Sandusky, Ohio Questions

[justin_gram]

Every year I take a trip to Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio during the summer. On our 2014 trip I decided to take my scanner, and I guess I never really knew that the NS Chicago Line is the line that runs through Sandusky. As a surprise to me, I was hearing a DD at CP 241.3? going off about every 20 minutes.
On the way home, we quickly stopped by the Amtrak station, hoping to catch a train or two. We ended up only seeing one train, which was a westbound BNSF intermodal, which we saw while pulling into the parking lot.

I already know a lot about the NS Chicago Line in general, but I would like to know some things like how many trains on average go through here a day and what is the Sandusky District? Also any other info.

Also, while there at Cedar Point I installed the ATCS monitor for that part of the line. The only thing is that it doesn't work. I have deleted it and reinstalled it many times, but still I get no data. Does anyone else have this problem? This is the only board I have problems with, as I have about 4 on my computer.

Thanks for the help!

[howeld]

There are around 70-80 trains a day through Sandusky. The Sandusky district runs south out of Sandusky to Bellevue and on down to Columbus. It is much busier south of Bellevue but trains can go east or west on the Chicago line.
As far as AtCS are you using a radio to get data? I dont think there are any active servers covering that area that I know of.

[justin_gram]

There are around 70-80 trains a day through Sandusky. The Sandusky district runs south out of Sandusky to Bellevue and on down to Columbus. It is much busier south of Bellevue but trains can go east or west on the Chicago line.

Thanks!

What is the mainline that runs through Bellevue called? NS or CSX?

As far as AtCS are you using a radio to get data? I dont think there are any active servers covering that area that I know of.

To be honest, I have no idea how to use my scanner with ATCS. Right now I just use the servers on my computer, but the ones for Sandusky area don't seem to be working.

[howeld]

There are around 70-80 trains a day through Sandusky. The Sandusky district runs south out of Sandusky to Bellevue and on down to Columbus. It is much busier south of Bellevue but trains can go east or west on the Chicago line.

Thanks!

What is the mainline that runs through Bellevue called? NS or CSX?

Bellevue has several lines and large yard. All NS except for WLE. the north/south line is the Sandusky district , NKP is East(to Cleveland) west to Fostoria and Chicago, Wheeling Lake Erie comes into town from southeast. There is a line to the NW that goes to Oak Harbor and Toledo, both WLE and CN have trackage rights on this line.

As far as AtCS are you using a radio to get data? I dont think there are any active servers covering that area that I know of.

To be honest, I have no idea how to use my scanner with ATCS. Right now I just use the servers on my computer, but the ones for Sandusky area don't seem to be working.

I didn't know there were servers for Sandusky. Have to look into it. I have ATCS for the Sandusky Dist. but don't get much coverage north of Attica, Jct. The Chicago line west of Toledo has coverage and around Berea near Cleveland.

[bdconrail29]

The detector is at MP 239.6 and is a dual HBD/DED.

CP 242 is where the Sandusky District crosses the Chicago Line, but recently connections have been put in on the SE side and more recently the SW side. The SW connection has replaced a lot of the traffic that used to use the Oak Harbor connection west at CP 267. Right now I'd say at CP 242 you could average 70-80/day or some days even more than that if more traffic is routed that way instead of the Oak Harbor connection.

[justin_gram]

Thanks for info. I looked into it, and here is info about the board. It does look like there are servers, but not for the whole board.

NS Chicago Line, Toledo District, & Cleveland District 2.2

THIS REVISION REFLECTS THE ADDITION OF THE NEW CONNECTOR AT CP-242 (SANDUSKY,OH) AND SOME MCP MODIFICATIONS.

THIS LAYOUT INCLUDES THE CHICAGO LINE FROM BUTLER, IN. TO CP-219 (Vermillion). THE TOLEDO DISTRICT FROM MP8 TO CLYDE. THE CLEVELAND DISTRICT FROM KIMBALL TO KM.
THE CONTROL POINTS CP-307 AND CP-256 ARE NOT ACTIVE YET. THERE ARE SERVERS FOR PORTIONS OF THESE LINES. Lorain.dyndns-server.com PORTS 4800 & 4801 WILL
SHOW SOME OF EASTERN PORTION OF THIS LAYOUT AND Ns-chicagoline.dyndns.org PORT 4801 SHOWS CP-342 TO CP-327. FREQUENCIES ARE AS FOLLOWS: FROM CP-360 TO CP-340 USE 897.9875 & 936.9875
AND FROM CP-329 TO CP-219 USE 897.9375 & 936.9375 TOLDEO DISTRICT, CLEVELAND DISTRICT, AND PARTS OF HUNTINGTON DISTRICT USE 897.9375 & 936.9375.

Here is a pic of the bottom part of the board (where Sandusky can be seen.)

[howeld]

Yep it takes someone to have a radio within 30 miles of any location to have coverage. The toledo sub is a good example: it has pretty good coverage over the entire line between Toledo and Hamilton. It takes 4 servers contributing data to cover the line.

So someone local to Sandusky would have to host a radio and server. Otherwise your only option is to self monitor. Where as you would see a few miles on both side of your location.

I dont have a radio set up as I am mostly in CSX territory and they are switching to a cell phone based system so monitoring will no longer be possible.

[cbehr91]

I dont have a radio set up as I am mostly in CSX territory and they are switching to a cell phone based system so monitoring will no longer be possible.

Just to clarity, only CSX is switching to a cellular based system. NS will continue to use ATCS.

[CG Tower]

All new ATCS installations on CSX had been satellite...but cellular does seem logical too.

I will see what I can find on the Toledo Branch signal conversion that is currently in progress.

I dont have a radio set up as I am mostly in CSX territory and they are switching to a cell phone based system so monitoring will no longer be possible.

Just to clarity, only CSX is switching to a cellular based system. NS will continue to use ATCS.

[justin_gram]

On March 1, a new (fixed) layout of the Chicago Line in NW Ohio was released, along with some better notes. The notes give 6 servers, which seem to cover a good amount of the layout.

NS NW Ohio 3-1-16

This layout includes the following trackage:

Toledo District from MP8 to Clyde
Cleveland District from Avery W to KM
Chicago Line from CP 360 to CP 219

Server coverage is over certain portions of the layout.

Servers: lorain.dyndns-web.com Port: 4800
nsatcsmaroh.dyndns.org Port: 4800
fwarailfan.net Port: 4801
atcsserv01.railstream.biz Port: 4840
atcsserv01.railstream.biz Port: 4835
atcsserv01.railstream.biz Port: 4830



This kit includes the following:

1 .ini file (place into your main ACTSMon directory)
1 .lay file (place into your layout folder)
1 .mdb files (place into your mcp folder and import contents into main database)

Frequencies for the entire area:
897.9375 MCP
936.9375 BCP
Protocol: ATCS