An Evaluation of the Proposed Railroad VHF Band Channel Plan

As a result of the Federal Communications Commission’s radio spectrum realignment initiative, land mobile radio manufacturers are being encouraged to incorporate narrowband and trunking technologies into their designs in order to efficiently utilize the radio spectrum. As new equipment designs become available in the marketplace, users must infuse these new systems into their existing land mobile radio infrastructures. The railroad industry is developing a strategy to accomplish this migration. This strategy includes defining a band plan for the efficient use of the railroad VHF spectrum. In this report, the authors evaluate the railroad industry's rechannelization strategy, offer an alternate approach, and conclude with comments regarding the efficacy of both railroad VHF band plans.