First let me start by saying that most of you know that I enjoy, what is to me, the sweet sounds of locomotives horns. I’m a former Operation Lifesaver participant.
Here in eastern Hillsborough County (Tampa area), a group of residents have been fighting for implementation of the so-called “Quiet Zones” as there are suburban neighborhoods near the two major CSX mainlines. They’ve been whining that engineers “Lay on the Horns”. Of course, my usual retort is that they’re exaggerating and when it does happen it’s due to “yahoos” wanting to beat the train. Plus, no one forced them to move into new homes built so close to a Class 1 rail line. Where’s the brain power of these white collar professionals?
However, I have observed the following lately. There is a section near my neighborhood where the grade crossings are about 1/8 miles, apart. For the past week, I’ve noticed that at least two CSX trains that cruise by in the early morning hours, rather than blowing the usual: Long, Long, Short, Long combination for grade crossings, they blow a horn pattern or similar pattern like this:
Loonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng! Lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnngggg! Lonnnnnnnnnnggggg! Lonnnnnnnnggggg! Guys, I am not exaggerating! This is coming in and out of the Mango suburb which is approximately 1 1/2 miles long.
At first, my wife and I assumed that there were idiots tryng to beat the trains, but this has been going on for over one week. As much as I enjoy the sound of the K5LA and K5H horns, I have to agree that this, unfortunately, is giving those “whining” residents ammunition to complain.
I’m guessing that these two trains may be regular runs since its almost always between 4 or 5 a.m, could it be the same engineer(s) doing this? Maybe a rookie? I’m just wondering if perhaps since the grade crossings
How about living farther away from the crossings so that the horns do not bother you? This thread is exactly the same as the one about the people who bought on the wrong side of the tracks in Richmond CA [:o)][8D][:D]
Antonio,
At 50+mph there is not enough time to do a ‘proper’ 15L. The alternatives are to either do a whistle sequence that is not ‘legal’ for a crossing, or to hold the last “long” long enough to cover both crossings.
The legal whistle warning for a grade crossing (15L)is prescribed to begin “not less than 1/4 mile from crossing, and sounded until crossing is occupied”. There is no provision as to the exact length each individual whistle blast should be, not as to how far apart each successive blast must be.
You may be correct about the trains being operated by the same engineer. Some railroads do have regular jobs that crewmen can bid on (awarded by seniority).
SPbed, Horns DON’T bother me at all. If that were the case then I wouldn’t be preparing to install sound decoders in my HO scale locomotives! If you read my post “carefully” you’ll see that I actually support locomotive engineers sounding their warning.
My reference is to horns being blown with each blast lasting 10 to 15 seconds,giving the cry babies near the tracks a reason to complain.
This is nothing like the other thread. My basic questions again, in a nutshell: Would engineers get in trouble for not doing long-long-short-long and instead blowing continuously? Two, could these be rookies that are being extra cautious because of Florida’s reputation for idiots behind the wheel?
Read my post carefully. This is not about the wrong side of the tracks.
Now I understand! At that speed, I can see how it would be difficult for an engineer to blow the standard whistle pattern for grade crossings that are spaced close together. I didn’t know if there was a regulated “time length” for each horn blast.
Hopefully more railroaders will chime in with info. This in turn is information I can share whenever I talk with residents that complain about the horns. [;)]
I would love to see Operation LIfesaver return here as we defintly need it! These people need to hear the stats on grade crossing collisions. They seemed to have forgotten that there is no such thing as a “Tie” when driver’s race trains.
I noticed the whistling pattern of Amtrak 51 as it went through small towns with very closely spaced crossings on a trip in late March:
The engineer would start the standard long, long, short, long prior to the first crossing - continuing the last sound until that crossing was occupied. The the engineer would start another blast until the next crossing was occupied, etc. So at 30 mph, if the crossings are about 1/8th of a mile apart, each subsequent blast was about 10 seconds long. I know that we had at least 3 different operating crews during the trip and they each used the same pattern.
There are two grade corssings near where I live that are even closer together (maybe 150 yards) on the CP main. For this crossing, the engineers use the standard 15L for the first crossing, then another short–long series as they approach the second crossing. Occasionally I will hear an engineer just stay on the horn for the last ‘long’ long enought to cover both crossings, but that is rare. So the final sequence they use is _ _ o _ o _. Much more pleasing to the ear than one long blast.
The railroad was there first!
Nobody forced them to buy close to the tracks.
Heaven forbid that one of these these self centered folks gets hit at the very crossing they got the horns silenced at. They would then file a lawsuit because they didn’t hear the train over the backround music their radio provided for their cell conversation!
One crossing near me is in a low-speed section of track - I have the info, but not with me. Something in the 15-20 mph range. At any rate, starting the 15L a quarter mile from the crossing is virtually useless. The gates haven’t even started down yet. They usually end up doing a random series of blasts, holding the last as they cross the road.
Jimmy, you bring up a very valid point! The number of cars that I see with “BOOMING” stereo systems seems incredible! A lot of young people, all races, wealthy and middle income, all 3 genders. Many don’t bother rolling the window down as they blast the AC in this heat, but you can still feel the vibrations as they cruise by.
If it weren’t for the flashing lights, I doubt most would know that a 50+mph freight was coming. Yet, I’m sure if one of these “rolliing boom boxes” gets hit, mommy and daddy cry out: “CSX’s got to pay!” Without considering that the crew on that locomotive is already paying in anguish from the moment of impact.
Top it off, if a collision occurs in a “Quiet Zone”, people still want to go to court! Where does it stop? If anything, railroads and crews, IMHO, should be sueing the violaters. (Don’t they do this in a South American country?)
blah blah at 50 mph or more in towns especially most of us just blow like crazy because of all the kids and morons around the tracks and people running around the gates . The type of horn does make a difference most of the new csx GE’s have a foot pedal that can be activated to keep the engineers hands free in a town setting(lots of crossings buy each other) I dare a city to try and prosecute a train crew for sounding the horn to much when in court accident victims say the horn was not sounded enough Bottom line? Oxford ohio filled a report with the fra and ntsb saying that we didn’t blow the horn enough so guess what we do now wake the dead
they may win the battle - but the public will lose the war. On March 26th I was on a train that ran over 2 people walking dogs on the track. Whistles were blowing but they are still dead.
In my part of CSX-dom, the bosses are writing us up for anything and everything. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to hear that some hoghead down there was written up for an inadequate crossing blow. As a result, they all will rattle your fillings…
I just wi***hat they blow more than is necessary, not to wake up the dead or anger the public who chose houses next door to the track(s), but to prove that something that may harm you is coming.
BTW Antonio FP45 where in Tampa? I 'm up the road from you on the S line I believe. 5 or so miles from the CSX line that runs thru Kissimmee and Orlando. Also BTW does A Line get more traffic or S Line?
With all due respect, your statement “The public will win this battle” is sort of a paradoxal statement. You speak as if the railroads and their crews are the bad guys. The same railroads that ship many of the items in our homes and cars in our garages.
The purpose of locomotive horns IS to keep the public safe!
What “Bills” are you referring to?
If you mean the bill proposals that will require busy grade crossings to be equipped with whistles, yes, that’s coming. Will also apply to “Quiet Zones”. But, locomotive horns won’t be eliminated by any means. From what I’ve read, the public will have to share in the costs of equipping these crossings, and it’s not cheap! Many community residents will jump for joy at proposals like these…until they’re told that they’ll have to pay for them. The usual response: “Don’t we pay enough taxes already?! This is outrageous!”
Think about it, how many grade crossings are there in the U.S? I don’t know, but I’m guessing that the number is either six or seven digits long!
I’m actually in Seffner/Mango near Hwy 574, which runs right next to the former ACL line. The line that goes to Orlando and Jacksonville. We get Amtrak and the hot intermodals. Eastbound, the CSX intermodals pick up speed as they leave my area and run about 60 mph until they slow down for Plant City.
I don’t know which line gets more traffic as I’ve seen a lot of trains on both lines. Phosphate and mixed traffic near your line. Intermodals, passenger, and TTX car carriers near mine. Interesting thing is that the tracks on the S-line look like they’re in great shape. The A-line rails are starting to look a little beaten up.