Train-Movement-Monitoring Apps

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barnstormer
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Train-Movement-Monitoring Apps

Unread post by barnstormer »

A friend of mine, who lives close enough to our tracks to occasionally hear one go by, asked if there was a tracking app,
similar to one for tracking info on an airline flights passing overhead, available for tracking trains as they move across an area....
I told him I know of no such animal, but I might know someone who does. So, I chose to inquire hear first, as any one of you guys might know...

I wouldn't think so, as freight railroads don't publicize their traffic in the manner that airlines do, because the public doesn't
have need-to-know basis for the info. But I don't know everything.....and I'm not referring to the atcs info you guys share here...
but rather an app-based tracking system...thanks

-barny

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Saturnalia
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Re: Train-Movement-Monitoring Apps

Unread post by Saturnalia »

Besides Amtrak and other passenger rail entities, no freight railroads give away publicly their train locations.
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barnstormer
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Re: Train-Movement-Monitoring Apps

Unread post by barnstormer »

barnstormer wrote:"......I wouldn't think so, as freight railroads don't publicize their traffic in the manner that airlines do, because the public doesn't
have need-to-know basis for the info. But I don't know everything....."

-barny
Saturnalia wrote:"......no freight railroads give away publicly their train locations."
A point I had already alluded to in my post. However, it may not preclude someone from crafting an app from info he/she may have access to...
And I would think that the need for security would also hamper efforts to do so....but ya never know....

PatAzo
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Re: Train-Movement-Monitoring Apps

Unread post by PatAzo »

The app isn't the issue, it's the lack of information. The flight monitoring sites gather information from a number of sources like schedules, transponders and flight plans. What the don't find the estimate. When the loose track of a plane they plot where it most likely is. Trains are different. Aside from passenger service there aren't many rigid schedules. They don't carry transponders announcing who they are. They don't file trip plans with the government.

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Ypsi
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Re: Train-Movement-Monitoring Apps

Unread post by Ypsi »

Since most railroads have some form of accurate tracking on line for employee use, in theory you "could" run an app to track trians (and I believe RR employees can check the info from their phones via browser or app already), but again not exactly something a freight railroad would want.
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NYCMan
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Re: Train-Movement-Monitoring Apps

Unread post by NYCMan »

Having spent 43 years working on the railroad, and still hang out occasionally with old friends, I am unaware of any "centralized" app that allow trains to be tracked. If you have a car number, you can run a trace on the car, however car event reporting usually runs an hour or so behind actual train movements. And, even event reporting is not very accurate as many of the reports are manually entered and often incorrect. There are AEI scanners which do add some location data, but even that is delayed and not always accurate. (Go figure!) What is changing is that railroads are installing Positive Train Control (PTC), although this will not be on every line, and when PTC comes into play, the "server" for each railroad must communicate with a central "server" to exchange information with other railroads. So, when PTC does come around, perhaps someone may get smart and find a way to "harvest" some of that data. But, even then, I would think the AAR, Class 1 railroads, and TSA would have a heart attack with that sort of data being available to the public for the reason that it could possibly (read: you can count on it!) be put to mischievous use.

Almost all Class 1 mainline trains have End of Train devices. I know some folks monitor the EOT frequency as an "advance warning" that a train is in the vicinity.

kc8bdr
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Re: Train-Movement-Monitoring Apps

Unread post by kc8bdr »

What about ATCS? It dose not cover all railroads but some is covered. Also only runs on Windows computers, I am not sure about Window tablets.


Here is the website.
http://www.atcsmon.com/
Jim

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Near Mile Post 32 on CN's Holly Subdivision

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Doktor No
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Re: Train-Movement-Monitoring Apps

Unread post by Doktor No »

Its not in the corporate interest of railroad companies to have an app to let you know when the next train will chug on by. Use the old app you always did...YOUR EARS. When you hear it then you know where it is. Or get into the 80's mode and have a scanner handy.
Faggggetttaboudit already.
And yeah, the rail companies know where their trains are at all times. They do have transponders.
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justalurker66
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Re: Train-Movement-Monitoring Apps

Unread post by justalurker66 »

barnstormer wrote:.....and I'm not referring to the atcs info you guys share here...but rather an app-based tracking system...thanks
Sorry, but that is the best the public has at this time. And it works very well for railroads that still transmit their data openly in areas where a railfan has a receiver.

The "on your phone" problem is easily solved with remote PC control software such as TeamViewer. And some people have used Windows tablets to run the software directly in the field. Yes, it isn't an app. Not all things in life are easy. But I find it useful while driving in covered areas.

If you are in a fixed location and your local railroad transmits data you can set up your own receiver. Some people have mobile receivers so they can go outside of the aggregator covered areas. It all depends on how interested one is in gathering and processing the data.

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