Train shooters - how do you find out when trains are coming?

[NorCalAl]

No, I don't mean putting your ear to the track, either. I've tried searching the web, but perhaps I'm just not using the right lingo or whatever. How do you find schedules?

I live in northern California a few miles from a busy line, but I'll be gol-dearned if I can figure out, short of sitting there, when a train will be coming by. Specifically, the hiway 70 loop. I know there's no passenger trains coming down, they are all freight.

Anyone got a source? Ideas?

[Anke]

Perhaps investing in a day of sitting there studying the track would give you the general times they come by, then next time you can just turn up 10 minutes before.

[NorCalAl]

Believe me, I've thought of that and done some. However, without some idea of how things work, the data gathered is pretty pointless. If I sat there today, Tuesday, Jan 20, would the trains that pass by be on schedule for Tuesdays? or the 20th of the month? or do they run different times in different seasons (which I know is true of some routes as they take food produced in California and run it back east or during the holidays when many extra cars/trains are hauling fedex/ups stuff)? If I come back tomorrow and the trains aren't there, was I too early/late? Was the date/day of the week different? I need some kind of data or knowledge to integrate with my findings or they aren't worth much.

That's why I was hoping someone had some insight.

[Anke]

Believe me, I've thought of that and done some. However, without some idea of how things work, the data gathered is pretty pointless. If I sat there today, Tuesday, Jan 20, would the trains that pass by be on schedule for Tuesdays? or the 20th of the month? or do they run different times in different seasons (which I know is true of some routes as they take food produced in California and run it back east or during the holidays when many extra cars/trains are hauling fedex/ups stuff)? If I come back tomorrow and the trains aren't there, was I too early/late? Was the date/day of the week different? I need some kind of data or knowledge to integrate with my findings or they aren't worth much.

That's why I was hoping someone had some insight.

Ahh, yes, I see your issue there :)

Perhaps calling up the freight companies might yield something, or perhaps any local trainspotters or trainspotting societies?

[BobOh]

Perhaps calling up the freight companies might yield something, or perhaps any local trainspotters or trainspotting societies?

I had a station agent in Columbus, WI (Amtrak) tell me the freight lines don't disclose schedules to the general public due to post-9/11 considerations. Passenger trains obviously have to have schedules, but not freight trains. Don't know how true that is.

It's my impression that all the serious trainspotters have scanners.

[JDavis21835]

Freights pretty much run any time. Some areas you get a pattern. In my area I know there is a freight that runs by at about 10 am, and returns to the yard at 5pm. Other than that the local runs all day some days. Other days you dont see it. It depends on the switching demands. You may try to talk to one of the customers of the railroad. When I was working in the demo business we usually loaded 7 gondolas out a day. Then call the railroad. They would usually be there within an hour.

[PhotosGuy]

Ask the neighbor's kids?

[ruaslacker2]

Are there any signals where you are ? If so look for a green signal. Or go buy a scanner and find the frequency the railroad uses. Or thirdly look for people with cameras trackside and ask them. They will be railfans. Hope this helps.

Jerry

[dtw757]

Put your head on the tracks and listen...that's what they did in all the early Cowboy and Ind...oops ..Native American movies:) Do you live near a big city where you can get an estimate of the time they leave the station and use say a 60 mile/hr avg speed, apply the distance to where you're waiting to get a rough time? For Frieghts....just ask the locals how busy the line is and do they have an idea of when they come through.

[Odie23]

I usually go up to Point of Rocks MD to shoot CSX stuff, but have yet to be able to get "on schedule" with the trains. I carry scanner and have the frequencies, but I don't know the train numbers or where the mile post are so hearing "Q1214 passing milepost 1131" does nothing for me. I employ a wait & see approach. Fortunatly I pick a like that I know will have heavy traffic so my wait times aren't too bad.

Odie

[NorCalAl]

Huh. I kinda thought there was some secret system that I just couldn't clue into as far as schedules go. I guess I AM going to end up just sitting there. It's a pretty busy line, at least judging how many times I've seen trains on it. It's about 15 miles from me to the place I want to shoot, but I can probably stay there for a while once I get set up.

Thanks for the tips - I guess Radio Shack will be seeing me soon, too!

[tubawxman]

There are many different ways to go about it. I live in a major metro area, so its not hard for me to find trains. However, once out in the country, a radio is an indespensible tool. That and a map so you know where they are are in relation to you. Scanners are not overly sensitive and radios on the trains themselves are not overly powerful. I'm an amateur radio operator and the radio in my truck for that is much more sensitive than a scanner and works very well. Some states have scanner laws where you cannot have them in a motor vehicle unless you hold an amateur radio license. Finding a map with railroad mileposts is difficult, but they are out there. SPV Railroad Atlases are decent, showing railroad mileposts and cities, but do not include roads. I have friends that are railroaders and sometimes the info I am looking for appears in my inbox. There are many railfan groups on Yahoogroups that provide heads up on coming train movements and I'm sure there would be one for the region you live in. Also, there is a software package called ATCSMonitor that can show you where the trains are. Some rail lines use radio codeline to control switches and some radios and scanners are able to pick up these radio signals and decode them and display them on a display similar to what the dispatcher would see. You can check out ATCSMon over on Yahoogroups as well. Few freight trains run by timetable anymore, but some trains generally follow the same schedule that can vary by a few hours.

[tubawxman]

NorCalAl-Did some quick searches and came up with a few leads for you. The UP's Canyon Sub does use radio codeline and some of it is monitorable using ATCSMonitor. It is not complete, but its all user-driven, so if there is interest, it may get finished. To be able to use what is there, you would need a laptop and a decent scanner. I can give you more information on that if interested. As for a Yahoogroup for your area, you may want to check out http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/Calrailfans/?v=1&t=search&ch=web&pub=groups&sec=group&slk=1 It looks very active and covers northern CA especially. I would love to get out and shoot in your area sometime. Its too bad the California Zephyr doesn't take the former WP line through Feather River Canyon anymore, but I hear Donner Pass isn't too shabby either. Hope this helps!

[NorCalAl]

Bryan - thanks! Feather River canyon is exactly where I'm talking about. There's a loop at the end (southern) of the canyon that is a great spot to catch the trains and that's where I've been thinking of just hanging out. I'm checked out the software and I'm going to check out scanners. I signed up for a couple yahoo groups, too. Thanks for all the info!

[s8langwo]

A completely different method.

I frequent a hobby shop where model railroading is emphasized. I frequently am introduced into rail employees who model themselves. They would be a good source for schedules.

Some of the railfan forums might also yield helpful information.

Good luck,
Kevin

[Mike30D]

If you buy a scanner, get yourself an antenna that's specifically tuned to the railroad band, that will help weed out all the other frequencies that you don't want.

Also, check out the state maps from DeLorme. They show railroads and they show all the roads. Excellent tool when your out railfanning.

[ThomGascoigne]

Graffiti writers are good for the haps on local lines.

Try emailing a local graffiti website and asking them. Offer to exchange a couple of photos of graffiti on trains to them in exchange.

Alot of trust issues but can be very fruitful.

[duxbar]

This is a great question - I also feel like sitting out for a day and seeing when they come for myself is a bit pointless since the scheduels change.

[Jill-of-all-Trades]

It's not that hard to figure out. I'm right next to the railroad and I can tell you when one is due. Next regular freight will be at 11pm, and then one at 12am. There are always some in between, but there are regular schedules. The CN passengers always come at the same time too. Just find out when they leave the nearest station.
Listening to the rails does not work. I have not once heard a train coming by listening to the rail. And we sure tried when we were kids. Even just after a freight has gone by, there is no sound.
Ask someone who lives next to the tracks, they will know when the regulars come by and how often.
Try not to get caught on the railroad property, they are serious about no trespassing.
Stay safe, and enjoy.

[Big O]

I would imagine light would be the determining factor before time of the train. Hang out at the location you want to shoot and see when the light is best ... then keep going during that time and hope a train comes by.

[FlyingPhotog]

Got an old wristwatch you could leave on the tracks?

When the train comes by, the hands will show you what time it was! :lol:

[ThomGascoigne]

Jill brings up a very important point. You need to be over zealously careful when around live tracks. Alot of people have died by not hearing the train and some of them are very quiet.

Were I live I know the timetable for the passenger train (we only have 1 line and our main station is the end of the line) I also have a good idea when the freight comes in and what it does. This is from years of watching and also looking on railway forums. I know good forums for Australia but I'm not familiar with American ones. A quick search will produce good results. And then you can find other people in your area and ask them for timetable information. You will also be able to view others photos of live running steel.

But yes it's important to stress you've got to be extra careful while out around live trains. Some freights are miles long and they can't stop for a huge distance as the force from the carriages will keep pushing the train forward.

[fivegallon]

I did my apprenticeship in the Government Railways, one of the benefits was exposure to many areas where the public couldn't go.
Probably the nicest of these was the magnificent Avon Valley, east of Perth. One of the regular passenger trains through here was called The Prospector (it went from the capital Perth, to the goldfields of Kalgoorlie).
We had another name for this train..... White Death!!

Even out here in the bush in the near noiseless environment, you just didnt hear this train coming until it was nearly too late!

[supaphly42]

I'm lucky in that I live maybe 1/4 mile from some tracks. Actually, I can hear a train horn right now. Anyway, they definitely run a very regular schedule, they come by at certain times throughout the day, and pretty much within 10 mins or so each time.

[KCMO Al]

Passenger trains in the midwest are very unreliable. Amtrak does not own the right of way and freight has priority. They are often many hours behind schedule. I think the earlier comment about security is correct. They don't want "you" to know the schedule.

[Mike30D]

The best way to find out where they are is with a program called ATCS. It's almost like looking at the same display that the dispatcher sees. As a disclaimer though, not all areas on the railroads are controlled this way. A scanner and a laptop are your best friends in the field.

Here's where to get the software, you have to join first to be able to download it.
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/ATCS_Monitor/?yguid=74230148

[DC9]

What about getting one of those game cameras that snaps a photo when the mother of all bucks walks into view? I assume they imprint a date/time stamp on the photo. Set one up where there is little to no foot traffic and come back to retrieve it in a few days. You could tell a pattern or it might tell you there is no pattern and camping by the tracks is the only way to bag this beast.

[blackhawk]

You need the bull sheet for that line. Freight many times has a roughly weekly schedule though with trains running many time at predictable intervals, more or less, but this varies from line to line.
The signals don't give much lead time, and don't make the engineer uneasy as it may get you more attention than you want. Exercise extreme caution around the tracks as they are proven killers in and of themselves even without trains.