Who do I contact when the trains in my neighborhood on the union pacific railroad have become increasingly dea

Question

In 2007 they were never this loud, now the entire neighborhood complains of the whistlers hurting their ears from 11pm-6am every day. I hear that the more we complain, the longer the conductors will blare the horns just to anger us more.

Answer 1

As always Hoghead has told you the correct answer.It does no good to complain to the railroad as they can do nothing about it.The FRA says we blow for the crossing so we do it.We don't do it to anger anyone.I'd rather not hear it either.If you really want to try to do something about it get all your neighbors up in arms with your city council about establishing a quiet zone for the crossing.We have been told it costs the city a million dollars to get one(not sure if that's correct or not..just what we have heard),so good luck.We had a crossing next to a golf course that upset the golfers.They have a quiet zone there now.The law says we blow for a crossing 1/4 mile in advance or 15 seconds before we enter the crossing.Sorry we're keeping you up but we're just trying to get all that stuff you buy at Wally World delivered.

Answer 2

Rango (and others) brought up a good point - it's federal law to blow the whistle 4 times at a crossing.  It's possible to have a community create an ordinance saying that 'crossings a, b, and c" are no-blow crossings, but what if somebody gets killed in an accident there?  The first question out of the ambulance-chasing lawyer's mouth is going to be, " Mr. Engineer, why did you violate federal law and not blow the whistle?  You know (or should know) that local laws cannot contradict federal laws, so you are GUILTY OF NEGLIGENT BEHAVIOR and you owe me (errr, my client) 25 billion dollars..."  

So, if you're an engineer, are you going to go quietly through that crossing and disobey a federal law and risk going to Leavenworth, or are you going to pull that whistle control until you wake up people in the next county?  For 25 billion dollars, you KNOW what I would do...

Answer 3

This is a tough one.

Recently, the Federal Railroad Administration has issued a rule to require that locomotive horns be louder than they used to be (49CFR222 & 229.129).  This is because of all the people who have sued the railroads because they "couldn't hear the train coming".

So now, the locomotive engineer has to blow the Federally mandated sequence of blasts (as noted above) at each marked crossing.  This is recorded in the locomotive's "black box", and the engineer can be fined if he does not follow the rule.

Most engineers I know would like to give you guys some relief by skipping, or blowing softer at night, but the rules of their job won't allow it.

Thank the Federal Government.

Answer 4

You already have the answer... but I LOVE Craigory's comment about law-suits that FORCED the louder horns !!

I'm sorry that the horns are bothering you... but I never understand those who MOVE into an area and then complain about the trains or the airport or the factory or whatever that's been there for decades.

Answer 5

I don't know but they are blaring their horns at every intersection near my house. I can't sleep at night with my window open because it sounds just like they are right outside the window.

I want to do something about it but I don't know if there is anything legal you can do.

Answer 6

I dont know if it would help to call the local Pacific Railroad company or not. Cant hurt

Answer 7

I would rather have the whistle blown louder than have someone killed because they couldn't hear the train coming; perhaps due to the fact that they were listening to their car stereo too d**n loud.

I used to live near train tracks while in college and I loved to listen to the whistle blow; no matter what time of the day or night.  There's just something about the train going by that is fascinating.  I would love to be a train engineer; even if for one day!

I agree with the other person who said to move.  Why do people complain about noises from trains or airplanes when they were there before you were!?!

Answer 8

Sorry to burst your bubble but it is federal law, engineers that do not blow the required whistle signals are subject to discipline.

We have no choice, if you think it is bad from your house, try sitting 6 feet away from a train whistle for 35 years.

Believe me, nothing would make my job better than to be able to rip off the whistle handle and toss it out the window.

Answer 9

Hoghead and Andy F are right on the money.

Just to give you a little perspective let me give you this example.

In Santa Clara, the folks here tried to get Union Pacific to enact a "Quiet Zone" through several intersections along the Lafayette Avenue strip.

In order to enact this, Union Pacific asked who was going to dip the streets under the crossings, (4 of them to be exact).  

The City of Santa Clara, tried to get Union Pacific to pay for the entire development of the project.  Union Pacifc said, "No, we just paid to clean up and improve the mess that Southern Pacific left us, and that was at your request too. So its your turn to take on a multi-million dollar project."

Hate to break it to you, but the grade crossings are still there and the streets un-changed.  So we still get to hear the horns through that section.

Personally, I think you need to remember the Railroads were there first, and nobody made you buy that piece of property.  Secondly, I'd kill for a slab of land with the train tracks against my back fence.  I think every Model Railroader would!!!!!!!!!!

Lastly, those trains that you see rolling by;  yeah a little respect for the crews operating them would also be appreciated!  Those folks are working all day and night to get you your food and sundries that you need in your home every day.  So taking those commodities for granted then complaining about the folks delivering them is somewhat hipocritical.

Finally, when you are enjoying your Christmas and Thanksgiving Dinners, you better look out your window and think about what those folks would rather be doing than moving freight.  Yeah, you guessed it!  Home with their families enjoying the same thing you are doing.

So in defense of all of the other train crews that wrote in about the FRA Law that requires they blow their horns, yeah its all about the SAFE transit of the freight that you will soon be needing to carry out your daily life.

In closing, just so you are aware.  When these crews are put into a position where a vehicle is stalled on the tracks, or other situation; all these Joes can do is apply the brakes and watch the scene of horror unfold before their very eyes.  Here is the sadest part, there is nothing they can do except sit there and watch.

My point?

Did you hear about the Amtrak Engineer on the #11 Coast Starlight a little over a year ago?

No?

That engineer watched a 2 year old child toddle back across the tracks towards the Babysitter.  By the time the Sitter turned around it was too late.  That child wondered right in front of the locomotive and was instantly killed.

Now yes the stupid sitter should have never been there in the first place.  But the point is, what do you think that engineer felt like as soon as he was able to get the train to stop?

But my point is, you folks need to put up with a little un-comfort, so these crews can safely and effectively do their jobs.

So here is your real choice.  No horns and an increase in accidents, or horns and the accidents stay to a minimum in your area.  Take your pick!  

Bottom Line, that is really what you are asking for.

Answer 10

As others have mentioned, it's an issue with federal regulations.  About the only thing you can do is complain to your members of the House and Senate.  If enough people complain, something can and will be done.

But you will also have to make it harder for your neighbors to get drivers' licenses, so fewer of them will drive their cars in front of oncoming trains.  That's the reason why the louder horns were installed.

By the way, train crews are mature professional experts, and they would not engage in the kind of spiteful noisemaking you suggest.  That's not the cause of the problem.

Answer 11

Well first off the engineer is the one who blows the whistle. Next you should go to your local city, town, or where ever you live  and complain to the local police and see what the local government has set into law for your area. Some towns where I live in the Midwest have ordinances so the whistle cannot be blown through the town anytime. Get a no blow ordinance and your problem will be solved.

Answer 12

As a locomotive engineer, I hate it as well when the conductors blow the horn. The engineer is the one who blows the horn. Conductors take the tickets.

Answer 13

There is no "volume control," per se.  The whistles (horns) run off of main air reservoir pressure (nominally 140psi) with a simple valve to open and close to operate them (many newer locomotives have either a 'push-button' and/or foot switch to sound the whistle).  Always have, always will.

Well, having sat right underneath the d**n things for 28 years, I can say with authority that the crew doesn't like the noise either (most all of us have suffered hearing loss until hearing protection was made mandatory on most railroads 15 years or so ago)  and wouldn't punish themselves to get back at you or anyone else who complains.

The truth is, the whistle signals and the manner in which they are sounded is prescribed by law.  They are intended to be a warning device and as a signaling device, but primarily used for safety concerns.

Soooo, if we could get everybody to stay the h**l out of the way, the use of the whistles could be abated.

That would make everyone happy.  Especially the schnooks sittin' right under 'em...

Some communities have enacted "quiet zones" where the engineers are not required to sound these warning signals.  But, they usually require significant upgrades to crossing protection and the associated costs that go along with it.  If a smaller community, the funds are rarely available.

Answer 14

Hey......easy.....that's the sound of American Commerce shipping goods throughout our United States.

In Red China......they don't use horns.  They just plow through buses and run over pedestrians.

Be happy you live in a democracy!

Answer 15

NEWER TRAIN ENGINES HAVE HIGH INTENSITY STROBE LIGHTS AND ARE PROBABLY INSTALLING LOUDER HORNS ALL IN THE NAME OF SAFETY.  ENGINEERS HAVE RULES FOR BLOWING THEIR HORNS. THE ONE YOU ARE PROBABLY HEARING IS FOR A CROSSING. THE REQUIRED HORN BLASTS FOR CROSSINGS IS  2-LONG BLASTS,  1 SHORT BLAST,   AND  1 EXTRA LONG BLAST. THERE ARE SIGNS POSTED ALONG THE TRACKS FOR THE ENGINEER TO SEE SO HE WILL KNOW WHEN TO START BLOWING HIS HORN  AND EACH ENGINEER HAS HIS OWN STYLE OF DOING THIS. AND IT HAS TO BE BLOWN UNTIL THE FIRST ENGINE IS PAST THE CROSSING. NOW THAT YOU KNOW THAT THEY HAVE TO BLOW THESE HORNS YOU MIGHT AS WELL STOP COMPLAINING.  AND IF THEY REALLY ARE BLOWING THEM LONGER TO IRRITATE THE COMPLAINERS THEN MAYBE THIS WILL CAUSE THEM TO STOP IF THEY DON'T HAVE ANY ONE TO IRRITATE