How do YOU know when a train is coming?

[Anonymous]

When train watching/photo taking how do you know when a train is coming?

Watch a near by signal?
Listen on a scanner?
Have a timetable (for you rail workers)?
Listen for the rails to 'hiss'?
Or your trusty ears?
Or a different way?

Whats your way?[:)]

[Puckdropper]

If I'm going somewhere, I always check railroad signals. Green is a very good color. :-) I also look down the tracks when crossing them. (Stopped and watched a train go by after safely crossing not too long ago.)

I use my ears most often. Train horns are unmistakable.

[Anonymous]

What if I am at the spot where the signal is too far away to see or even to find, does a train transmitting any radio frequency to talk or telling anyone about its coming?

Karn

[wabash1]

what does a time table haft to do with it?

[Anonymous]

Scanner and signals.

[tree68]

Gotta love those defect detectors, as long as they are "up track" from you (awfully frustrating to hear it just before you get to the appropriate watching spot and discover they were headed south...). This being dark territory, and being near a yard where most through trains do some work, listening for Form Ds comes in very handy.

The train horn is great, if you're close enough to a crossing. Again, this section of CSX was thoughtfully built with as few crossings as possible, except in some of the built-up areas. And, yes, those eyes...

One method I've heard of (and have used once or twice) is to put the frequency for the EOT device in your scanner. As long as there is reason for the EOT to transmit from time to time, you'll get the noise of the data being sent when a train is in the area. I wouldn't depend on it, though, especially if you assume that if you don't hear an EOT device, there is no train. It's possible that if there is no change in brake status, the EOT won't transmit. The tech experts will have to address that.

[Mookie]

Whistles.

[Anonymous]

ALL OF THE ABOVE! OH ONE THING:
UNION PACIFIC'S DPU'S TRANSMITS ON:
452.925MHZ.
452.950MHZ.&
457.9375MHZ. EOT&DPU.

[M636C]

The timetable tells you what the train is when it comes (not when it is going to come), along the lines of "Oh, a southbound steel train, it must be NY3 because that's the only one running today!". The timetable for this state can be downloaded from the official website, at least when I last looked.

If I'm in the mountains, you can generally hear trains coming, either in power or dynamic brake. The automatic signals only tell you if you've just missed a train.

At Goulburn, (the major station in the area) you can tell by the signals, which are set manually on the approach of a train, and often you can hear crossing signals from the north end of the yard.

Peter

[Anonymous]

since I don't have a scanner I use signals

[passengerfan]

I take my dog with me when i go train watching and the hair on the back of her neck stands up when a train is coming. First noticed this in territory where the signals don't even come on until a train is getting near. I don't know why she does this but she has never let me down yet . Best train watching partner I have ever found. She never complains like the old lady about sitting around waiting for trains and she even saved me from a rattlesnake once. I always make sure to bring plenty of water and doggie treats.

[Mikeygaw]

I don't need any fancy equipment, i can feel it in my bones when a train is coming.

[JoeKoh]

We watch the signals for the trains.csx has alot of crossovers over here so the signals are absolute.
stay safe
Joe

[Anonymous]

Lets see now I just sit and think it ...............and it just comes!

[CShaveRR]

I look for the train tracks. If you find the tracks, a train has been there...and others are likely to follow.

Sorry...I couldn't resist that. Close to home we have no (visible) signals, but plenty of trains, so a journey to trackside is really all that's necessary. Of course, I take full advantage of signals, radio transmissions, etc., when I have them available to me (I have a scanner, but have found it to be superfluous around here).

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

I watch the absolute signals if an interlocking is close. Grade crossing signals are good but don't always leave you much warning time. If the geography allows, I'll watch for a headlight. BNSF three-track mainline is pretty good in this respect.

[Anonymous]

Most of the signals around here only turn on when a train is near, so if the signal is on there's a good chance that there is something moving around in the area.

If I'm downwind I can also smell the diesel exhaust from about 40 miles away, so I just sit back and wait... It's been harder lately though, because CP has only been putting a single unit on the head end and a single unit on the tail end, so the sent isn't as strong as it used to be.

[mudchicken]

Rule M: Expect a train or other movement at any time, from any direction. (If they can drop one out of the sky, aimed at you, they will...probably made by ACME Locomotive Co.)

[Anonymous]

I put my head on the rail and listen. Old Indian trick. lol

[eolafan]

Signals, headlights in the distance, scanner chatter and that unmistakable sound of either a horn or even of a turbocharged EMD or GE prime mover making noise in the distance (sometimes can be heard about five minutes before the train even arrives)

[BNSFNUT]

I use a scanner (check your state laws, it is illeagle to have a scanner in a vehical in some states) to listen dispatcher and detectors, I also watch signals when the availble. Sometimes you can hear crews calling signals on the radio and if you know the mile posts on the railroad you know where the trains are.
I also use a lot of luck, somtimes its just being in the right spot at the right time.

[rrnut282]

I use a scanner to listen to the dispatcher telling crews of a meet to get an idea of what's going to happen, crews calling signals and e.o.t. transmissions,(they're supposed to chirp every 30 seconds, but don't count on it). I look at absolute signals at interlockings or see if the approach-lit intermediate signals are on, and when all that fails, look, listen and live.

Now if you were to ask, "how do I know when a train ISN"T coming," that's easy, when I get my camera out.

[Anonymous]

I use many ways. I listen for the "hiss", the locomotive it self, the scanner, and I look at the signal/signals. [:D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mudchicken

Rule M: Expect a train or other movement at any time, from any direction. (If they can drop one out of the sky, aimed at you, they will...probably made by ACME Locomotive Co.)

LOL! I ain't a coyote...

Here's how I know.

1. Stop, look and listen. (Stop at the terminal. Look for the train crews, ask them what is moving and Listen to what they say.

2. Enter a tunnel. The light at the end is bound to be the headlight of an oncoming train with luck like mine.

3. Listen to the radio on my control stand or the Dispatcher.

4. Answer the phone. The crew dispatcher will be more than happy to tell me where to go to find a train, and then run it.

LC

[Willy2]

I usually use the signals and I listen for horns in the distance.

Willy

[Trainnut484]

Scanners, signals, and horns.

I don't use my scanner like I used too, because traffic is always happening at the SF Junction KCMO. I use my train repellant (camera) on good sunny days.

Take care,

Russell

[JoeKoh]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Limitedclear

QUOTE: Originally posted by mudchicken

Rule M: Expect a train or other movement at any time, from any direction. (If they can drop one out of the sky, aimed at you, they will...probably made by ACME Locomotive Co.)

LOL! I ain't a coyote...

Here's how I know.

1. Stop, look and listen. (Stop at the terminal. Look for the train crews, ask them what is moving and Listen to what they say.

2. Enter a tunnel. The light at the end is bound to be the headlight of an oncoming train with luck like mine.

3. Listen to the radio on my control stand or the Dispatcher.

4. Answer the phone. The crew dispatcher will be more than happy to tell me where to go to find a train, and then run it.

LC

somedays you would like to tell the dispatcher where to go right?[}:)]
stay safe
Joe

[Anonymous]

I dont know if this happens alot, but here in Pittsburgh, PA the rails (cement ties at least) actually 'hiss' (or vibrate) where a train is exactly 2000ft away (most helpful around curves) It actually is the most reliable way I have found. But if you railfan on wooden tie tracks the sound is muffled by the wood).

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Brak710101

I dont know if this happens alot, but here in Pittsburgh, PA the rails (cement ties at least) actually 'hiss' (or vibrate) where a train is exactly 2000ft away (most helpful around curves) It actually is the most reliable way I have found. But if you railfan on wooden tie tracks the sound is muffled by the wood).

On wooden ties there is a "hissing" also. It is about a 60 ft warning with wooden ties.

[athelney]

I tune my scanner to the local frequencies including MOW , then if they have a TOP for the section of track I'm near I can go elsewhere . listening to the train defect recorder helps you plan where the train is and is going . In Canada trains have to report the next signal block , so if you hear " CP 9651 clear to medium at Sumas Mtn " - you know where it is ! - Then you jump in the car to get your next photo.