Did You Know Communities Can Request Railroad Crossing Quiet Zones?

There are many loud noises associated with business, industry and transportation that most of us take for granted. They may be annoying and tiresome, but that’s just the way it is and there’s nothing you can do about it, … or is there? Some loud noises can be controlled with technology, that’s why cars have mufflers and sometimes simple sound barriers, like those found along highways in many areas, can dramatically lower the background noise for people living nearby, but at other times, a change in behavior by the persons making the noise does the trick. You’ve probably seen signs that prohibit diesel trucks from using engine brakes, called Jake Brakes, which slow the truck while also creating a lot of noise, but did you know there is something called “quiet zones” that prohibit trains from blowing their horns when approaching a crossing?

Quiet Zones

FRA Train Horn Rule (49 CFR 222) requires a train to sound the horn 15 to 20 seconds before reaching a crossing in the familiar two longs, one short and one long blast.

When the rule was established requiring the routine sounding of train ho​rns at all public highway-rail grade crossings, a procedure was also created for localities to designate segments of a rail line, with one or more consecutive crossings, as “quiet zones,” provided they meet certain safety requirements. In these quiet zones, train horns would not be routinely sounded.

A quiet zone is an FRA exemption to the rule requiring trains to sound their horns when approaching public highway-rail grade crossings.

A quiet zone may be a section of rail line at least one-half mile in length that contains one or more consecutive public grade crossings or a single public grade crossing at which locomotive horns are not routinely sounded.

There are requirements

You can’t just decide to stop all trains from blowing their horns everywhere, but once certain safety precautions are taken, such as automated crossing gates and flashing lights, a community can request the railroads establish a quiet zone in certain specified areas.

There are procedures to follow and forms to fill out, then the crossings are inspected. If everything is done properly, a quiet zone is created and trains will not blow their horns except in emergency situations.

For those of us that often hear a series of trains in the middle of the night or during the day blowing their horns, sometimes for far longer than usual, quiet zones would be a welcome relief.

There is a lot of information available

If you think this might be worth looking into, I found a lot of reference material, including the health effects of transportation noise.

(49 CFR 222) Use of locomotive horns at public highway rail grade crossings
Train Horn Rule-History and Timeline
Train Horn Rule Glossary
Quiet Zone Inventory
Quiet Zone Brochure
Health Effects of Transportation Noise
Guidance on the Quiet Zone Creation Process
FRA Web Report
FRA Train Horn and Quiet Zone Fact Sheet
CSX Quiet Zone

A great summer project

Maybe an enterprising high school or college student or any concerned citizen could dig into this and see where it leads. I bet there are a lot of you who live within earshot of train horns blowing at all hours who would appreciate some quiet time. I know I would.

So, what do you think? Is this something worth pursuing?