The railroads of North America are assigned a group of 97 frequencies in the VHF band. These frequencies are in the range of 160.110 megahertz to 161.565 megahertz, in 15 kilohertz increments. The frequency assignment within this frequency range is managed by the Association of American Railroads (AAR), which is an industry association composed of the various railroads of the United States and Canada.
With the increasing use of run-through trains and leased motive power, many of America’s railroads are equipping locomotives with radio transceivers capable of using all 97 railroad frequencies. For simplicity, the frequencies are assigned channel numbers that are used to select the proper frequency on any AAR 97-channel radio. Since the various railroad operating timetables often refer to the AAR channel numbers, they are included in this list.
For historical reasons, a few railroads use frequencies outside the normal 97-channel range. These are listed without AAR channel numbers.
Outside the VHF band, the railroads of North America use the frequency 457.9375 megahertz for transmissions from a train’s end-of-train (EOT) device to the train’s lead locomotive.
Most U. S. end-of-train devices transmit only. However, in Canada, the frequency 452.9375 megahertz is used to transmit from a train’s lead locomotive to the end-of-train device. Use of two-way end-of-train devices is gaining popularity in the United States. Before the universal adoption of these EOT frequencies by the AAR, Norfolk Southern adopted its own EOT devices, which transmit on the frequency 161.115 megahertz.
This list consists of two parts:
- a list of railroads showing the frequencies assigned to these railroads.
- a list of frequencies showing the railroads using each of the assigned frequencies.
Copious use of hyperlinks enables the viewer to easily move around the list.
Please be aware that the American railroads’ changing operating needs often result in changes in the frequencies used on one or more parts of the railroad’s system. The best source for up-to-date information is the railroad’s operating timetable; if this is not available, radio frequency data is often available in publications such as Trains, RailNews, Railpace, Railfan, etc.
Frequencies sorted by railroad
Adrian & Blissfield160.650 — [AAR channel 36] — all operations161.220 — [AAR channel 74] — Riga interchange
Algiers, Winslow & Western160.575 — [AAR channel 31] — road
Algoma Central160.530 — [AAR channel 28] — channel 1 (road)160.575 — [AAR channel 31] — channel 2 (yard)160.605 — [AAR channel 33] — channel 3 (yard)
Alleghany Eastern160.290 — [AAR channel 12] — road
Alton & Southern161.175 — [AAR channel 71] — carmen160.770 — [AAR channel 44] — channel 1 (road)160.335 — [AAR channel 15] — channel 2 (yard)160.905 — [AAR channel 53] — north hump161.445 — [AAR channel 89] — south hump
Amtrak160.845 — [AAR channel 49] — Auto Train operations161.550 — [AAR channel 96] — Auto Train switching161.265 — [AAR channel 77] — carmen160.920 — [AAR channel 54] — channel 1 (Northeast Corridor road)161.325 — [AAR channel 81] — MOW160.305 — [AAR channel 13] — passenger services160.635 — [AAR channel 35] — Philadelphia-Harrisburg road161.280 — [AAR channel 78] — shop switcher160.545 — [AAR channel 29] — special agents160.650 — [AAR channel 36] — Sunnyside Yard, New York161.445 — [AAR channel 89] — yard (Bear, DE)160.740 — [AAR channel 42] — yard (Chicago)
Ann Arbor161.490 — [AAR channel 92] — road161.355 — [AAR channel 83] — switching
Arkansas, Louisiana & Mississippi160.980 — [AAR channel 58] — all operations
Ashland161.175 — [AAR channel 71] — channel 1 (road, dispatch)161.355 — [AAR channel 83] — channel 2 (yard)
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe160.650 — [AAR channel 36] — channel 1 (road)161.550 — [AAR channel 96] — channel 2 (road)160.935 — [AAR channel 55] — channel 3 (road)161.190 — [AAR channel 72] — channel 4 (road)160.560 — [AAR channel 30] — channel 6 (yard)160.785 — [AAR channel 45] — hump161.010 — [AAR channel 60] — MOW160.830 — [AAR channel 48] — PBX160.245 — [AAR channel 09] — PBX (Corwith)160.260 — [AAR channel 10] — PBX (Galesburg)160.335 — [AAR channel 15] — PBX (West)160.425 — [AAR channel 21] — PBX (West)161.385 — [AAR channel 85] — piggyback ramp161.205 — [AAR channel 73] — special agents160.995 — [AAR channel 59] — yard
Atlanta, Stone Mountain & Lithonia160.025 — all operations
For Railroad Frequencies from B-Z see North American Railroad Radio Frequencies.
The Compendium of Railroad Radio Frequencies
