THE GREATER ROCHESTER RAILFAN PAGE

ROCHESTER AREA RAILROAD FREQUENCIES

ABBREVIATIONS:

• EOT = END OF TRAIN DEVICE
• FY = FRONTIER YARD
• HBD = HOT BOX DETECTOR / DRAGGING EQUIPMENT / DEFECT DETECTOR
• PBX = PHONE AUTOPATCH

NOTES:

• SHORTLINES IN GENERAL - not much to be heard since most shortlines operate on single track lines with no traffic but a single train making runs from the yard to its customers. Trains usually get their orders via landline telephone, cellular telephone, fax or at the yard office and unless a problem or change of plans arises, you won't hear much during the day. The most traffic you will probably hear is between the conductor and the engineer while switching cars during the day.
• ATTICA & ARCADE - according to the ARA, they are not using radios at the present time, nor do they have an FCC license.  During an excursion several years ago, I noticed UHF handhelds in the ticket office. One theory that was floated to me was that they're using Reisdorf's frequency on 451.850 for coordination with the customer and switching.
• CSX - CSX maintains a good deal of towers and defect detectors along their routes. In the Rochester area, towers are located in Lyons (next to the MOW facility), Rochester (atop Midtown Plaza) and in Batavia (Lehigh St.). This explains why the mainline dispatcher comes in loud and clear at times, and lousy at others. The tower located at the Goodman St. yard is used for yard operations and PBX. Plenty to hear on 160.800 and the MOW channels... also keep 457.9375 plugged in. This is the EOT (end of train) device's frequency and lets you know when a train is in the area by emitting a digital burst every few minutes or so as the air pressure in the brake line changes. Hotbox and dragging equipment detectors spaced approximately 10-25 miles apart give a good indication as to when trains are heading your way (the "speak 'n spell" or digitally recorded voices give them away) - typically these will say something similar to "CSX, Coldwater, New York, track 1, no defects, total axle count 123, train speed 50, over.". If a defect is encounted, an alert tone will be transmitted with the message indicating what and where the problem is.
• ROCHESTER & SOUTHERN - their road frequency is on a repeater located in Wyoming County. With increased traffic over recent years, radio activity has also increased.

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You can now search the FCC's database at their website. This is a realy neat website that gives you every bit of data on the licensee's file with the FCC. The URL for the frequency search engine is:
  http://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/genmen/index.hts

Also check Percon's website for license data and transmitter maps:
  http://www.perconcorp.com - $ub$cription ba$ed 

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This table is sorted alphabetically by railroad, frequency, and transmitter city. Transmitter power is given in ERP and is the highest power when several different levels are given in an FCC database. Not all transmitter locations are active - this listing reflects current licenses and confirmed sources. Some information was obtained from Dale Fravel's page, Police Call, and the rest from various FCC databases such as Percon, Scanware, and the FCC's online database mentioned above.

RAILROAD	FREQ	XMTR	POWER	USE
ADIRONDACK SCENIC RAILROAD	160.380
	160.440
	161.190
	161.460
	160.470
AMTRAK	160.800			CSX CH 1
ARCADE & ATTICA	160.365	ARCADE		UNCONFIRMED
	161.355	ARCADE		UNCONFIRMED
	451.850			REISDORF'S FREQUENCY - UNCONFIRMED
B&H RAIL CORP (former Bath & Hammondsport)	161.175
	161.205
	160.830			GENERAL OP'S
BUFFALO & PITTSBURG	160.230			CH 1 - ROAD
	160.320			CH 2 - DISPATCHER
	160.500			ROAD
	160.530			CH 3 - YARD
	160.785			CH 5 - MAINTENANCE
	161.100			YARD
	161.160			CH 4 - TRANSPORTATION
	161.445			ROAD
BUFFALO SOUTHERN	161.260
CSX - CSX frequencies in former Conrail territory are listed in the FCC's database as New York Central Lines LLC and NS frequencies are listed under Pennsylvania Lines LLC	160.245	BUFFALO	42	FY - CH 1
	160.350	BUFFALO	70	FY CAR DEPT
	160.410	BUFFALO	25	FY PULLDOWN - CH 2
	160.560		216	CSX POLICE
	160.650	BUFFALO	90	FY HUMP
	160.680	BUFFALO	216	CSX POLICE
	160.680	ROCHESTER	228	CSX POLICE
	160.710	ANGOLA	65	PBX IN
	160.710	BATAVIA	65	PBX IN
	160.710	BUFFALO	65	PBX IN
- NS	160.710	HORNELL	65	PBX IN
	160.710	LYONS	65	PBX IN
	160.710	NIAGARA FALLS	65	PBX IN
	160.710	RATHBONE	65	PBX IN
	160.710	ROCHESTER	65	PBX IN
- NS	160.710	WARSAW	65	PBX IN
	160.800	ADRIAN	11	CH 1 - ROAD - HBD
- NS	160.800	ALDEN	202	CH 1 - ROAD
- NS	160.800	ATTICA	215	CH 1 - ROAD
	160.800	BATAVIA	210	CH 1 - ROAD
	160.800	BATAVIA	11	CH 1 - ROAD - HBD
	160.800	BUFFALO	56	CH 1 - ROAD
- NS	160.800	CASTILE	11	CH 1 - ROAD - HBD
	160.800	CHURCHVILLE	11	CH 1 - ROAD - HBD
	160.800	COLDWATER	11	CH 1 - ROAD - HBD
	160.800	DALTON	11	CH 1 - ROAD - HBD
- NS	160.800	DARIEN CENTER	11	CH 1 - ROAD - HBD
	160.800	ERWIN	11	CH 1 - ROAD - HBD
- NS	160.800	HORNELL	69	CH 1 - ROAD
	160.800	LANCASTER	216	CH 1 - ROAD
	160.800	LYONS	198	CH 1 - ROAD
	160.800	PITTSFORD	11	CH 1 - ROAD - HBD
- NS	160.800	PORTAGE	11	CH 1 - ROAD - HBD
	160.800	PULASKI	75	CH 1 - ROAD
	160.800	RATHBONE	69	CH 1 - ROAD
- NS	160.800	RIVER JUNCTION	215	CH 1 - ROAD
	160.800	ROCHESTER	186	CH 1 - ROAD
	160.800	SAVANNAH	11	CH 1 - ROAD - HBD
	160.800	SOUTH WALES	115	CH 1 - ROAD
- NS	160.800	WARSAW	215	CH 1 - ROAD
	160.860	LOCKPORT	85	CH 3 - YARD
	160.890	BUFFALO	75	FY PULLDOWN - CH 3
	160.980	NIAGARA FALLS	60	CH 4 - YARD
	160.995	BUFFALO	25	SENECA YARD SWITCHING
	161.055	BUFFALO		FY PULLDOWN - CH 4 / MOW "SPECIAL OPERATIONS"
- NS	161.070	BUFFALO	70	CH 2
- NS	161.070	GENEVA	75	CH 2
	161.070	NIAGARA FALLS	75	CH 2
	161.070	OSWEGO	75	CH 2
	161.130	ANGOLA	166	PBX OUT
	161.130	BATAVIA	132	PBX OUT
	161.130	BUFFALO	193	PBX OUT
	161.130	COLDEN	115	PBX OUT
- NS	161.130	HORNELL	235	PBX OUT
	161.130	LYONS	198	PBX OUT
	161.130	NIAGARA FALLS	228	PBX OUT
	161.130	RATHBONE	224	PBX OUT
	161.130	ROCHESTER	228	PBX OUT
- NS	161.130	WARSAW	215	PBX OUT
	161.310	BUFFALO	6	FY CAR DEPT
	161.370	BUFFALO	45	FY HUMP
	457.9375			EOT (FRED)
DEPEW LANCASTER & WESTERN	160.920	BATAVIA / LANCASTER	65	GEN'L OPS - DISPATCHED OUT OF SCRANTON
FALLS ROAD	160.920	ALBION	70	GEN'L OPS - OLD CONRAIL TOWER, DISPATCHED OUT OF SCRANTON - 452.900 / 457.900 IS ALSO LICENSED TO THE FRRR - PRESUMABLY FOR A RADIO LINK BETWEEN BATAVIA AND THE ALBION TOWER
FINGER LAKES	160.740	WATERLOO
	160.950			New frequency
	161.220			New frequency
	161.340			New frequency
	161.370			Ontario Central Railroad
	161.520	WATERLOO
	160.800	GENEVA		CSX CH 1
	161.070	GENEVA		NS CH 2
KODAK PARK RR	160.305	ROCHESTER	10	GEN'L OPS
LIVONIA AVON & LAKEVILLE	160.830	LAKEVILLE	40	GEN'L OPS
	161.175
	161.205
LOWVILLE & BEAVER RIVER	161.460			PRIMARY
	160.470			REPEATER / PBX INPUT
	160.920			REPEATER / PBX INPUT
MOHAWK ADIRONDACK & NORTHERN	161.460			PRIMARY
	160.470			REPEATER / PBX INPUT
	160.920			REPEATER / PBX INPUT
	161.280			ADIRONDACK CENTRAL
	160.440			ADIRONDACK CENTRAL
NORFOLK SOUTHERN	161.115		2	EOT (FRED) - NS Trains only
	161.250	BUFFALO	185	CH 2 - BUFF JCT YD
	161.415		75	MOBILE
	161.490	BUFFALO	185	CH 4 - SWITCHING
NATIONAL RAILWAY HISTORICAL SOCIETY - ROCHESTER CHAPTER	160.440	INDUSTRY	18	MUSEUM OPERATIONS
	160.470	INDUSTRY	18	MUSEUM OPERATIONS
ONTARIO MIDLAND	161.370	SODUS		GEN'L OPS
ONTARIO CENTRAL	161.370	VICTOR		GEN'L OPS
ROCHESTER & SOUTHERN - includes G&W and DMM trackage	160.500	ROCHESTER	41
	160.500	WEATHERSFIELD	35	MOBILE - SALT MINE OPERATIONS
	160.590	ROCHESTER	41
	160.590	WEATHERSFIELD	35	MOBILE - SALT MINE OPERATIONS
	160.770	ROCHESTER	41	ROAD
	160.770	WEATHERSFIELD	70	ROAD - REPEATER
	160.785	RETSOF	5	MOBILE
	161.100	ROCHESTER	41	YARD
	161.100	WEATHERSFIELD	35	MOBILE
	161.445	ROCHESTER	41	ROAD REPEATER INPUT
	161.445	WEATHERSFIELD	35	MOBILE
	452.9375		2	EOT (FRED)
	457.9375		2	EOT (FRED)
SOMERSET	160.380	LOCKPORT	140	GEN'L OPS
	160.800	LOCKPORT	75	CSX CH 1 (MOBILE)
	161.040	LOCKPORT	75	MOBILE
SOUTH BUFFALO	161.190			AREA D - YARD OPERATIONS
	161.280
WESTERN NEW YORK AND PENNSYLVANIA	161.175
	161.205
	160.830

Some Binghamton area frequencies:

• 160.800 - NS Road Channel #1
• 161.070 - NS Road Channel #2
• 161.115 - NS EOT device
• 161.475 - D&H Road Channel
• 160.530 - D&H Binghamton Yard
• 160.590 - D&H Mechanical Dept.
• 160.620 - NYS&W Dispatcher to Train
• 161.295 - NYS&W Train to Dispatcher
• 160.485 - NYS&W Yard
• 161.310 - Owego & Harford

Delaware-Lackawanna (Scranton, PA):

• 161.460 - Mainline (repeater)
• 160.320 - Repeater input (??)
• 160.245 - Switching
• 161.475 - Canadian Pacific Road channel to go through Taylor Yard from CARBON (the south end of the old D&H line) to/from the DL's Pocono Line at Bridge 60 or the Reading & Northern at Manooka, the south end of Taylor Yard.
• 160.770(?) - When the DL is on the R&N, they go from Taylor to Pittson to get to the NS interchange. 

Note - the D-L is no longer using Steamtown frequencies

AAR CHANNEL DESIGNATIONS:

Channel - Frequency

Ch Freq.   - Ch Freq.   - Ch Freq.    - Ch Freq.

02 159.810 - 26 160.500 - 50 160.860 - 74 161.220
03 159.930 - 27 160.515 - 51 160.875 - 75 161.235
04 160.050 - 28 160.530 - 52 160.890 - 76 161.250
05 160.185 - 29 160.545 - 53 160.905 - 77 161.265
06 160.200 - 30 160.560 - 54 160.920 - 78 161.280
07 160.215 - 31 160.575 - 55 160.935 - 79 161.295
08 160.230 - 32 160.590 - 56 160.950 - 80 161.310
09 160.245 - 33 160.605 - 57 160.965 - 81 161.325
10 160.260 - 34 160.620 - 58 160.980 - 82 161.340
11 160.275 - 35 160.635 - 59 160.995 - 83 161.355
12 160.290 - 36 160.650 - 60 161.010 - 84 161.370
13 160.305 - 37 160.665 - 61 161.025 - 85 161.385
14 160.320 - 38 160.680 - 62 161.040 - 86 161.400
15 160.335 - 39 160.695 - 63 161.055 - 87 161.415
16 160.350 - 40 160.710 - 64 161.070 - 88 161.430
17 160.365 - 41 160.725 - 65 161.085 - 89 161.445
18 160.380 - 42 160.740 - 66 161.100 - 90 161.460
19 160.395 - 43 160.755 - 67 161.115 - 91 161.475
20 160.410 - 44 160.770 - 68 161.130 - 92 161.490
21 160.425 - 45 160.785 - 69 161.145 - 93 161.505
22 160.440 - 46 160.800 - 70 161.160 - 94 161.520
23 160.455 - 47 160.815 - 71 161.175 - 95 161.535
24 160.470 - 48 160.830 - 72 161.190 - 96 161.550
25 160.485 - 49 160.845 - 73 161.205 - 97 161.565

UHF Railroad

452.900 457.9000 452.9250 457.9250 452.9500
457.950 452.9125 457.9125 452.9375 457.9375

Hits since 3/1/00

UPDATED: 02/20/05

Copyright 2002 by Les Wilson - all rights reserved