If You Don't Like Train Horns, Why Do You Live By The Tracks...?

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

This evening while making audio recordings of Metra trains at LaFox Road just east of the Metra station, I was approached by a man (who lives across the tracks) who said something along the lines of “If I see you here waving at the trains to blow there horns again, I’ll call the cops”. I didn’t have much of a chance to say anything to him because my father wanted to leave.

So if we are on public propperty on the south side of the tracks, is there anything he can do to us?

For those interested, we are having a pieceful railfan gathering at my railfan spot at LaFox, just east of where the UP West line crosses LaFox Road on the south side of the tracks starting at aproximately 17:45 hours on Friday night and lasting through the rush.

2

Oh boo hoo Trains Have HORNS what a dummby I would buy a CSX SD70MAC K5LAR24 and blow if 4 3 houtrs a day just to piss him off…just my opion

3

Call the police??? For making a train blow it’s horn??? That’s rediculous!!! [banghead]

4

LOL, he bluffed, you blinked.

He won.

I have to wonder, however. If “tampering” with an engineer and causing him to deviate from his normal course of duty, is some kind of “no-no”

Surely the distraction is not something the engineer’s employers would be pleased with.

5

Because they did not do any research into the neighborhood that they will be buying a house in before they buy it. It is only a few hundred thousand dollars (remember I am in California), why bother investing any time?

6

The greenies who think that a horn blowing disturbs wildlife and the peace strike again, whilst they then drive off in their 1972 bomb of a car which destroys more than what a train ever could.

[;)]

seriously, I do it all the time, Here in Aus they are known to use the horn lightly, it doesn’t hurt getting an extra toot or two does it?[:)]

7

There are a lot of people in LaFox who have their panties in a wad these days over the trains (UP Overland Route/Metra line). Which of course were there first.

Trying to stave off progress and uban sprawl and live in a Mayberry-like setting, their once-sleepy little holler now sports a new Metra station and parking lot in a former farm field 200 feet west of the grade crossing. There’s also a new subdivision on former agra land going in. This all happened when Metra extended its commuter service past Geneva through LaFox and to Elburn recently.

8

If an engineer is so distracted by someone ‘asking’ for the horn to be sounded, then the engineer ought to be working an assembly line.

There are no rules regarding such behavior. I was always glad to accomodate any railfan, whiney public be damned!

9

Oh, come on…a couple toots of the horn for a railfan. That’s not too disturbing!

10

It’s nice when engineers accomodate railfans. I lived next to the old CNW/FRVR/WC/CN mainline for years. Most of the neighbors didn’t mind the occasional horn. If one held it down for a longer duration then that might be an issue. Screw that crabby old man! LOL!

11

This could be filed under “cranks disturb our peace.” Here’s a related story of self appointed politically correct cranks. In their infinite wisdom, the Charlotte cops handed out spare radar detectors to neighborhoods so that ever vigilant neighbors could train their guns on folks in their own neighborhoods. The results were broadcast on a news report that showed some shlump sitting in his suv, gun in hand, reporting his fellow citizens were exceeding the 25 mph limit by 5 mph. Give me a break. Reporting trains blowing horns to the cops? I would have told this moron I would turn his prissy self in for stalking and harrassment.

12

Thanks for the support, guys!

Its a real shame, that’s for sure. If a person doesn’t like trains then move.

13

Like the rest of you, my first thought is snip him off! But Dad showed the best course of action. Just leave and don’t push anyone’s button. This teaches a better, safer lesson than getting purple in the face and yelling at the source of irritation.

I am sure there are other places to watch that would be equally as good and poo on him for being such a curmudgeon!

Mz Mook

14

When I was reading this title, i was reminded of that stupid saying… If a tree falls in the woods, and no one is around, did it make a sound?

So first off: YES! Anyhting in motion that comesin contact with something not in motion will cause an audible noise, depending on the speed and material used in construction- it may make a huge noise rather then sound.

Now for this: It was my impression, and is in the CP rail rule book that:

Any Crossing that does not meet the ‘100% gaurded’ category is not only subject to the standard crossing-whistle pattern, it is subject to any noise, at any volume in order to keep A) the crossing clear, or B) People near by informed.

Here is what is required for complete crossing protection (According to CP rail)

1- Standard Reflective Crossbuck
2- Lights ( Red in colour) along with Bell (1 or 2 audible tones per second)-
3- Gates that block a minimum of one lane of traffic or an entire sidewalk.
4- Speed Detector- Calculates speed and distance of an approaching train so the system can time accurately when to lower the gates, and when to raise them-

With those four things, a Crossing is 100% protected, and is immediately placed on the roll to be evaluated for a cease-whistle status. Once it has been granted, any Engineer caught blowing at these crossings without valid reason wouldcome under severe penalties.

If you have a crossing that meets numbers 1-3, you have a crossing that is only 95% protected,or .95
This crossing can still have awhistle exemption, but an engineer is not subject to any ruling regarding whistleing- if need be, he can use the horn as much as needed, and any complaintes generated will simply be returned, asking the municipality to upgrade crossing equipment.

And lastly- Like most crossings, if it only meets sections 1 and 2,or just secion 1 all by itslef, it can in no way be exempted from whistling. Engineers are encouragedtouse the horn as loud as possible in th

15

Then when the cops come you complain this guy is harassing you…

16

[soapbox]

I live in Ames, Iowa, on the UP overland main line, and we no longer get to enjoy the sound of train horns in our city. Ames is one of two or three towns on the UP system that has been a test site for the stationary crossing horn system – where there are electronic “horn sounds” that come through speakers mounted on poles at the crossing. The sound mimics the “long-long-short-long” crossing cadence. They start automatically as the train approaches, and continue until the lead engine passes the crossing. The reason these were installed? Well, because people who lived near the tracks complained a lot about the train horns, of course! So, the city and railroad spent a great deal of money to put these up. I believe every crossing in the city limits on the main line now has these. There is also a branch line that passes through major residential areas, but the volume of traffic on that line is far less, so none of the electronic horns have been put up there – yet.

These have been up for about eight years now, and I have not heard any comments, either pro or con, from residents who live near the tracks, so I guess you’d have to say they’re a success. But for railfans, one of the greatest parts about train watching has been taken away with no more live train horns sounding. And, let me tell you, those electronic horns are still pretty darned loud! I’ve been a good block away from crossings when they start going off and I have really jumped! When the engineer manually blows the train horns, you know the train is approaching and you’re ready for it. I live at least a mile from the tracks, and when conditions are right, I can clearly hear the electronic horns blasting, from one end of town to the other, as the train passes. I have a hard time believing the noise factor is that much reduced for people who live near the tracks. It may be an improvement, but I’ll bet some people stil

17

I actually find that a bit of a surprise

I thought NS had “a rule for everything” ?

18

If you look at some of the issues airports have, you would see that the rule does not apply to them either.

Bert

19

How about this Last week I flew out of John Wayne Airport in Orange County where a manditory modified take-off is in order. The plane asends into the air at a steeper angle then levels off while cutting the engines as the jetplane cruises out over the ocean. All of this is due to the residents of the area joining together to band the noise at take-off.

Same for the reason that El Toro Naval Base is no longer in use (Besides Clinton military base shutdones).

It is told that there is a sign at El Toro stating: “Here that? That is the sound of Freedom” (or somthing like that)

I lose my mind when I think of these examples of how the pompus a** want the convience of an airport but don’t want the sound. The OC just loves to sit up looking down on the rest of us Southern Californians demanding us to ask “How High” when they require us to jump. I say to the OC and anyone else that can’t stand it: “If you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen!”

I love jets as much as I love trains, and I think that people should adapt and except or move elsewhere. “Oow, I want an airport five minutes away, but I don’t want all that noise.” Get over it! you can’t have the best of both worlds all the time. (I guess you can if you have money and politics behind you) Boy are we a currupt society.

[soapbox]

20

[quote user=“Iowa Guy”]

[soapbox]

I live in Ames, Iowa, on the UP overland main line, and we no longer get to enjoy the sound of train horns in our city. Ames is one of two or three towns on the UP system that has been a test site for the stationary crossing horn system – where there are electronic “horn sounds” that come through speakers mounted on poles at the crossing. The sound mimics the “long-long-short-long” crossing cadence. They start automatically as the train approaches, and continue until the lead engine passes the crossing. The reason these were installed? Well, because people who lived near the tracks complained a lot about the train horns, of course! So, the city and railroad spent a great deal of money to put these up. I believe every crossing in the city limits on the main line now has these. There is also a branch line that passes through major residential areas, but the volume of traffic on that line is far less, so none of the electronic horns have been put up there – yet.

These have been up for about eight years now, and I have not heard any comments, either pro or con, from residents who live near the tracks, so I guess you’d have to say they’re a success. But for railfans, one of the greatest parts about train watching has been taken away with no more live train horns sounding. And, let me tell you, those electronic horns are still pretty darned loud! I’ve been a good block away from crossings when they start going off and I have really jumped! When the engineer manually blows the train horns, you know the train is approaching and you’re ready for it. I live at least a mile from the tracks, and when conditions are right, I can clearly hear the electronic horns blasting, from one end of town to the other, as the train passes. I have a hard time believing the noise factor is that much reduced for people who live near the tracks. It may be an improvement, but