Scanner Frequencies

Rail radio today

Rail radio in Queensland has changed a lot since this list was put together, and much of it has gone digital, so a basic analogue scanner won't pick up nearly as much as it used to.

According to Queensland Rail's interface standards (September 2024), it uses four voice radio systems to control trains:

• Enhanced Radio System (ERS): the main voice radio in South East Queensland. It's a digital system based on DMR (Digital Mobile Radio) Tier 3, carrying communications between drivers, guards and network control, as well as maintenance, shunting and station traffic. ERS radios can also work in analogue mode to talk to older systems.
• Train Control Radio (TCR): the main voice radio outside South East Queensland. It's still an open-channel, two-way analogue UHF system between drivers, guards and Network Control.
• Maintenance Supervisory Radio (MSR): an open-channel analogue UHF system along the corridor outside South East Queensland, used by infrastructure staff and as a backup where TCR isn't installed or is unavailable.
• Shunt Radio: an open-channel UHF system used within shunting limits.

Change is still coming. A new 5G-based Digital Radio System is being built for South East Queensland to support ETCS Level 2 signalling, starting on the Sunshine Coast line, with Ericsson, UGL and Frequentis contracted in 2026 to have it ready ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Games. See ETCS Level 2 in Queensland.

On the Central Queensland coal network, Aurizon replaced its four separate analogue systems for train control, shunting, maintenance and wayside operations with a single TETRA digital network, covering 79 sites and 2,670 km of track and linking 50 coal mines and four ports. It was built by Radlink from 2017, with the radios installed across Aurizon's fleet in 2019.

Historical frequency list (2001)

The rest of this page is the original frequency list, kept for historical interest. It was put together around 2001, and the channel allocations will have changed since, particularly in South East Queensland where the analogue system has been replaced. The shops mentioned below have long since closed their doors.

Whether you're new at rail fanning or you're a long term veteran, the most valuable tool to invest in is a radio scanner. Both Tandy and Dick Smith sell a number of affordable models starting from 10 channel scanners up to a couple of 100 channel scanners. The best ones to go for are a 100 channel scanner with the ability to program as many frequencies in as possible.

Metropolitan

Train to Base

South West

Lower North Coast

Far North Coast

Mid West

Great Northern Railway

Local Radio Frequencies

QR

Pacific National

References

'Interface Standards (MD-10-194, version 6.2)', Queensland Rail, 19 September 2024
'Ericsson technology selected for the first stage of Queensland's next generation rail communications network', Ericsson, 30 July 2026
'Queensland's Rail Network in Australia Gets Digital Communication Boost with MCX from Frequentis', Railway-News, 30 September 2026
'Aurizon taps Radlink for TETRA rollout', Critical Comms, 20 October 2017
'Aurizon Rail, Australia's New TETRA Network To Use Sepura Radios', Sepura, 21 May 2019
Rail Scan Australia, http://rsa.four12.net/, 2001 (source of the historical frequency list)