Can someone tell me why trains honk their horns so loud at night they wake me up??

Question

Shouldn't they be charged with noise pollution!??

Answer 1

I don't think the horns have a volume setting.

Answer 2

Did you ever think that the engineer just doesn't like you?

Answer 3

The engineer is jealous, because he can't be sleeping too.

Answer 4

Because Trains are required by Federal and State regulations to sound their horns at grade-crossings, anytime people or animals are seen on the track, or as they approach a station...

Interestingly, here in San Carlos, California... back in 1998 we RAISED the Union Pacific / CALTRAIN above the streets... a "grade separation" that eliminated street crossings for a 10 mile stretch: reducing traffic backups and eliminating day and night horn signals !!

Answer 5

Trains are required by law to sound their horns at all public crossings, unless a horn ban is in place. Motorists are out at all hours of the night, sometimes sleepy-eyed and unaware. They hear the horn blast, slam on the brakes, and a life is saved.

Answer 6

Trains are required to sound their horns when approaching a roadway rail crossing. Since the tracks were laid down before you moved in, they have 'squatter's rights'. You can learn to live with it or move somewhere else.

Answer 7

would you have to routinely cross the tracks on foot or in a vehicle and NOT have them WARN you of the danger?  the horns are not any louder at night than in the daylight hours anyway

Answer 8

[quote] Shouldn't they be charged with noise pollution!?? [/quote]

Absolutly not. The airhorns on trains serve a purpose. Engineers have to blow their horns at every grade crossing, day or night. it is a rule that they have to follow. The horns serve as a warning to people & vehicles on or near the tracks that a train is coming. It can be annoying to some people at night, but it isn't like they have a volume control for the horns so that they're quieter at night, plus the horns have to be loud so you can hear them in time to get away from the tracks. They wouldn't be very effective if they were too quiet to hear from a distance. Also, blowing their horns reduces the number of train-vehicle or train-person accidents at grade crossings. Studies have shown that in places where a city ordinance or something prohibits engineers from blowing their horns, that there is actually an increase in the number of accidents at grade crossings.

Answer 9

ha ha... yeah and dont you hate it how they blow it through the crossing after they pass.. lol.... two longs, a short, and a long through the crossing.. just like clock work  be thankful you werent around when they had the steam whistles.  but i'll take the trains anyday over the fighter jets from where i used to live

Answer 10

If we chose not to blow the whistle at a public crossing and got caught, the powers that be would not only put a failure on our records, but possibly fire us.... So really when our livelyhood is at stake, not to mention other peoples lives, your undisturbed rest is really of no importance to us.  The horn is just as loud at night as during the day, only more noticible.  Let me ask you a question, were the tracks there when you moved into your place?  Everyone wants to complain about the noise, but part of the reason most towns are by tracks is because of what the railroad provides them.  SO communities have been built up around the tracks and now, years later, people want to complain about them..... like they just had their neighborhoods invaded.  USE YOUR HEAD.

Answer 11

Horns actually are a bit louder at night.  The reason is that in most places the air is more humid, and humid air carries sound FAR better than dry air.  A second factor is there is less ambient noise at night (e.g. people mowing lawns, kids playing, etc.) so the train horns stand out better.  My solution?  Replace the air horns with steam whistles like they used to have.  A good old steam whistle sounds really cool!

Kent in SD

Answer 12

I've noticed alot of times at night especially after a certain hour some try and not be so loud .. just givin' lil' toots at crossings that maybe don't have heavy traffic after a certain hour. so maybe where you are there is more traffic even late at night ... if you've ever gave'em the bird that might have something to do with it too! lol

Answer 13

Actually, there are twelve different whistle signals as prescribed by law and/or rule, so a grade crossing is not always the 'trigger', but most often they are.

The trains and the people running them are not going to stop blowing the whistle.  Ear plugs or change of residence are your only two options.  If it's any help, I do live near a crossing, and you do get used to both the whistle and the overall clatter.

Answer 14

CN trains sound an Am7 chord.haaaaaaaaoh