Recently, I've been reading up on something called an ATCS monitor. From what I understand, it uses a radio scanner to listen to the electronic signals between trains, rail switching, rail yards, and conductors, in order to tell you what trains are where, what cars they have, where and when they are going, and how fast, real-time. It uses a computer, but I hear there are ways to link a phone to said computer for access in the field. As far as i can tell it was created by railfans who likr to watch/photograph trains. I'm curious if anyone here has experience with this from a freight hopping perspective, and could provide some insight as to how effective it is, if at all.
Thanks!
-MM
PS: this is my first post :)
Some reading for those of you who aren't familiar with ATCS monitors:
www.atcsmon.com/
Thanks!
-MM
PS: this is my first post :)
Some reading for those of you who aren't familiar with ATCS monitors:
www.atcsmon.com/
Sounds cool! Someone should rig up a complete system that lets you point at any train and it'll tell you all its stats, including where it's going. That would be extremely useful and should only cost about half a million for the R&D... :P
We'd be the coolest railriders on the block though!
ATCS monitors have been around since the 90s though, all you need is a computer and radio scanner
ATCS monitors have been around since the 90s though, all you need is a computer and radio scanner
ATCS doesn't tell you how fast the trains are going or what Cargo they are carrying. It gives you an approx location by showing you what signals are clear. You can access a page via Facebook that shows a screenshot every 5 min of the ATCS page. You can also access ATCS if you know someone with a login account 😏
A scanner with knowledge of your location is still a great an easy way of gaining info on a trains location
CanadianHopper knows what he's talking about! Believe what he says. And follow him on Instagram!! :)
Whats this Facebook page? Sounds useful as fuck! If I know ive found the right train im golden :)
Like I said...ATCS dosent tell you what train is on it's way...you could be tracking a train yo your location and it could be the local, or literally any train. I think the ATCS is a Yahoo group actually I will find out but I don't have the login info. Get a trackside guide and it has way more useful info!
Trackside guide tells you train ID, origin, destination, manifest and frequency (daily, as needed, etc).
Interesting but I'll stick with my programable radios and rail guide.
Yeah, I was just kicking around an idea. Turns out it wouldn't work as well as I thought.
There are "money trains" that have prioity and don't stop point to point. There are trains that may have special or dangerous cargo. The conductor gets the manifest (paper in hand) before the train leaves the yard and he reads it before he leaves the office. Only the crew knows what's on the train. You cannot see the manifest any other way.
You can know if it's an IM, general manifest, mixed, auto racks, etc. It says in the trackside guide
Money trains? Hot shots...usually always intermodels and they still stip at crew changes...just usually never get sided out
Only two ways to find out how fast your train is going: either get into a locomotive or use a speedometer app on your phone.
