PTC Antenna Farm

[garyrsatx]

I need some help here. I have been looking for some good photos of the PTC antenna farms on top of both GE and EMD locomotives. There photos from the side, but I need a direct overhead shot. I am planning on constructing a couple locomotives that have PTC antenna farms on them, but I want to be sure I have a good representation(being anal here). I greatly appreciate any help you all could offer.

Thanks ;D

[railroadjeep]

There's some variables with those antennas... There the wayside antennas with a a white plastic cover, or the exposed ones. There's theres also question of whose equipment is inside the locomtoive, which changes the arangement of data download and GPS antennas depending if it's from MeteorComm, Wabtec, or Alstom. It also depends of whether we're talking about new locomtoives (which are comming with the mounting locations for PTC equipment) or older engines being refitted. Or do you just want photos of everything...

[garyrsatx]

I am looking for the antenna arrays that are found on the later ES44AC's and SD70ACe's that the UPRR has been receiving as well as what they are retrofiting on the SD70M's. I am looking to do something similar and from what I could see from the ground there is more then the Sinclair "skate" type antennas up there. There looked to be some of the little covered type Sinclair antennas up there as well as what looked to be various "can" antennas. If you have pics please post them. I would appreciate it greatly!!!

[railroadjeep]

Dang it! We had a UP SD70M sitting at our (BNSF) shop for a month while the PTC guys fine tuned it before testing the PTC up here. I knew I should climbed around that thing and taken some pictures...

Any how, I'll work on some photos of the EVO's. I would imagine UP and BNSF's installations are going to be similar, since I see the EVO's are being built at the factory with all the PTC antenna mounting locations built into the cab roof.

[railroadjeep]

After studying a NS unit with PTC installed in it, my ideas that UP and BNSF PTC install's might be similar was shot out of the water...

Once it clean up these photos, I'll get them posted.

[railroadjeep]

Here's one of the various PTC antenna setups I've come across. Based off what I've found explaining how PTC is going to work, this is what I've deciphered the antennas are for.

Because PTC is a critical system, there's an "A" and "B" set of hardware. So for antenna's, that means there will be duplicate antenna's for certain things like PTC, and GPS. The 802 network download antenna is shared, and it appears depending on the mfg., there will be one or two cell modem antennas.

[sgoti]

Without meaning to hijack this thread...

What is PTC? Positive Train Control? (only thing I could think of)

[garyrsatx]

Ok this is different! The UPRR locomotives have built up bases. There appear to be two regular sinclair antennas up there as well as an assortment of many other smaller antennas. I like the pic though as it will help me detail a BNSF AC4400 I have.

I am still looking for a pic of the type on top of the UPRR units. I guess I may have to resort to going down to the Hayes Street Bridge here in SA and wait for some SD70ACes to go under it. (Note: the Hayes Street Bridge is a restored SP railroad "road" bridge built back in the 20's for traffic to get across the tracks when the tracks were blocked. It is now a bike trail and ped walking bridge as well as an excellent place to watch trains from above.)

[railroadjeep]

Ha, I just got home and was going to look this thread up to weigh in on this!

I spied a UP SD70M on a passing train today while I was studying the antenna's on another BNSF unit. UP is going a completely diffrent route with their PTC installs, namely this add on bases/cabinet affair with the antennas's mounted to them. The Sinclair antennas are mounted at what appears to a 45* angle, but also appear to be a tad shorter than the regular radio antennas...

We've had some UP power on our trains here lately, hopefully I'll catch up with one that has some PTC equipment. I'm interested to see how they've chosen to install the rooftop equipment and the antenna layouts.

[railroadjeep]

Well, I took me long enough to finally catch up with one... Here's the roof of a almost brand new UP SD70ACe. I'm not entirely sure what UP has going on with thier antennas, since it's alot more than BNSF is using.

I know the two angled Sinclair anteannas are for the PTC wayside communications, the middle small Sincalir is for the ETD, the forward small Sinclairs are DP A & B radios, and the solo large Sincalir is the radio. There were at least two cell modems (one for PTC, one for the Wi-Tronix), and at least 3 GPS systems, (2 for the PTC and one for the Wi-Tronix). There should also be a 802.11 antenna for the PTC download and some other stuff.

[oldrail]

Wonder how all that stuff will work with about three or four feet of packed snow on top?

[stevef45]

wow thats alot different then what has appeared on NS SD70ACe's.