The 10 Best Handheld Radio Scanners For Railroad (2023 reviews)

We consider a handheld radio scanner for railroad to be a worthy investment in the long run. We are here to help you choose the right one for your needs from all the best available products in market today.

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Our Top Picks:

Best Overall: Buy: Uniden Weather Channel READ REVIEW

Best With internal speaker: Buy: Uniden Really beautiful Scanner READ REVIEW

Best For Analog broadcasts: Buy: Uniden Police Scanner READ REVIEW

Best For local Police: Buy: Uniden Digital Scanner READ REVIEW

Best For North America: Buy: Uniden Great Scanner READ REVIEW

Best For conventional communications: Buy: Uniden USB Cable READ REVIEW

Best For Railroad: Buy: Uniden Nice Scanner READ REVIEW

Best For price: Buy: Uniden Good Scanner READ REVIEW

Best With Emergency calls: Buy: Uniden Bearcat Handheld Radio Scanner READ REVIEW

Best premium: Buy: Handheld Radio Scanner For Railroad READ REVIEW

Best Overall: Uniden Weather Channel

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We know from years of feedback from readers, customers and amazon sellers, what most people want in a scanner. This product is exactly that - it's a simple product that hits all the right notes. This all-in-one scanner features a fresh design that's attractive on your desktop and easy to read at night through its clear lcd backlit display. It features you expect and also comes in nice and clear. It has good volume so you can hear clearly. It makes a nice bedside radio.

You are going to run across quite a bit of digital traffic, but this can easily be locked out by the press of one button so those frequencies are skipped in the future. This is a really good scanner, simple to use after you read the instruction manual. It gives you plenty of room to store frequencies for weather spotters, local businesses, emergency services, and more. It is great for eavesdropping on emergencies.

• Easy to set up, clear, high volume,easy to use
• A very useful analog, non-trunking radio scanner
• Plenty of sensitivity and the sound from the built-in speaker is decent

Best With internal speaker: Uniden Really beautiful Scanner

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The uniden really beautiful scanner has killer features for the price point. This mobile scanner radio offers 25, 000 channels with an advanced dynamic memory system, trunktracker v technology, and more. It features like advanced dynamic memory system, close call rf capture technology, and gps compatibility. It comes with a mounting bracket and cigarette lighter power adapter. It is used for transmitting also.

This scanner does have AM reception capability, does not have any CB channels currently programmed. It is a nice scanner and works real well. This is really easy to program when using the programming software that you must download from the uniden website, it is money well spent.

• Computer program makes it easy to load frequencies
• Great recp and easy to get codes using computer program
• Fully adjustable priority scan modes and delays

Best For Analog broadcasts: Uniden Police Scanner

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Compared with other products by Uniden, the uniden police scanner has a convenient design. This unit is perfect for uhf / vhf single channel and single channel repeater communications for fire, police, and emergency management at the local level. The built-in am/fm radio lets you listen to your local radio stations, while the built in alarm clock lets you wake to your favorite channels. The Snooze allows you to grab a few more minutes of sleep, while the sleep function automatically turns off the bc345crs after the time you set. With batteries it even works without being plugged in, which is useful for being out in the yard with the grill or tailgating.

This Scanner is easy to program, gets great coverage, and good looking. It is great scanner for analog broadcasts. It is ideal for home use.

• Great way to start a hobby
• Store your most important frequencies into priority channels
• Good reception and easy to program once you figure out the programming sequence
• Nice for the garage or house

Best For local Police: Uniden Digital Scanner

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Compared with other products by Uniden, the uniden digital scanner has a convenient design. The BCD436HP is able to monitor both analog and digital signals. It is a basic 10 channel scanner that works great for local police, fire, and rescue scans. The app is limited to your cellular signal, and it doesn't give you the control to fine-tune your frequencies. The 436 can listen to basic encryption on analog devices or the more advanced p25 digital trunking encryption.

The plus features of this scanner are many. The software needed is stored on board, and the card is expandable. These are very easy to program, backup and restore.

• You will be able to listen to the frequencies in your range
• Picks up what the scanner apps filter out
• Come in crystal clear additionally includes yes, weather

Best For North America: Uniden Great Scanner

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If you are searching for a satisfactory scanner for your daily usage, you cannot go wrong with this pick. This scanner is specifically for newbies, even the "extreme upgrade" is blah for anyone who already knows what they're doing. It has built in database and tons of options you can easily set through the touch-screen. It will run on your current IF you have an AC to USB adapter. The Range controls how many channels are selected based on your selected base on your location and system's location. The build quality is solid, and the audio crisp and clear. It comes with rechargerable batteries.

There is the ability to save specific channels to a custom bank, as well as the ability to manually enter specific frequencies. It is great for a first time user or advance user.

• Works surprisingly well for unencrypted digital trunked public service communications
• Very easy to set up using zip code
• Works great in the car as well
• Excellent scanner, very easy to operate

Best For conventional communications: Uniden USB Cable

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Uniden makes beautiful and great scanner with classic and smartly choosen materials. This is the UHF range of frequencies. Close call rf capture technology instantly tunes to signals from nearby transmitters and the priority scan function scans the channels you have designated as priority channels. It is perfect for nascar and other local events. The SR30C only covers analog frequencies. In addition to its standard scanning features, your scanner also includes close call rf capture technology designed to help you detect and identify strong local radio signals in your area.

The scanner gives you direct access to over 32, 000 exciting frequencies. It will work better for stations at greater distances. It has so many channels available on this radio, that you can't possibly fill it up with frequencies. It comes with rechargeable batteries.

• Setting-up a new program file is straight-forward and quite easy/quick
• Easy to program by hand or by a microsoft computer
• Picks up a lot of frequencies

Best For Railroad: Uniden Nice Scanner

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If you often find yourself confused about convenient and suitable scanner, this product is your end point. This scanner offers many options and features. It comes with 9, 000 channels, advanced dynamic memory system, close call rf capture technology, and more. The Bracket works great for truck mounting and for using with the supplied feet to set as a base. It is well organized, so you can group channels easily, and edit properties of individual channels. The bracket allows some tilt of the units face up and down to fit mounting applications.

This scanner's self is a time saver as you don't have to either memorize the frequencies or keep looking them up to see exactly where the call is coming from. It comes with a programming cable that uses usb instead of an outdated serial connection.

• Works perfectly well and can hear it fine anywhere in the house
• Receives well and has good audio
• One of the new comers and featured product

Best For price: Uniden Good Scanner

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Best part: uniden good scanner costs comparatively low and it is available to ship in 24 hours. If you’re looking for an affordable way to jump into the world of scanners, the bc355n may be the right choice for you. It lets you lock out frequencies that have continuous or uninteresting communications so that searching is faster. This pre-programmed search makes it easier to find active frequencies and helps you stay on top of local happenings and emergencies in your area.

The bc355n comes complete with a backlit display, making it easier to read in low light conditions, along with ac adapter, a dc power cable and an automotive power outlet plug, giving you more options for supplying power at home or in your car. The Unit works very well with the telescoping antenna and its compact size is a big plus. This gives you quick access to the frequencies you want to hear.

• Great size, doesn't take up much room
• Great simple scanner for analog am/fm
• New and hot release

Best With Emergency calls: Uniden Bearcat Handheld Radio Scanner

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The uniden bearcat handheld radio scanner should be able to handle its purpose and duties with ease. The Bearcat Bc125at handheld scanner has a feature called close call technology. It can pick up radio signals from 5 miles away. It's sturdy, with a surprisingly good sound quality and clarity for its compact size. This feature separates multiple frequencies into 10 categories which can then be turned on or off of scanning. It also has the ability to lock out channels on a temporary basis as well as be able to scan for nearby signals.

This allows you to choose only those services which you're interested in, and removes scanning of frequencies to speed up what do you hear. It comes with rechargeable batteries and easy to charge off a laptop or anything that has a USB port. If you're in need of a good solid radio scanner, this is a great choice.

• Works great, easy to program, and sound is clear
• Easy to program with pc free software
• Good brand reputation

Best premium: Handheld Radio Scanner For Railroad

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This Uniden's product might be a relatively new release, but it's still nothing short of impressive in this year, thanks to multiple improved premium features over the past few iterations. Listen in and stay informed, this sophisticated scanner has 500 alpha-tagged channels in a convenient compact design with loads of features. It is compact and features weather alert technology and is capable of attaching to civilian and military air bands. It is located on the ear cup for maximum ease of use. It features, the orange backlight display is easy to read, even in low light conditions.

The Passive Noise Reduction stereophone system isolates listener from ambient sounds. It allows easy level adjustment additionally it is designed to make the world disappear. The range is typically 1-8 miles, depending upon the terrain and many other factors.

• Tagged channels in a convenient compact design with loads of features
• New and hot release