Yes!
The Link Light Rail operates on a trunked, non-encrypted radio frequency.
Any scanner capable of monitoring trunked radio systems can listen in. Many are under $100, and several are under $200.
And that’s all it takes to listen to LCC dump on operators, trains call out or in to the yard, and things that are likely to slow down your train, like simple approvals or walking inspections.
For the complete listing of frequencies and talk groups, please see
https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=604
Scroll down until you get to “King County Metro Transit Talkgroups”, you want “LINK RR MAIN”.
Sound Transit Link Light Rail operates at 1500 volts, with sufficient amperage to drive several trains uphill. The overhead wire is divided into circuits so that each of several power stations are only having to deliver enough energy to power that one circuit, not the entire line.
Interesting note : every other light rail agency operates on 700 volts or 750 volts. This means that Links equipment is not standard within the industry and must be specially ordered/manufactured. And that means eveything. Power stations, curcuit breakers, trains .. everything. It also means that in an emergency situation, Link would be probably unable to borrow equipment from another agency.
Why in the world of reason would Link choose to be non-standard? Two reasons. One, because the person in charge of that decision was not qualified to make it. Two, it's taxpayer money. It's not like they have to make a profit. Remember voting them $54,000,000,000.00 ( fifty four BILLION ) just this last time?
The trains have three different types of braking.
Dynamic braking.
The electric motors of the trains have the polarity reversed and are essentially turned into generators. This produces a drag that is transferred to the wheels. Braking above 5 mph is normally dynamic braking.
Friction Braking.
The trains have disc brakes, just like your car. When the train is slowing, dynamic braking cuts out at 5 mph, and friction braking takes over. It is usually pretty easy to tell when that transition has occured.
Track brakes.
The trains have large chunks of metal underneath the car above the rails. When the operator needs more braking than they can get normally, there is a button they can press that engages the track brakes. These are then forced downward and press against the rails to generate friction to slow the train quickly. There is an audible slamming noise when these are used.
Emergency brake.
There is an emergency brake on the dash that the operator can depress if they need the train to stop ASAP. Once it's pressed, it can't be undone. That means the train has to stop before it can be reset and the train can go again. The operator cannot change their mind before the train stops and just continue on.
Near the ends of the train, on the elevated seats, the 2nd and 3rd rows from the door to the operator cab are on heated sand boxes. You can see a clear panel on the side where the operator can check to make sure the boxes are full. Sometimes when the wheels are slipping while either stopping or accelerating, sand is forced onto the rails with compressed air to give the wheels better friction on the rails. When conditions are right, the train can slip a lot going up the hill towards Tukwila heading south bound. In this case the train won't deploy sand until the train is doing around 15 mph.
Note** Since the sand is always heated, those seats are the warmest. Sit there on cold days!
The trains often slip all over the place, but it's the most noticable going southbound up the hill to Tukwila station. If the rails are dry, no problem. If it's raining, no problem. It's when it's just lightly raining, or just misty that it gets bad. Heavy rain washes the oil off the tracks, while that light mist doesn't wash it off, but rather floats the oil on a layer of water. Super slippery.
Yes. There are several places (all just before curves) where a grease is deliberately put on the track to help keep the squeeling noise down as the train goes around curves. The side effect is that the wheels can slip when weather conditions are right.
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