ATCS is a radio control protocol used by US railroads to control wayside systems and train signals. ATCSmon is a program used to decode and display the information. Using a scanner set to a ATCS channel, the audio is plugged into a computer running ATCSmon. ATCSmon will then decode the audio and can display the status of occupied track, switch positions and signal aspects.
ATCS Monitor: Download and Installation. To use this program click on the link below to download the Zip file onto your computer. This file includes the layout files for the Ft Wayne Metro Area that includes the CSX (former B&O) from Ripley to Sherwood because of it's close proximity to Ft Wayne, and the MCP information to be added. Able software called “ATCS Monitor” it is possible to decode this information and display it. Monitoring these signals is equivalent to monitoring the railroad personnel’s voice communications on a scanner. As with voice, we can only hear as far as our antenna locations will allow. When the stations is blue, con-trol messages sent from.
ATCS operates in the 900mzh range and consist 8 defined channels with a uplink and downlink frequency. The BCP (Base Control Point) is centrally located and sends radio commands out to the MCP (Mobile Control Points). The MCPs are the track wayside devices and send status messages and block occupancy back to the BCP.
Atcs Monitor Railroad
1 | 896.8875 935.8875 | MCP BCP |
---|---|---|
2 | 896.9375 935.9375 | MCP BCP |
3 | 896.9875 935.9875 | MCP BCP |
4 | 897.8875 936.8875 | MCP BCP |
5 | 897.9375 936.9375 | MCP BCP |
6 | 897.9875 936.9875 | MCP BCP |
Install ATCSmon on Linux (or Mac) using Wine
ATCSmon can be installed on linux and runs flawlessly with the help from Wine. Wine is an open-source compatibility layer that enables Windows programs to run Linux operating systems. Visit winehq.org for more info on Wine.
Instructions from Ubuntu 18.04
Downlown ATCSMonitor from groups.io/ATCSMonitor file section
You will need Wine and winetricks installed for ATCSmon to work
Use winetricks to install MDAC 2.8 and Jet 4.0 ddls which are both required for ATCSmon.
To install winetricks, run in terminalsudo apt-get install winetricks
To install MDAC 2.8 and Jet 4.0 run:winetricks mdac28 jet40
You should now be able to execute the ATCSMon installer .exewine ./atcsinstall.exe
Atcs Monitor Software
If you get a missing core fonts error. You can get the missing fonts at https://sourceforge.net/projects/corefonts/files/
Extract the fonts into:/home/**Your Username**/.wine/drive_c/windows/Fonts
Atcs Monitor App
Software Defined Radio with ATCS
This is a quick list of SDRs I have used for ATCS receiving.
NooElec NESDR SMArt
- 25MHz - 1750MHz
- SMA Female Connector
- Aluminum enclosure
NooElec NESDR Nano 3
- 25MHz - 1750MHz
- MCX Connector
- Aluminum enclosure
- Ultra slim design
- Excellent for raspberry pi
Atcs
SDRplay RSPduo
- Dual Tunner
- 1KHz - 2GHz
- Steel enclosure
- 2 SMA Female Connectors
- Antenna Screw terminal
Pages: Raspberry Pi for ATCS
Atcs Monitor Download
Links: ATCSMonitorwinehq.org
I'm here to tell you... You get the ATCS monitor screen picking up while you're out railfanning, so you're watching from the field, and about the only thing you need a scanner for is to know what train symbol is going by. I can sit there, and listen to railfans talk about going home because it's so slow, and then I laugh because there's a flood of 3 or 4 trains headed my way - and I know right where they are, thanks to ATCS.
-Eric