Railfan Technology > couple questions

does anybody know of a website where one can purchase a cell phone protector with a railroad theme or logo? i have a samsung 4G lte.

another question: i have a railfan friend who is interested in finding a phone app that allows you to follow trains in real time? maybe this is wishful thinking on his part?

thanks

mike in WA

NPRY1960 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> does anybody know of a website where one can
> purchase a cell phone protector with a railroad
> theme or logo? i have a samsung 4G lte.
>
> another question: i have a railfan friend who is
> interested in finding a phone app that allows you
> to follow trains in real time? maybe this is
> wishful thinking on his part?
>
> thanks
>
> mike in WA

Not sure on the first question. On the second no app for a phone for real time. Only thing they could do to come close to that would be to join yahoo group ATCS monitor. Once a member download the program to their home computer get it up and running then view said home computer with their phone using Teamviewer or LogMeIn . Only thing his/her area might not be covered.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/04/14 06:18 by TAFD00367.

Interesting point about ATCS monitor, it can have a nice looking display of where the train 'could be' but not where the train really is. It shows signal indications. Watching folks use the local version, they don't have advance info on where the train really is. That may just be an isolated situation, maybe others can fill that in.

I do believe the Field Supervisors have a system that combines the train location and also a bunch of other info, but not at the hobby level. I understand that display is a combination of a number of different systems, I don't know of any hobbyist who has tapped into that...yet.

The End of train device does emit a digital coded RF signal, a proper radio can listen for it which determines that the EOT is in a certain area. Combining the ATCS Monitor and the EOT seems to be effective.

ATCS to me is very accurate---it shows the train in a perticular block of the railroad you are monitoring. It allows you to pick the spot you want as background and etc and you know you want be waiting all day for the shot.

Dale Smith

mearsksealand Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ATCS to me is very accurate---it shows the train
> in a perticular block of the railroad you are
> monitoring. It allows you to pick the spot you
> want as background and etc and you know you want
> be waiting all day for the shot.
>
> Dale Smith


Good info. Perhaps I'm looking at the wrong display or an incomplete system.

TCnR Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> mearsksealand Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > ATCS to me is very accurate---it shows the
> train
> > in a perticular block of the railroad you are
> > monitoring. It allows you to pick the spot you
> > want as background and etc and you know you
> want
> > be waiting all day for the shot.
> >
> > Dale Smith
>
>
> Good info. Perhaps I'm looking at the wrong
> display or an incomplete system.

Hard to say lot info to process and the amount of error rates etc... I seen first hand a portable or mobile version used for my area and it was also very accurate. I've wanted to do a set up for my area but live to far away from tracks. So I stick to my trusted home base radio's and listen for the detectors which can be picked up a good 20 miles or so.

Dawned on me that there is a Command data stream and a Telemetry data stream, or similar description. Seem to recall a simple set up only de-mods one of the streams, maybe that explains the set up I've heard about.

Yep, kinda old fashioned, see it or hear the Dispatcher discussion about it. When the EOT channel lights up you need to have the camera on and ready, or just wave when they go by.

Its not accurate in TWC/ABS territory unless there are control points like diamonds/ drawbridge,etc that report to the system

Posted from Android

NPRY1960 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> does anybody know of a website where one can
> purchase a cell phone protector with a railroad
> theme or logo? i have a samsung 4G lte.....
>
> mike in WA

Mike-

Sorry for a late reply. Search in google for "custom phone skins". Several companies listed can make custom skins or protective cases with logos or photos that you provide them. I've got no experience doing this myself though.

Jeff