It depends on
1) The conductor
2) the mood of the other passengers.

I carry my scanner on the train all the time. I do not use an ear
phone, but then I only listen to the channel that the Amtrak is
currently running on, which passengers hear anyway because the
conductors have their radios on (some have earphones but most don't).
Also I keep the volume way way down, so for the most part the train
noise cancels out the scanner noise for anyone beyond my seat. I
usually have to put the scanner up to my ear when there is any
activity. When the train is crowded I turn it off except when there
is a problem like a stopped train. In those cases, the passengers are
usually asking me whats going on. Most of them think I am an Amtrak
employee, primarily because of the radio and other geek stuff attached
to my belt.

If you are going to be listening to all the neighboring police
frequencies etc and your scanner is going to be constantly crackling,
then earphones would be a necessity.

On my travel, one of the conductors noticed what I was doing. The next
week (I travel on the same train every week), he showed up with a list
of frequencies they use on their line, the mileposts where they change
and all of the signal interpretations.

I'm not sure what you mean by "the right kind of earphone". Is there
something different about the ear plug on your scanner? Single line
ear plugs are available at any Radio Shack for probably about $2.00.

On 13 Oct 2003 16:52:20 GMT, (tomcatgbmi) wrote:

will Amtrak yell at me if i dont have headphones in my scanner? i want to bring
my VX-150 but i dont have the right type of headphones.

Tom
Mt. Morris, MI
check out my Genesee County scanner page at geocities.com/tomcat4680