For the railroad guys - RR Astro discontinuation

[sigmtr]

Hope this isn't a duplication...

http://railcom.net/WSFF/home.asp?vCompID=3630

Doug

[train_radio_guy]

This is the day we all have dreaded. The end of a good workhorse, by which the industry standard was defined. I've seen some substitutes by other manufacturers, but I can't speak for their durability & long-lasting reliability.

I wonder if the likes of Kenwood, or another LMR company will step in & pickup where /\/\ has chosen to leave off?

Time will tell......

- trg,

[Radio99]

Looks like GE already anticipated this:

https://www.getransportation.com/genera ... _Radio.pdf

[tvsjr]

Except the GE radio doesn't do digital... narrowband yes, digital no.

[Pj]

Only makes sense, as the Spectra platform itself is going away. I am sure that the XTL/Railroad will be out shortly..however it did take awhile for the astro RR to make it debut.

I haven't noticed anything on MOL about the discontiunance yet though.

[Josh]

It's not like it wasn't/isn't a successful radio line, either... It's rare for me to see anything other than a Spectra railroad radio, now becoming Astro Spectra railroad radios in locomotives today. Sure, there's the really rare MCX100 railroad radio, perhaps and aerotron or a trackstar every now and again, but 95% of the time it's going to be a Moto Spectra unit.

I've seen the GE one shown at that URL once, and it looked really boxy and crappy like the trackstar, I know form follows function, but that tiny LCD screen doesn't seem like it can cut the cake mounted high in a loco cab (wide-cab engines), but I may be wrong.

Yeah, it's apparent that Moto is getting out of the Astro Spectra line completely, and it makes sense because it's a line that's 10+ years old now, but its short production run stinks because it is a fantastic piece of locomotive equipment.

-Josh

[tvsjr]

Also, don't forget that many of the new locos are coming with glass cockpits... the radios end up being XTLs mounted in a box and interfaced to the control system. No need for the Clean Cab radios, AFAIK.

Of course, Moto may have forgotten about the thousands of locos out there that need the pedestal-mount radio and won't be replaced any time soon.

[kcbooboo]

Is it fair to compare the thousand locomotive radios that Motorola will stop supporting, to the millions of cellphones that they keep selling, as far as caring about their customers goes?!?!?!

Besides, who's gonna fix 'em when they break? Jose, Carlos, & Juan?

Bob M.

[Will]

Is it fair to compare the thousand locomotive radios that Motorola will stop supporting, to the millions of cellphones that they keep selling, as far as caring about their customers goes?!?!?!

Besides, who's gonna fix 'em when they break? Jose, Carlos, & Juan?

Bob M.

Bob, So do you think I should gear-up to do RailRoad Spectra repairs
also? Along with the Spectra repairs.

[Josh]

They're really not that much different from their standard couterparts.

[train_radio_guy]

At the rate /\/\ is throwing away their main-stay products lines, both left & right, it definitely presents an opportunity for the remaining LMR players - Both the big boys, and the specialty shops.

If you work on the regular LMR Spectras, I would suggest brushing up on the Railroad version as well. On the CN (formerly Illinois Central) in the US, there's only three radio shops left - Homewood, IL., Memphis, TN., & Jackson, MS. When the radio tech in Waterloo, IA. retired, they eliminated his position with company.

There's even been talk about farming-out the radio portion of the work, to the local 2-way shops along the line. Personally, I think they're making a big mistake, by not keeping the work in-house, but some outfits just have to learn the hard way. I'm sure they'll be more than happy to pass their mistake on to the customers.

Big business at its finest hour.

[jim]

I was under the impression that the railroads throughout the USA were soon going to a new nationwide 800 or 700 system and doing away with the VHF band.


Anyone else hear this?

[k2hz]

I was under the impression that the railroads throughout the USA were soon going to a new nationwide 800 or 700 system and doing away with the VHF band.


Anyone else hear this?

No, The AAR has a petition with the FCC to assume all 160MHz railroad licenses to provide an orderly transition to narrow band nationwide.

You may be thinking of the ATCS nationwide allocations in the 900MHz band for signaling and data communications. Voice communications are expected to remain on 160MHz.

[Pj]

ATCS is the 900MHz control system. Pretty nifty when you run a good ATCS Mon program. UP at one of the Oregon yards is already running digital (and the AAR narrowband I think), and a couple of smaller places. That was the nice thing about the ASTRO RR, pushbutton digital and AAR narrowband.

Doesn't any better than that.

[kf4sqb]

The CleanCab Spec is basicly a standard, mid-power Spectra with different firmware, a special 'control head', and a 72VDC to 12VDC power adapter built-in. When you open up the housing, you will see a 'stripped-down' Spectra chassis in it. About the only thing special you will need to work on them is a 72VDC power supply of some sort. They can be powered from 12VDC as well ( the power connector has four pins, two are for 12V, two for 72V), but you will need to be able to check the converter, too, sometimes.

[KitN1MCC]

one thing is there alot of Short lines that dont use Clean cabs. and also who cant afford to get all new radios/narrow

[Will]

So I will make up a 72 volt power source, but need the RR SPectra manual to cover the power supply and control head.

I will need a power cable also, then I am ready to work on them.
PM for details..

[KitN1MCC]

one way to get away from the Power supply on locomotives like we do here is install a 12 volt Automotive alternator and a Battery for 12 volts for the radio and other things as well

[RR Spectra]

one way to get away from the Power supply on locomotives like we do here is install a 12 volt Automotive alternator and a Battery for 12 volts for the radio and other things as well

Yeah, but what about the AAR singletones?

[Josh]

that was done-away with on the digital spectra rail radio... only DTMF was available.

plus, most railroads with singletone also have dtmf

-Josh

[train_radio_guy]

On the former Illinois Central & Chicago Central & Pacific lines (now CN), both single tone & DTMF work. Since there are many non-DTMF HT1000's still in operation, as well as many other legacy radios with single tone only capability, this backward compatibility was essential.

The dispatcher radios are RR Spectra's minus their control head & interfaced to a Safetran Controller. The one draw back is that the controller only allows access to the first 4 'home' channels, but the landline backup feature is a plus, especially when your in a pinch.

[KitN1MCC]

one way to get away from the Power supply on locomotives like we do here is install a 12 volt Automotive alternator and a Battery for 12 volts for the radio and other things as well

Yeah, but what about the AAR singletones?

i am mostly talking for Shortline/Tourist operation/yard work with smaller older locomotives


also just get a comspec single tone encoder

[Rayjk110]

Thanks to Josh here on the board, I actually own a former RR Spectra, and can say it has one of the most sensitive VHF recieve I've ever heard from a mobile.