Known railroads and their operations for Massachusetts are listed here. Subdivisions that cross state lines will only contain information and GPS ranges to approximately the state line to prevent unnecessary overlap.
Due to operational changes, mergers and general changes, some railroad radio channels may be reused by the same or adjacent railroads. However, if using RadioReference aware scanners or software, you can reduce seeing or duplicating this information by scanning just the subdivisions or locations that you are interested in.
Railroads are listed by size starting with the largest and ending with historical/tourist operations and in alphabetical order.
Passenger operations can be heard on the respective railroad they are operating on unless passenger stations have specific radio assignments.
Short alpha names are comprised of the railroads AAR reporting mark, AAR channel number and subdivision or major use function. The description field will contain actual use or location information to provide the best possible information for various scanners, users and readability.
Traveling system gangs (Maintenance of Way) will use the area road channel for track authority and for the foreman to grant trains through the work limits. These gangs will typically use their own channels - and such channels should not be submitted to the database as they are only temporary for the area. Signal, communications and other engineering groups will typically only be on the road channel, but may use any other as needs warrant.
Both "road" and "dispatcher" channels should be monitored if both are listed for a given subdivision. This arrangement is typically used by CSX Transportation and Pan Am Railways.
Amtrak Lake Shore Limited 48/49 is hosted by CSXT and MBTA. Vermonter 55/56 & 54/57 is hosted by CSXT, NECR & PAR. Downeaster is hosted by MBTA and Pan Am. MBTA operating over freight railroads will operate on the host railroad channels for that segment
Frequencies
CSX Transporation
Berkshire Subdivsion
MP 92 (Wilbraham, MA) to MP 192 (Post Road, NY)
Boston Subdivsion
MP 1 (Back Bay Station) to MP 92 (Wilbraham). MP 3 to MP 44 has been transferred to the MBTA (Keolis Commuter Rail) and is referred to as the Worcester Main Line between those mileposts. The former Fitchburg Subdivision has been removed and is considered a running track between QBU 4.3 TO QBU 34.9 (Fitchburg) to QBU 34.9 (Framingham) and under control of the Fitchburg Yardmaster on channel 64
Frequency | License | Type | Tone | Alpha Tag | Description | Mode | Tag |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
160.68000 | BM | CSQ | CSXT38 Bostn | NC Dispatcher | FMN | Railroad | |
160.80000 | BM | CSQ | CSXT46 Bostn | Road | FMN | Railroad | |
161.07000 | BM | CSQ | CSXT64 Yard | Boston Subdivsion Yards | FMN | Railroad | |
160.86000 | KEK884 | BM | CSQ | CSXT50 Framinghm | Framingham Yard | FMN | Railroad |
160.71000 | RM | CSQ | CSXT40 MOW | Maintenance of Way | FMN | Railroad | |
161.41500 | WPMA351 | BM | CSQ | Keolis Term Disp | Keolis Terminal Train Dispatcher | FMN | Railroad |
Amtrak
Main Line (Mill River to Springfield)
Mill River to Springfield, MA
Frequency | License | Type | Tone | Alpha Tag | Description | Mode | Tag |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
160.92000 | BM | CSQ | AMTK54 Sprng | Springfield to New Haven | FMN | Railroad | |
161.29500 | RM | 88.5 PL | AMTK79 PD | Police | FMN | Law Dispatch |
Main Line (New Haven to Boston)
New Haven, CT to Boston, MA
Frequency | License | Type | Tone | Alpha Tag | Description | Mode | Tag |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
160.92000 | WPDD959 | BM | CSQ | AMTK54 Shore | South Station to New Haven | FMN | Railroad |
160.74000 | BM | CSQ | AMTK74 Yard | Southampton St Station/Yard | FMN | Railroad | |
160.45500 | BM | CSQ | AMTK23 Yard | Southampton Street Yard | FMN | Railroad | |
161.29500 | RM | 156.7 PL | AMTK79 PD | Police - Boston | FMN | Law Dispatch | |
161.29500 | RM | 88.5 PL | AMTK79 PD | Police - Attleboro | FMN | Law Dispatch | |
161.32500 | BM | CSQ | AMTK81 MOW | Maintenance of Way | FMN | Railroad |
Bay Colony Railroad
Operations
The BCLR operates in the Millis, Milford, Needham Corridor
AAR CH13 is the Watuppa Track - North Dartmouth to New Bedford (Former Conrail)
Cape Cod Central Railroad
Operations
Operates summer excursion trains with Massachusetts Coastal Railroad
Frequency | License | Type | Tone | Alpha Tag | Description | Mode | Tag |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
160.24500 | WQFL207 | BM | CCCR09 Ops | Operations | FMN | Railroad |
Housatonic Railroad
Operations
Operates mostly in Connecticut, but has trackage in the Pittsfield, Lee and Great Barrington area
Massachusetts Coastal Railroad
Fall River Subdivision
MP 0 (CP Swamp) to MP 12 (Fall River). This is the former CSXT Fall River Subdivision
Framingham Subdivision
MP 0 (Mansfield) to MP 21 (Framingham). This is the former CSXT Framingham Subdivision.
Middleboro Subdivision
MP 0 (Amtrak Connection) to MP 21 (Taunton/MBTA). This is the former CSXT Middleboro Subdivision
New Bedford Subdivision
MP 13 (Weir) to MP 31 (New Bedford). This is the former CSXT New Bedford Subdivision
Operations
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
Fairmount Line
South Station to Readville
Frequency | License | Type | Tone | Alpha Tag | Description | Mode | Tag |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
161.49000 | WQHU361 | M | CSQ | MBTA90 Fairm | Road | FMN | Railroad |
Fitchburg Line
North Station to Fitchburg
Framingham/Worcester Line
South Station to Worcester
Franklin Line
South Station to Franklin
Greenbush Line
South Station to Greenbush
Frequency | License | Type | Tone | Alpha Tag | Description | Mode | Tag |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
160.72500 | WQHU262 | BM | CSQ | MBTA92 Green | Road | FMN | Railroad |
Haverhill Line
North Station to Haverhill
Kingston/Plymouth Line
South Station to Kingston
Frequency | License | Type | Tone | Alpha Tag | Description | Mode | Tag |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
160.72500 | WPPX846 | BM | CSQ | MBTA92 Kings | Road | FMN | Railroad |
Lowell Line
North Station to Lowell
Middleborough/Lakeville Line
South Station to Lakeville
Frequency | License | Type | Tone | Alpha Tag | Description | Mode | Tag |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
160.72500 | WPMA353 | BM | CSQ | MTBA41 Middl | Road | FMN | Railroad |
Needham Line
South Station to Needham
Newburyport/Rockport Line
North Station to Rockport
Providence/Stoughton Line
South Station to Providence
Frequency | License | Type | Tone | Alpha Tag | Description | Mode | Tag |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
160.92000 | WPTC200 | BM | CSQ | MBTA54 Provi | Road | FMN | Railroad |
160.87500 | WPPX846 | M | CSQ | MBTA51 Yard | Pawtucket Yard | FMN | Railroad |
Rail Operations
Subway System
MBTA Police are listed under Suffolk County Areawide section of the Suffolk County page.
Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority EDACS Standard | Subway operations have moved to this system |
Pan Am Railways
Conn River Main Line
MP 0 (CSXT CP98/Springfield) to MP 49 (Deerfield)
Frequency | License | Type | Tone | Alpha Tag | Description | Mode | Tag |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
161.52000 | M | CSQ | PanAmTrainToDisp | Train to Dispatcher | FMN | Railroad | |
161.16000 | B | CSQ | PanAmDispToTrain | Dispatcher to Train | FMN | Railroad |
Freight Main Line
MP 274 (Massachusetts State Line) to MP 429 (Vermont State Line). District 2 dispatcher between MP 274 and 312, District 3 dispatcher between MP 312 and 429
Frequency | License | Type | Tone | Alpha Tag | Description | Mode | Tag |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
161.52000 | M | CSQ | PanAmTrainToDisp | Train to Dispatcher | FMN | Railroad | |
161.16000 | B | CSQ | PanAmDispToTrain | Dispatcher to Train | FMN | Railroad |
Northern Main Line
MP 0 to MP 7 (New Hampshire State Line)
Frequency | License | Type | Tone | Alpha Tag | Description | Mode | Tag |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
161.52000 | M | CSQ | PanAmTrainToDisp | Train to Dispatcher | FMN | Railroad | |
161.16000 | B | CSQ | PanAmDispToTrain | Dispatcher to Train | FMN | Railroad |
Western Main Line
MP 18 to MP 20
Frequency | License | Type | Tone | Alpha Tag | Description | Mode | Tag |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
161.52000 | M | CSQ | PanAmTrainToDisp | Train to Dispatcher | FMN | Railroad | |
161.16000 | B | CSQ | PanAmDispToTrain | Dispatcher to Train | FMN | Railroad |
Worcester Main Line
MP 2 to MP 25
Frequency | License | Type | Tone | Alpha Tag | Description | Mode | Tag |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
161.52000 | M | CSQ | PanAmTrainToDisp | Train to Dispatcher | FMN | Railroad | |
161.16000 | B | CSQ | PanAmDispToTrain | Dispatcher to Train | FMN | Railroad |