New rule to mute train horns

BLAUVELT - Janet Hoffman didn't feel any sense of victory with the new federal rail regulations that limit horn-blowing near crossings.

"It's taken too long," said Hoffman, who joined a grass-roots organization called Halt Outrageous Railroad Noise (HORN) almost 15 years ago because she was so upset about the noise from train horns. "I think we've been abused with nonsense. They've been talking about it since 1989 or thereabouts."

Hoffman chuckled that she couldn't answer a reporter's questions about the new regulations because "my hearing isn't what it used to be," but said she'd had to live with too many horn blasts at all hours since she and her husband bought their house near Erie Street in 1941.

Quieter nights and safer crossings are behind the new Federal Railroad Administration regulations completed last week and set to take effect June 24.

http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs ... 019/NEWS03

Hoffman chuckled that she couldn't answer a reporter's questions about the new regulations because "my hearing isn't what it used to be," but said she'd had to live with too many horn blasts at all hours since she and her husband bought their house near Erie Street in 1941.

That's like all the yuppies around here buying a house next to a dairy farm and then complaining about the smell.

Let's see, the railroad was built in the late 1880's, the person mentioned
moved there in 1941. The railroad was well established by that time.
Reduced horn use in this particular area is a short cut to disaster, people
ignore the warning signals and gates now, what will happen then.
Everybody will be happy until a train hits a gasoline truck, school bus or
police car, then what? My sympathy goes to the engineer of the train that
this eventually will happen to.
Noel Weaver

Noel Weaver wrote:Let's see, the railroad was built in the late 1880's, the person mentioned
moved there in 1941. The railroad was well established by that time.
Reduced horn use in this particular area is a short cut to disaster, people
ignore the warning signals and gates now, what will happen then.
Everybody will be happy until a train hits a gasoline truck, school bus or
police car, then what? My sympathy goes to the engineer of the train that
this eventually will happen to.
Noel Weaver

Please show us in any reputable report where a slight reduction in the use of the horn has resulted in a hightened rate of TVAs! Just how many more gasoline trucks or school buses were hit because of a slight back off of the train's whistle verses a longer use of it?

It's such a circus comedy how the railroad (and cronies alike) will use the "We were here first" yadda yadda routine, like some silly kids saying. They want everyone to believe because "they were first" they have SPECIAL priveleges to do whatever they want anytime, anywhere, any way they see fit.

News Flash: If you want to talk about who was first, let's talk England's white men who sailed over to North America, and the white man's railroad developments verses the Native American (who were here long before any english settlers). The Native Americans to this day still don't give a damn about them, but you still have these railroads here, even though the these true Americans didn't want them. I mean, let's get comical now ... because you are apparently in the business and I can match you at every step.

To hell with your railroad was here first rhetoric! Either comply with the current laws and a few more to be put into place because of citizens annoyed by repetitious, obnoxious whistle blowing, or else face the penalties! End of Story!! It's really that simple.

I doubt the rule will change much because people will still be idiots cutting across tracks in front of trains (thus resulting in being honked at).

I wonder when RRs will start mounting cameras on the fronts and sides of engines so the plate numbers of irresponsible people can be noted and acted upon? Perhaps some nice tickets and or suspended licenses will do the trick?

Some railroads already have horn activated camera's installed.
The activate by Horn/Emergency brake and record what the engineer sees.

Elsewhere I have mentioned several things about this topic. One, it amazes me that a generation or two of people who have relied heavily on aural stimulation in quantity and volume are now complaining about train horns. Two, whether or not train horns are sounded at rail crossings is irrlevant because of the fact that people have become enured to noises, even those that are different from the norm; and that automobiles are sound proofed and outfitted with state of the art stereo sound systems, cell phones, tv's, and screaming kids which removes any chance a driver being able to hear sirens and train horns. Driver training and visual inhibitors are what have to be the solutions.

To hell with your railroad was here first rhetoric!

To hell with YOU and your mentality!
If you don't like it MOVE!

Coming to this forum is SUPPOSE to mean you are a railfan and support railroads, NOT the opposite!

OK, a few things, J.D...you are an intelligent person, whose posts are always well-thought out, so I won't go overboard with my response. I do, however, have to respectfully disagree with you in regards to your answer to Noel's post. And I understand that Noel sometimes CAN go overboard (sorry, IMHO), but he is speaking from the engineer's perspective.

A couple of logical flaws exist in your post. First, about gasoline trucks and school buses: in New York State, they will likely be hit rarely. Of course, it CAN happen, but laws, I believe, are in place that force these vehicles to stop at all tracks. School buses (I know this, since I am a teacher and have taken kids on trips that cross train tracks) stop, open the door, and look down the tracks. Once established that it is clear, they proceed. I have seen countless tanker trucks with a placard that states that they stop at all crossings as well.

The other logical flaw is about Native Americans vs. whites. This is a non-sequitur: it doesn't follow that which comes before. We aren't talking rules of nations, or boundaries to reservations, or even whether or not those reservations should have been established. There is no question that Native Americans got the shaft. There is no question that history is written by the victorious. Unless we are talking about quiet zones established at crossings on a reservation, which do exist, the inclusion of Native Americans is useless in this conversation.

In regards to things really "being that simple", it IS that simple. Where railroads predate others, they really do take precedent. It happens all the time between two railroads at a diamond-the railroad there first gets the right of way if two trains meet. If the railroad tracks were there when you, or your grandparents, or further back, etc., bought the house, then you should have understood that noise comes with it. Be it the rumbling of a coal drag at 2am, or a horn for a crossing, or whatever, that noise is there. You should have understood. And since the railroad is governed by federal rules, they are obligated to follow those rules. Namely, new rules about the length of a horn.

I do feel badly for two sets of people. First, simply, those people who have had an engineer blow their horn too much. It happens, of course. So tape it, or have the police tape it, and turn them in. Enough said. And stop bitching about it. The people I feel worst about are those near rails that were abandoned or at the very least downgraded, and have gone through a resurgence. And not even all of those people-just the ones who bought their house and were told by a realtor that the rails would never be used again. These poor souls exist, and it's not their fault that they were lied to.

Everyone else? They should get over it. The railroad was there before, and it will be there after. And there will be horns, and squealing flanges, and banging together of cars. And no amount of complaining will change that, even if you bought your house in 1941. Anyone in this situation is just titling at windmills.

Dave Becker

I though I might inject some reason here. Unless I'm mistaken isn't the
whistle/horn recorded by the "black box" on the lead power? If one
suspects a engineer was over doing it could this not be ascertained?
It may take some local or state official to make it happen but think this
might be an avenue to explore. Sure beats ragging on railroaders on
a web site that's about a fun hobby. This isn't WHINERS.net

STEAM ON
/--OOO--~-oo--oo-

What's with you guys? Someone been spiking your coffee lately? Everyone take a deep breath and calm down. No reason to jump down each other's throats.

-otto-

Otto Vondrak wrote:What's with you guys? Someone been spiking your coffee lately? Everyone take a deep breath and calm down. No reason to jump down each other's throats.

-otto-

must be that they got stuck with these kids at home during spring recess!!!!!

Good news! the kids went back to school today..So maybe things will be better now??

ken

Honk.... honk.... honk.... and the horn issue keeps on going how many of these posts have been put up in the past year? and how many never got anyone anywhere outher than there good points and bad points from each party?

If you are buying land and want it quiet, then near a railroad is an obvious wrong move. As for limiting the horn, as a bus driver, I will tell you one of the most unsafe traveling is done at railroad crossing. When rail crossing gates and lights fail, all that's left is a horn.

If a person is that sensitive to a horn noise, thenit is obvious that her choice in real property is flawed. For the safety of all who are crossing the tracks when she is annoyed by the sound, let them be warned, so they can live to tell her about it.

Some, not to be named engineers (for sake of implications), are somewhat lacks in horn usage at night already. At multiple intersections they will blow the horn a couple of short toots. Others, that being on the next train, an hour later, will blast the horn "by the book." But at least some warning is better than none.

I hope for safety sake, no one is ever injured or killed, resulting from this rulling.

Greg

I'd rather comply with federal and state regulations trhan risk someones lifefor the possibility of disturbing someones rest. As far as enforcement? Let's see the Police start ebforcing the laws about tresspassers and traffic laws for those running around the gates and lights. JD, I'm sorry but your position is the same as some who moves next to a race track and then complains about the noise on race night. Maybe you should contact your Senator C. Schummer, he likes this kinda stuff to get his name in the paper.