A CRJ200 HAS A GEAR DISAGREEMENT INDICATION AFTER TKOF WITH THE GEAR APPARENTLY UP AND LOCKED.

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DURING CLBOUT AND ABOUT 1 MIN AFTER SELECTING GEAR UP; WE RECEIVED A GEAR DISAGREEMENT WARNING MESSAGE. THE MAIN GEAR INDICATED UP AND LOCKED WHEREAS THE NOSE GEAR INDICATION WAS RED AND CROSSHATCHED ON THE EICAS DISPLAY. THERE WAS NO ADDITIONAL AIR NOISE COMING FROM THE NOSE OF THE ACFT AND I SUSPECT THAT THE GEAR WAS UP AND MAYBE LOCKED AND THAT THE NOSE DOORS WERE CLOSED. WE MAINTAINED OUR SPD AT 200 KTS AND LEVELED AT 6000 FT AS CLRED BY ATC. I ADVISED ATC OF OUR PROB; DECLARED AN EMER; AND REQUESTED SOME DELAYING VECTORS TO WORK THE PROB BEFORE RETURNING TO CVG. THE FO WAS FLYING AND TOOK CTL OF THE RADIOS WHILE I CONSULTED THE QRH. AFTER COMPLETING THE STEP REQUIRING US TO SELECT ON HYD PUMPS 2B AND 3 THE MESSAGE CLRED AND THE NOSE GEAR INDICATED UP AND LOCKED. I SUMMONED THE FLT ATTENDANT AND ADVISED HER OF OUR SIT AND THAT SHE COULD EXPECT A NORMAL LNDG IN CVG IN ABOUT 15 MINS. I CALLED MAINT CTL AND ADVISED THEM OF THE SIT AND ASKED IF THEY FELT THAT I SHOULD COMPLETE THE QRH OR STOP WHERE WE WERE. MY CONCERN WAS FOR CAUSING THE PROB TO RETURN OR WORSEN. THEY ADVISED ME TO NOT COMPLETE THE QRH AND TO SEE IF THE GEAR WOULD EXTEND AND LOCK. WE SELECTED GEAR DOWN AND RECEIVED A 'DOWN AND 3 GREEN' INDICATION. THEY ADVISED ME TO LEAVE IT DOWN AND RETURN TO CVG. WE DELAYED OUR APCH TO CVG IN AN EFFORT TO COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING GOALS: BURN SOME FUEL TO OBTAIN A LNDG WT OF 47000 LBS; CALL DISPATCH AND ADVISE THEM OF OUR RETURN AND TO AMEND THE RELEASE FOR THE RETURN TO CVG; ADVISE EXCEPTIONS THAT WE WOULD NEED A GATE FOR OUR RETURN AND A CSR TO HELP OUR PAX; BRIEF THE PAX OF THE SIT; THE RESOLUTION OF OUR PRECAUTIONARY RETURN TO CVG. I CALLED THE FLT ATTENDANT AGAIN AND DISCUSSED IF SHE WAS OK AND IF MY PA CAME ACROSS CLR TO THE PAX AND TO GAUGE THEIR REACTION. SHE WAS ALSO A NEW HIRE (1 MONTH) AND I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT HER LEVEL OF STRESS AND REACTION TO THE SIT. SHE DID A GREAT JOB; SEEMED VERY CALM AND TOOK CARE OF THE PAX. MY FO AND I FINISHED ALL THE NORMAL REMAINING CHKLISTS; BRIEFED FOR THE ILS RWY 18L; AND DISCUSSED MY PLANS FOR EVAC OR NOT IF ON THE VERY RARE CHANCE THAT THE NOSE GEAR WOULD COLLAPSE. WE ADVISED ATC THAT WE WERE READY FOR THE ILS AND REQUESTED TO HAVE CFR STANDING BY; BUT WE EXPECTED NO PROBS WITH A NORMAL LNDG AND ROLLOUT. WE COMPLETED THE LNDG AND TURNED OFF THE RWY. CFR ADVISED US THAT EVERYTHING APPEARED NORMAL WITH THE ACFT FROM THEIR VANTAGE POINT AND WE TAXIED TO THE GATE. EVERYTHING WORKED JUST AS PLANNED AND AS WE TRAIN FOR. ALTHOUGH A VERY MINOR EVENT; EVERYBODY AT ACR AND ATC DID A GREAT JOB OF HELPING US WITH INFO AND SUPPORT AS WE NEEDED IT. MY CREW PERFORMED BETTER THAN I COULD HAVE EXPECTED.