Saturday, March 12, 2016

Winnipeg Area Railway Scanner Frequencies

Here are useful frequencies for a radio scanner to monitor railway operations in the Winnipeg, Manitoba area.

Please remember that use of a radio scanner in a vehicle is illegal in Manitoba. Also be careful what you share with others!

CN Frequencies

Train Standby Channel

161.415

This is used for train-to-train and train-to-ground communication for road trains, on all subdivisions. Hotbox detectors also broadcast on this channel. Highly recommended.

RTC Channels

These are used by the Rail Traffic Controller to talk to train crews and maintenance crews. Often they can give useful information about approaching trains or trains entering CTC territory.

CN Sprague Subdivision: 160.935
CN Letellier Subdivision: 161.025
CN Lilyfield Spur: 161.025
CN Rivers Subdivision: Miles 0-14: 161.025; miles 14-206: 161.205
CN Redditt Subdivision: Miles 20.7-239: 160.665; miles 239-252.1: 160.025

CP Frequencies

Train Standby Channels

CP Carberry Subdivision: Miles 0-5: 161.115; miles 5-133: 161.535
CP Emerson Subdivision161.325
CP Glenboro Subdivision: Miles 0-4: 161.115; miles 4-128: 161.325
CP La Riviere Subdivision161.325
CP Arborg SubdivisionMiles 0-3: 161.115; miles 3-end: 161.325
These is used for train-to-train and train-to-ground communication for road trains. Hotbox detectors also broadcast on these channels. Highly recommended.

RTC Channels

This is used by the Rail Traffic Controller to talk to train crews and maintenance crews. For CP the train crews use the RTC channel to call in to the RTC but they then switch to the train standby channel, so monitoring these channels is not as important as for CN.

160.425


CEMR Frequencies

Train Standby Channel

160.985

This is used for CEMR's train-to-train and train-to-ground communication for road trains. Highly recommended. This is used for the Central Manitoba Railway's Carman and Pine Falls subdivisions.

When CEMR is running over CN trackage it uses the CN frequencies.


GWWD Frequencies

The Greater Winnipeg Water District Railway uses two frequencies:

  • Miles 5-20 and miles 48-82: 167.700 / 169.620
  • Miles 20-48 and 48-82: 167.670 / 169.590


Prairie Dog Central Railway Frequencies

Train Standby Channel

160.050

When the PDC is running through CP or CN, it uses their frequencies.


VIA Rail Frequencies

VIA Rail uses CN frequencies in the Winnipeg area as they are running on CN trackage.

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5 comments:

Unknown said...

On the frequency papers that my granddad gave me, I tested 160.485, and it seems to work as a CN frequency. Not sure exactly what it is.

Canadian Train Geek said...

160.485 is a CN yard channel.

Unknown said...

Apparently 160.485 is the Symington Hump Yard/Yard Master, according to Christopher DeVries. According to Chris, some of your frequencies are wrong or out-of-date.

GP9Rm4108 said...

I did send Steve that updated list that I sent you, Taylor.

Canadian Train Geek said...

Thanks Taylor and Chris, I'll get around to updating this shortly.