First, familiarize yourself with the information in the ATCS Monitor Wiki Documentation Project for examples, solutions and explainations about ATCS Monitoring.
Well, for starters Frontier Yard is a yard, and therefor is not dispatched, so you cant see it, lol. ATCS is a program which basically shows you what a dispatcher sees.
It's a complex program which doesn't work well on all computers. Not to say it won't work for you, but it took me a few months and the help of may people to get it working.
Also, not all railroads and dispatcher desks are available. The only one i watch (so i know it is available) is the NS southern tier. Its a bit complex, but basically the program relies on normal everyday people like you and me to host feeds from railroads within radio range, so others on the ATCS program can see whats going on in that area. So if no one in Buffalo supplies a feed, then there is no view of the NG or IH or NH dispatchers. There is very popular group on yahoo dedicated to the ATCS Monitor, you can find it here: It's where I go to get help and just learn more about it.
ATCS is great if you can get it for the line you want to monitor. Some folks have made it available for certain areas via the web - when I visited Deshler, OH that was the case. Made trainwatching easier since you could see what was lined up well in advance of arrival. I haven't looked lately, but I could also sit here in NY and watch the action. Not every place has it by the web, which means you have to do the whole scanner mod thing. And some lines are apparently going the next step - satellite, which means it'll be a while before we figure out how to bring that in.
And it's not going to help you on a dark line at all. I have been using ATCS for over two years and it is fantastic in my book. On the Florida East Coast we have the railroad covered more or less from one end to the other. I can watch a train approach from home and when it gets close head for the tracks and watch it. I'll still be back home in less than an hour. There is very little coverage in the north east but head south and the main line of CSX is covered from Richmond pretty much south, I have it in two different computers and it is a big help if I take off on the road.
Operation of ATCS is made possible by some fantastic volunteers who have purchased the equipment mostly out of their own pockets or with a little help from others in order to make this fantastic and very useful program available for others like myself to enjoy. It is not the easiest program to install and get set up but one it is in place it is GREAT. If you are interested you must answer a questionaire, you will be asked some questions, before being allowed access to the program.
It is well worth the effort. Noel Weaver Posts: 9630 Joined: Sat May 29, 2004 9:33 pm Location: Pompano Beach, Florida. SST wrote:I finished a RTP article last night and it mentioned being able to monitor rail traffic dispatcher boards.
I looked at the website and it looks interesting. Has anybody ever tried this? Does it work as well as the example shown on the website?
Could I pick up the Frontier Yard or other areas? Basically, does it work and is it worth it?
I used it a lot in other states because I cant use the scanner. The scanner does not help me anyway.
Only area that have live streaming of ATCS in NYS are buffalo on NS, from bayview rd to east end of bison yard (forget the name - Its approx at where NS go over broadway) It's great tools! I am hoping that I will be starting to work on NS line from Buff to Erie pa (not exactly sure where ATCS end) after my sons are graduate from HS.
They take up a lot of my time. Someone is suppose to work on that line. But if that someone dont in 2 yrs later, I am rolling up my sleeves and I would definately need help. Posts: 1900 Joined: Tue Mar 23, 2004 8:28 am Location: Rochester, ny.
During at least one nasty storm in January some trains on the FEC had cars with snow on them but I did not happen to see any of them. I don't think we will get anything in this regard this time around as it is quite mild here right now, 70 or so as I type this and even North Florida is not too cold tonight. With regard to ATCS, most everything in the northeast is hard wired meaning buried cables for the most part and maybe a few pole lines in some locations. With ATCS radio is used to effect control over interlockings and signals along the wayside and I am not aware of much of anything in this regard on former Conrail territory, Metro-North, Amtrak or the other stuff in this area. There might be a few exceptions and maybe even in small relatively isolated areas. During the NHRHTA train shows in North Haven, Connecticut in 2008 and 2009 I had a table to sell off surplus stuff and at my table for both events, I had a computer set up demonstrating the ATCS network as it is used in various locations in he south. It generated a lot of interest and questions most of which I could not answer.
If you are traveling to Florida and hope to see trains in Florida it is a very useful tool for most of Florida although the line between West Palm Beach and Auburndale is hard wired and ATCS is not used nor available on this stretch. Most other main line trackage in Florida is covered and available.
Noel Weaver Posts: 9630 Joined: Sat May 29, 2004 9:33 pm Location: Pompano Beach, Florida. Otto Vondrak wrote:So are there anylines in New York that can be monitored?
Oh, and the software is only available for PC, from whatI understand. NS line from erie pa to Buffalo, east end of Bison yard - Guy in here says that ST is atcs.
I trust his word But someone need to go out there and run atcs on their pc to see if it's working on PC. CP from ablany to NYS border. I think they were working on changing to ATCS but I believe that they ran into trouble with some town due to antenna tower issue. That was few years ago. I have to ask the guy again to see the status of this one. That's only 3 I know of. NO ex CR system have them, except for ST which NS is changing over from fiber optic to atcs.
Conrail have agreement with Fiber optic company. CR let them lay fiber optic cable along their RR property and in return, CR used their fiber optic to run the signals and switches from dispatcher offices. That was WHAT I was told.
Obviously NS switched on ST. I am not sure if CSX and NS had got rid of fiber optic at other locations. Posts: 1900 Joined: Tue Mar 23, 2004 8:28 am Location: Rochester, ny. Otto, to answer your question the D&H has ATCS on the Canadian Main Line from Rouses Point south to at least Mohawk yard and on the Colonie Main to Kenwood.
I can't confirm if it is installed south of Mohawk. I do know it is installed at the interlockings between Binghamton Container and Scranton. On NS it's installed on the whole Lake Erie District from UD to Blasdell, on the Buffalo Line at GJ, and on the Southern Tier between Panama and Marilla. If you have ATCS installed, the server to log into for the Buffalo area on NS is: buffalo-atcs.net port 4800. Only GB to Broadway is usually seen, and Lakeview and Marilla are sporadic due to the location of the server and weather conditions. It is not installed on any lines on CSX in New York, and most likely won't be anytime in the near future.
The River Line has a radio code line in the 220mhz range but it is not decodable with ATCS. Hope this clears up any questions. Posts: 13 Joined: Sun Nov 12, 2006 12:10 pm. The NYS&W has Radio Code Line running on an non atcs protocol on VHF for thier CTC east of Binghamton. As far as I know it's not decodeable. The NS Southern Tier has the potential to have a lot of undiscovered and undecoded ATCS. The buried wires are not indicative of if it has ATCS or not.
Check for the 900mhz antenna masts at the Interlocking controlers. 900mhz signals DON'T travel well at all, so just because your not hearing anything at your house, don't write it off. Find the interlocking controlers and look for the Antenna masts.
Then look for signals on ether CH5 or CH6. Most hobby grade scanners and coax is horrid at 900mhz reception. Most of us serious ATCSers use commercial gear, or at least high end recievers. As I like to say, 900mhz is a cruel unforgiving mistress, and it will give even the RRs fits at times. NS is slowly moving to ATCS on all CTC interlockings, but it's a slow process. Done as the maintainers have time and not as a large overall process.
Ive seen NS take over a year from start to finish to cut exisiting interlockings over to ATCS. It just depends on the time the maintainers have. CSX has abandoned ATCS even on thier pre Conrail lines for new installs.
They have also abandoned the wierd 220mhz system for new installs. Any major interlocking work on CSX results in the Interlocking cut over to a TCP/IP Satelite link. CSX remains the only class one to have abandoned Radio Code Line in favor of something else. Posts: 865 Joined: Sat Jul 24, 2004 4:20 am.
NRHS - Harrisburg Chapter ATCS Monitoring - maintained by the National Railway Historical Society (NRHS) - Harrisburg Chapter The Harrisburg Chapter of the NRHS maintains a network of ATCS receivers and internet servers covering much of the NS Harrisburg Division. This system allows railroad enthusiasts to view train locations, switch and signal settings and train routing on a graphical display in much the same way as a railroad dispatcher. Using a freeware (no cost) program called “ATCS Monitor” users log into the Harrisburg NRHS’s router to receive the data in much the same way as one would receive railroad radio transmissions via an Internet scanner feed.
What is ATCS? ATCS is the Advanced Train Control System and is a form of 'radio code line' now being used by the railroads. Previously, signal, switch and track indications and controls were done by way of the wayside copper wires. Later, railroads began using fiber optic cables for this purpose. However, there have been on-going reliability issues. Copper and fiber on poles is subject to wind, ice, lightning and other weather effects. Underground it’s subject to lightning, washouts and back hoes.
(Yes, lightning is still a problem underground)! One failure in one location could affect a dozen or more interlockings. To deal with this, ATCS radio code line was developed. By using digital UHF radio, ATCS eliminates the physical connectivity that hampered the signaling systems in the past. How is ATCS Useful to Railroad Enthusiasts? ATCS radio signals are NOT encrypted which makes them fair game for anyone with the right equipment to receive.
Everyone asks the question, “Is this legal?” The answer is a definite YES! Just as there is no prohibition against receiving railroad voice communications, there is also no prohibition against receiving railroad ATCS signals. As a result, technically oriented railroad buffs formed yet another off-shoot of our hobby: ATCS monitoring.
If you have the right type of receiver and freeware software (written by Dave Houy), you can receive the ATCS radio signals and display the information on a computer screen in much the same way as it would appear on a railroad dispatcher's display. The biggest limitation to receiving ATCS radio signals is that they are in the 900 MHz region. This makes them nearly line-of-sight. The signals are easily blocked by hills, buildings and even heavy vegetation. The railroads solve this problem by placing their equipment on high mountains and/or tall towers.
Their high locations give them a clear, line-of-sight 'view' in all directions for many, many miles. Most railfans don't have that advantage. As a result, the typical railfan only has ATCS radio reception for a few miles of railroad in any direction.
Railfans work around this problem by pooling their resources and tying their receivers together by way of the internet. The railroads have one site that covers many, many interlockings. Railroad buffs have many sites, each of which only covers only a few interlockings. However, when you combine the reception of a bunch of railfan sites together, you can begin to cover an entire rail line almost as effectively as the railroad's mountain-top location.
Why the Harrisburg NRHS Became Involved At Harris Tower, we wanted an exhibit that would replicate what the dispatchers see on their computer screens. The display would allow visitors at Harris to contrast how the railroad was controlled by Harris Tower in 1943 vs. How the railroad is controlled today.
To make this display work we use ATCS signals to display a facsimile of the NS Harrisburg Terminal Dispatcher’s computer console. The exhibit contains two, wide screen monitors that display the entire territory of the NS Harrisburg Terminal Dispatcher (the territory that includes Harris Tower). Along with the computer displays is a radio receiver tuned to the Harrisburg Terminal Dispatcher's voice radio. The image below shows a screen capture of the computer display.
In order to receive data for this display, we sought out volunteers to host servers in order to receive signals from as much of the area surrounding Harrisburg as possible. Over time we continued adding servers to the mix to solidify coverage of the Harrisburg Terminal and Harrisburg East territories (with some incidental coverage of the Port Road thrown in for good measure). A Service to the Railfan Community As a service to railroad enthusiasts, the Harrisburg Chapter of the NRHS makes this data feed available to the railfan community at large, making it possible to view this display in your home. All you need to do is install the ATCSMon freeware and log in. If you are reasonably computer savvy and are interested in viewing this display on your computer, check out for all the basic information. This site also has a link to the which serves an online User’s Manual for the program and a link to the which is the repository for the software and hosts the ATCSMon discussion group. Be sure to read the “Beginners” section of the Wiki before you begin.
Instructions on how to install and use the ATCSMon program are beyond the scope of this page. Please DO NOT contact the Harrisburg NRHS with questions on using the program! After searching the ATCS Wiki for information, direct all such inquiries to the. We're working to make railfanning in Central Pennsylvania more enjoyable! We hope you will enjoy using this service. If you would like to support this and other activities of the Harrisburg Chapter of the NRHS, please consider joining or making a donation. You can join our group or you can make a donation.
Thank you for your support!