the ride!
Downeast Scenic Railroad hope to one day restore the line all the way west to Brewer, Maine. – See Map

Scanning Downeast Scenic Railroad
If you’re staying in Ellsworth or railing the rails for the day, listen to all the railroad action on 160.5000 MHz.

Main Dispatch Commutations are on 160.5000 MHz [WQFL775]
They also have the following channels 161.0700, 161.2000, and 161.5200 MHz [WQFL775]

My Scanning Gear
Uniden BCD396XT with the stock antenna
Soft leather Case with Swivel

Riding the Rails – Steamtown National Park

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If you like trains and railroading, like I do, bring your scanner with you the next time you take a train trip. It will give you an exciting behind the scenes look at railroading!

Steamtown National Park
Scranton, PA

Over my July Summer vacation I was able to Ride the Rails at Steamtown. Steamtown is National Historic Site located in Scranton Pennsylvania. The museum sits on 40 acres of the Scranton Railroad Yard of the Former Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad. The collection consists of locomotives, freight cars and passenger cars, and Maintenance-of-way equipment. The collection includes Union Pacific Big Boy 4-8-8-4 Built in 1941.

You can even ride on historical passenger cars pulled by a vintage steam locomotive or an historic diesel-electric locomotive. Most of the excursions are on the weekends (see 2011 Excursion Schedule). Or you can take the “Scranton Limited” a guided tour taking you out of the historical roundhouse into the active rail yard and over Bridge 60 built in 1912.


The Electric City Trolley Museum
Scranton, PA

Trolley fan? Across the parking lot is the “Electric City Trolley Museum”. You can check out the Museum and take a 10 mile round trip ride on vintage trolley. This scenic ride on Lackawanna & Wyoming Valley (Laurel Line) right of way will take you through 4,474 feet long Crown Ave Tunnel, one of the longest interurban tunnels ever built.


Rail Scanning
Bring along your scanner, and program 161.4600MHz. Lots of active from the museum communications to the local freight passing through. I was able to find the frequency by using the Railroad Service Search.

My Scanning Gear
Uniden BCD396XT with the stock antenna
Soft leather Case with Swivel

Riding the Rails into Baltimore, MD

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If you like trains and railroading, like I do, bring your scanner with you the next time you take a train trip. It will give you an exciting behind the scenes look at railroading!

Last weekend I took a trip on Amtrak Northeast Regional from Providence, RI to Baltimore, MD for a mini weekend vacation with my wife. I thought this would be a great opportunity to monitor railroad communications on the move rather than from my hobby room.


 
My gear for the trip:

Small notebookThis was the first time I used an ear-piece for scanning, the Shadow Earpiece was very comfortable plus I could enjoy listening without disturbing anyone else. This was the first time using AA Lithium batteries with my scanner… I put in a fresh set of batteries at the start of my trip and I never had to change them.Frequencies:
I was able to find a few frequencies here and there online. This was a great opportunity to use the scanner “Railroad Service Search”and the (Uniden) Close Call feature.Below I found the Road Channels for each region along the Northeast Corridor from Boston to Washington DC:

Boston, MA – New Haven, CT
Road Channel – 160.9200 ARR Channel 54

New Haven, CT – New Rochelle, NY
Road Channel – 160.5450 ARR Channel 29

New Rochelle, NY – Philadelphia, PA
Road Channel – 161.0100 ARR Channel 60

Philadelphia, PA – Washington, DC
Road Channel – 160.9200 ARR Channel54

What are Road Channels?
For Amtrak these channels are used for the train crew and for train to dispatcher communications.

Monitoring around Baltimore, MD:
Once I got into Baltimore I switched gears from rail to public safety communications. The city of Baltimore has a 800MHz Motorola Type II Smart Zone Trunking system with 98% of the talk groups using digital (P25) voice communications. So a digital scanner is a must for this area. I was getting great reception in most area.

Who is on the City of Baltimore Trucking System?

  • Fire
  • Police
  • Public Works

***As of right now this system is not rebanded.***

I was able to monitor both Security at Camden Yards and B & O Railroad Museum from my hotel room a little over a mile away. I could also hear a lot of CSX Railroad communications as well.