Updated 2024.04.04
Bote's National Capital Area Train Chaser's Guide
Maps, Maps, and More Maps
Some are even accurate :-)
Overview Maps
Lots of trainage in the greater D.C. area.
It's only about CSX right now because that is all I know about in D.C., plus the fact that NS really does not have a large presence around old B&O territory. That is as it should be. NS used to haul coal to the former P.E.P.Co generating 'Station C' in Alexandria using a spur off the RF&P and across Slater's Lane. Historically, this was the easternmost segment of the original Alexandria, Loudoun, and Hampton railroad that ultimately became known as the Washington & Old Dominion. With the closing of the power generating station and Robinson Terminal it is likely that this spur will be abandoned and taken up.
View overview map of the greater Baltimore, Washington, Brunswick triangle.
View close-up map of Washington, D.C. trainage.
View localizer map of Brunswick area.
CSX
Radio Frequencies
In a populous metropolitan area like D.C., a good receiver is helpful to minimize interference and maximize reception of the desired radio signal. Scanners are mostly useless near strong transmitters, but since paging, taxi, and business two-way users have largely moved to 800MHz or cellular phone systems the problems are not as severe as they used to be. Some amateur radio transceivers make fair railroad receivers, but the best bet is commercial grade two-way L.M.R. (Land Mobile Radio) equipment. It's expensive, but worth it.
| Subdivision | Dispatcher |
Frequency | AAR Ch. | Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capitol | BC AU | 160.23 | 08 | road channel |
| 160.32 | 14 | dispatcher channel (Baltimore, MD) | ||
| Landover | BC NI | 161.07 | 64 | road channel (Benning yard) |
| 161.34 | 82 | dispatcher channel (Baltimore, MD) | ||
| Metropolitan | BC AU | 160.23 | 08 | road channel |
| 160.32 | 14 | dispatcher channel (Baltimore, MD) | ||
| RF&P | BD CQ | 161.55 | 96 | road channel |
| 160.41 | 20 | dispatcher channel (Baltimore, MD) | ||
| Amtrak | 160.68 | 38 | Auto Train yard crews (Lorton, VA) | |
| 161.1 | 66 | Auto Train road crews in yard (Lorton, VA) | ||
| 160.845 | 49 | Amtrak on-board chat, Lorton Auto Train mechanical dept. | ||
| 160.92 | 54 | Amtrak Northeast Corridor home | ||
| 452.9375 | head-of-train transponder | |||
| 457.9375 | end-of-train transponder |
Hulcher on-the-spot wreck cleaners — 43.04 MHz nationwide
Defect Detectors
After the “redman” e.o.t. data frequencies, the defect detector is the railfan's best friend, alerting you of approaching trains and even telling you the length or axle count.
These d.d.s on CSX can be heard suprisingly well around town:
Metropolitan subdivision:
BA2.6 “Corridor Integrity Monitor” — announces whether a MetroRail train has violated sacred CSX space, and vice-versa; near Riggs Rd. and South Dakota Ave. N.E. where the Motorola shop used to be.
BA8.4 — Yet another Corridor Integrity Monitor. It is very necessary to monitor integrity in the Nation's Capital.
BA11.6 “Kensington” — just northwest of Connecticut Ave. near a color position lamp signal.
BA22.6 “Gaithersburg” — Gophersburg, moved from Clopper
BA72.1 “Catoctin” — just west of Lander Road and Point o' Rocks, MD.
Capitol subdivision:
CFP120.5 “Tanglewood” high car detector — on the Alexandria extension, a.k.a. 'The Branch'; should change with double-tracking project.
CFP120.4 “Tanglewood” dragging equipment detector — on the Alexandria extension; should change with double-tracking project.
BAA33.7 “Hyattsville” — just south of JD tower and the wye.
BAA21.7 “Contee” — near the Contee Weather Station.
RF&P subdivision:
CFP110.1 (QL138.9) “Rosslyn” — detects high & wide loads before they tear up or get torn up through the tunnel in D.C. There is also an A.E.I. car scanner here. Long Bridge Park affords views of passing trains.
CFP106.5 “Slater's” — Slater's Lane, Alexandria; triple track through here, can you believe it?! OOOOOOOOOOVER!
Freight Trains
These are some of the busiest stretches of track around, a “Folkston Funnel” of the mid-Atlantic.
CSX Wiki — from the ashes of Georgia Railfan and the BullSheet rises this valuable resource to look up which train runs where. Because a wiki is edited by the railfan community you must contribute what you know to the greater good.
Passenger Trains
There is little point in me trying for accuracy or completeness in these listings since the carriers themselves list their own train schedules. These are provided only as a rough guide.
Amtrak
Amtrak sends many passenger trains in each direction every day. As Amtrak does not enjoy the cooperation of its host railroads nor is its future certain, please consult the Amtrak web site linked here for the latest schedule information. In any case, arrival times listed here are more prayer than reality.
M.A.R.C. — Maryland Area Regional Commuter
MARC Maryland's commuter train service that runs up the CSX Capitol and Metropolitan subdivisions as well as the old Pennsylvania RR to Baltimore.
Amtrak reporting marks: AMTK
V.R.E. — Virginia Railway Express
VRE Virginia's commuter train service that runs down the RF&P to Fredericksburg and the Southern to Manassas, VA.