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© Copyright 1995-1996, Clay Irving
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New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA) Frequencies

Last Update: Saturday, 12-Oct-1996 15:19:33 EDT

NYCTA uses 127.3 CTCSS.

The train-to-dispatch and dispatch-to-train frequencies and the yard channel are the most heavily used from an operational standpoint, and of the greatest interest to scanning enthusiasts. All frequencies in Table 1 and Table 3 are fully receivable in the subway.

You may also want to refer to NYCTA Radio Codes.

Frequencies for the portables and luggables (all use PL 127.3):

161.19Division A dispatcher-to-train (former IRT division)
158.88Division A train-to-dispatcher
161.505Division B1 dispatcher-to-train (former BMT division)
158.775Disision B1 train-to-dispatcher
161.565Division B2 dispatcher-to-train (former IND division)
158.805Division B2 train-to-dispatcher
160.845Yard IND BMT IRT
Table 1

Other NYCTA Frequencies (PL 127.3):

156.1050Signals/Maintanence of Way
158.7750Div B1 BMT Train-to-Dispatcher Simplex
158.8050Div B1 BMT Train-to-Dispatcher Simplex
158.8800Div A IRT Train-to-Dispatcher Simplex
160.3950Coney Island Yard Tower A
160.4850Staten Island RT Maintenance
160.8450S. Brooklyn Railroad
160.8450Yard IND BMT IRT
160.8750Coney Island Yard BMT IND
160.8950Coney Island Yard Tower B
161.0250Coney Island Yard
161.1900Div A IRT Subway Operations
161.5050Div B1 BMT Subway Operations
161.5650S. Brooklyn Railroad
161.5650Div B2 IND Subway Operations
470.3875Community Repeater -- Emergencies, Maintenance, Power
470.4375Staten Island RT Command
470.4875Maintanence of Way
Table 2

The transit police (NYPD Transit division) frequencies are (all use PL 103.5):

160.905Manhattan
160.500Bronx
160.305Brooklyn
160.965Queens
160.6905RMPs (transit police cars)
Table 3

Prior to "unification" in June of 1940, the BMT tracks were operated by the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transportation Company, now designated as division B1. The B2 division is trackage that was owned by the city-run Independant subway. Division A is the former territory of the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT). Incidentally, the reason for the "A" and the "B*" designations is that trains from division B are wider (by about a foot and a half) than on A, thus are completely seperate operationally. However, IND and BMT specs are identical, and in fact there have been many connections built between tracks formerly owned by the IND and the BMT (i.e. Chrystie Street ("B" and "D" trains, plus an unused connection to the Williamsburg Bridge (Former "K" train), 63rd Street (future use only), Queens Plaza ("R" train), Church Ave/Ditmas Ave (Culver line/"F" train) and Prospect park (Brighton line/Q train). At these locations, when a train goes from one territory into another, there is a sign indicating to the train operator to switch radio channels as required.

For more information check New York City Subway Resources.

Many thanks to Peter Dougherty (pjd@istar.ca)!