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Virtual Railfan - Real Time Location Maps
Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2021 4:34 pm
by rail_watcher
Hello all. I have recently discovered the YouTube channel Virtual Railfan and I have been watching Elkhart, IN camera quite a bit lately. I am not a supporter to the channel yet, so I cannot comment in the chats. However, people keep talking about seeing trains coming and going and what mainline they're on in some sort of a map. Does anyone know what real time train location map they might be referring to?
Re: Virtual Railfan - Real Time Location Maps
Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2021 5:39 pm
by DaveO
Read here about becoming a member in order to get the ATCS Monitor map that covers Elkhart.
https://groups.io/g/ATCSMonitor
Re: Virtual Railfan - Real Time Location Maps
Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 8:09 am
by rail_watcher
I am now a member here. How do I see the maps?
Re: Virtual Railfan - Real Time Location Maps
Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 8:51 am
by Saturnalia
rail_watcher wrote: ↑Wed Oct 20, 2021 8:09 am
I am now a member here. How do I see the maps?
Follow the instructions to download and setup the program.
Re: Virtual Railfan - Real Time Location Maps
Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 8:56 am
by rail_watcher
Saturnalia wrote: ↑Wed Oct 20, 2021 8:51 am
rail_watcher wrote: ↑Wed Oct 20, 2021 8:09 am
I am now a member here. How do I see the maps?
Follow the instructions to download and setup the program.
Got it, thanks!
Re: Virtual Railfan - Real Time Location Maps
Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 9:31 am
by Mark F
If you go on VRF's YouTube page and subscribe you can join in the chats. It doesn't cost anything.
https://trainmon5.com/ is the web based version of ATCS.
Re: Virtual Railfan - Real Time Location Maps
Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 6:39 pm
by Saturnalia
One thing about ATCS to note though, is that some railroads are starting to migrate their traffic off of unencrypted frequencies and either to fiber, satellite or digital encrypted radios that we as Railfans cannot intercept. BNSF rapidly migrated everything over the last few months. CSX has been satellite for years. NS was recently reported to be testing non-ATCS protocols as well.