Have you ever puposely bought a house close to railroad tracks?

Question

You've heard of people worrying about living close to trains, have you ever bought a house close to the tracks to be closer to the action? Does the railfan novelty wear off with time?

Answer 1

nah, but there was this one time i fell asleep on the track.

Answer 2

Best ten years of my life!  I used to live next to a Conrail line in Northwest Indiana, and UP, CNW, Milwaukee Road, Soo Line,  ATSF, and occasionally BN would make guest appearances.  All that motive power, and all visible from my backyard!

Answer 3

no idk

Answer 4

I'd love to have a house next to the railroad tracks. Simply because I have a passion for trains, just love all the horsepower that comes with those monster locomotives. If I ever buy a house near the railroad tracks, I'd buy one that is next to a steep grade so I can hear those bad boys in full force. WOO!!..lol

Answer 5

I would say NO, we did not purposely buy a home near a rail track. However, the idea of the residing near a rail track just 50 ft off was exciting to me. We stayed at the particular house for a period of 5 years and after the first year, the excitement was gone.

Answer 6

You do get used to it.

Answer 7

For a short time we lived (rented) beside a railroad track in Rural Australia.

Actually we were between the Pacific highway ( runs up most of the east coast of Australia, major trucking route) and the Northern Rail line.. 35 meters to the railine.. 120 to the Highway.. Needless to say the rent was cheap!

I will say the trains were alot slower to get used to .. mainly because we also happened to beside a switching line (so a train could pull aside and let another pass.. line is single line for hundreds of klm's).. as alot of the passing went on between 2 and 5 am.. and 4 diesels pulling 50 + rail-trucks are noisy to slow and stop.

We now have moved along way from both the highway AND the railine!

Answer 8

I am a locomotive engineer in Virginia.  I know of the perfect house for you.  It is in a curve next to a road crossing.  After you go deaf from trains blowing their horns for the road crossing all night, you can still tell when a train is coming because of the bright lights shining in your window.  You will love it.

Answer 9

never in  my life i would be scared too

Answer 10

Y would i do that??????

Answer 11

no, but I can honestly say I regret having not!!! My hubby & I both grew up near the railroad tracks here in Toronto for about 20 years and miss the rhythm of the trains going by. They used to put me to sleep at night - even the banging of the box-cars joining. Plus there were many bridges to climb & watch them fly by. I think it made me into a railfan! I live near the subway now but it just isn't near being the same....

Answer 12

My maternal grandmother lives within earshot of both CSX and NS lines in Raleigh, NC. It used to be I could hear activity from both lines during the warmer parts of the year when I spent some saturdays at her place. I guess the novelty has pretty much worn off of me as I tend to prefer steam locomotives and the days when the railroad companies really cared about its employees. Now a days, it seems as though those companies care more about profit than the morale of its employees.

Answer 13

i dont care how big of a fan you are i just dont think anyone would every do that like people are fans of plains who would every purposly buy a house right next to an airport

Answer 14

I WOULD;NT MIND HAVING A HOUSE NEXT TO THE TRACKS I LIKE TRAINS

Answer 15

I've lived near railroad tracks before and liked it. It can be noisy, especially in the summer with the windows open, but it didn't bother me at all. It's different from the white noise of a busy street. Instead, it's silent most of the time, and then occasionally you'll hear one pass (or link up, as was the case when I lived near a rail yard).

If you're a fan of trains, then I recommend it.

Answer 16

I've always lived within earshot to the tracks.  The home I own now is right next to the UP main on the I-5 corridor.

But, I didn't buy the house for its proximity to the tracks.  I bought it because it was the house we needed and wanted.  Being close to the tracks tends to make homes less expensive as well.

I'm on 3 acres, with 21/2 acres in pasture, between the house and the tracks, so it's not like they're coming through the living room.  We never notice them anymore, but when we have house guests, they do.

I am just north of the north switch of a siding called Azalea.  When still working, whnever I'd get stuck there by the dispatcher, I'd hop off and walk down to the house and get some food or beverage, etc., or even do a little work around the joint from time to time.  When the "meet" would show, I'd walk back to the engine and we were off like a herd of turtles.

The only drawback here is there is a crossing just north of me, so we get a lot of whistle noise.  Again, we never really notice, unless out on the back porch or patio, or by the horseshoe pits, but it is a temporary distraction from any entertaining or conversation going on.

My favorite part of living so close to the tracks is, in the summer time, I walk to the fence line from time to time, and on really hot days, I'll lift an ice cold beer and salute the boys as they go by.  They always tell me I'm #1 by the display of an extended middle finger.

It's good to be retired..............

Answer 17

i live about 200 yards from active train tracks, its fun to listen to them blowing there horns( which are wicked loud) and watching them.