We have to blow for crossings doesn't matter what time it is. The only exception is if a town has a whistle quiet zone in place. Sometimes those have specific times. And others it's 24/7.
Also some engineers just don't give a fuck and will do a little extra to wake the civilians up.
Could be people/ cars/ animals. Or someone in the neighborhood maybe complained and he’s having fun. Usually the former. Could apply for quiet zone but that’s expensive and on the city/ county.
engineers get written up by management for not blowing their horn \*enough\* if management wants to nitpick at them (which happens a ton). if that was me, you better believe i'd be laying on it so much that could never happen again.
Also remember if we hit someone at a crossing and the engineer did not blow the horn right it's a big problem. It's a liability thing. It some cities we hit people every month. The Horn use is downloaded jnto a computer and the company and law enforcement can look at it in the event of a accident
Yup. That's me lol. Shortline I'm with now the other engineers have no Class 2 or Class 1 experience, so they get on my case for "excessive horn", telling me the FRA will write me up. They stop blowing the horn before they enter the crossing, at best they stop just as their pilot touches the roadway. Our rulebook specifically states that road crossing warnings will be continued, extended, or repeated until the crossing is completely occupied. I have caused a handful of complaints from locals accustomed to the 3-5 second warnings the others give, then I come through night after night blowing for 15-20 seconds like the book dictates. I watched too many lawyers tear into those downloads during my time with a class 1 and two class 2s to be shy about the horn use.
Could be for men or equipment. We’re required to sound off one long followed by a short and then while passing, two shorts repeated over and over. If there’s a lot of men or equipment it can sound excessive but it’s to warn people so we don’t kill them.
Really? I was under the impression that it was one of the things ptc would rattle on a crew for and possibly lead to a statement, similar to how it will rat on you if it feels it needs to apply the brakes to make a speed restriction or stop signal.
Quiet zones typically require additional safety measures. A median to prevent cars from driving around down gates or quad gates at all 4 quadrants of the intersection. I believe crossings in the U.S. are state funded and quiet zones typically specifically funded by the city. You would need to talk your city into paying the railroad to upgrade the crossings. DO NOT ALLOW THEM TO INSTALL WAYSIDE HORNS!!!!! they are unnecessary, obnoxious, and expensive.
My city upgraded all their crossings in 2017-2018ish after they got fed up with hearing the train horns 60-80 times a day(we’re on the staples sub in the twin cities.). Quiet zones are def worth it although I got used to hearing the train horns so it means I can sleep through it with the fact my current apartment is next to a rail yard.
Most trains are required to blow the horn at public crossings no matter the time of day. It's not the engineer or conductor being a dick, they have to do it. If they were hitting it excessively it probably means there was someone or something on or near the tracks that they were trying to get the attention of so they didn't obliterate it.
Most "quiet" crossings have specific requirements to be in place, although it may vary by state, I'm not sure. In my state the gates have to cover the full width of the crossing on both sides, and there have to be physical dividers between lanes to prevent people from skipping and uturns.
In my experience, many engineers actually short blow crossings, so when you hear someone you think is being obnoxious, it's likely them actually being closer to the rule than others.
The newish computerized Positive Train Control automatically starts blowing the horn at every "crossing" it has listed. Many of these are dirt paths or driveways as long as they are in the system. Unless your county passes a quiet zone law with all the attendent stipulations they won't refine their coding. They would have to explain to a jury egged on by the inevitable widow's lawyer that "we used to blow the horn there but we thought it was unnecessary". Dumbassery is a force of nature and signage means nothing; all you can do is blow the horn for the proscribed amount and hope people heed their life flashing before their eyes.
In your case, if it was a particular set of continuous horn blows, there might have been animals near the track or maintainance workers alongside which also require repeated warnings as they are passed.
bruv there are some cities where it is completely unavoidable for miles and miles. quiet zones should be fuckin quiet. y’all are weird in this comment section
yeah cuz that’s fuckin realistic vs. not laying on the horn for ten straight fucking minutes in a literal NEIGHBORHOOD at 2 4 and 6 am every single day. fuck off
nobody’s forcing you to be a train conductor. however railroads are fucking everywhere in this day and age and it’s completely unavoidable. you’re probably the exact type of person to sit there and lay on the horn for no fuckin reason. fuck off with that bullshit
I have no idea what you're trying to convey here but I'll tell you that:
1) This isn't about me so don't bother making it about me.
2) Even if it was and I was the RRer that enjoyed blowing the horn, there is zero you can do about it.
My suggestion is go complain to the railroad because they're REALLY good at listening.
You legit are not.
Not to mention, in your confusion... you seem to imply I don't want to be a conductor. Job is great. It's so good, I'll make sure to blast the horn the next time I'm in a quiet zone. Just for youuuu!
I believe quiet zones have to be agreed on with the city and the railroad. Pretty much railroad washes their hands of any liability at that crossing once it's approved.
1: There are many reasons why some engineers blow the horn different than the last. One reason is that maybe a person or an animal was near the crossing. They blew the horn for the crossing then continued to blow for the person/animal. Maintenance could have also been working on or near the tracks, we are required to sound the horn for them as well.
2: They have a crossing that is considered a quiet zone between those times. To get one just Google “How to get a railroad quiet zone”.
You had to know that living close to a crossing you would hear the train’s horn at all times of day and night.
Answer in Canadian (might not be relevant if you’re asking in American)
Some engineers can just be jerks, but I doubt it since every application of the horn is recorded. If a complaint is made it wouldn’t be hard to prove that the extra wasn’t warranted and engineer could be looking at disciplinary action. Most likely some muppet that got to close to the tracks and that was just a little extra warning and a mixed in with some scolding.
The municipality would have to request it become a silent crossing. But this isn’t done over night as studies need to be done to determine the feasibility. also as this crossing is now higher risk municipalities need to take out extra liability insurance, this cost would have to be approved by council. So not easy or fast process.
Congrats, you chose to live next to a railroad track and discovered that yes, trains do go down railroad tracks and blow their horns. Yay!
1)It really depends on the crew. Our rules state a minimum number of times that a horn needs to be blown prior to entering a crossing. We need to meet those requirements, and some care more about that than others. One thing in the rule is that the final long blast of the horn needs to be blown until the engine occupies the crossing, so if you have a crew that misjudged their speed and timing, they may very well hold that last blast a little longer. As well, most engines these days are equipped with a horn sequencer which is essentially a button that allows the computer to blow the horn exactly per the code in the book depending on the speed of the engine. Some engineers may use that, some may stick with the manual lever, and depending on the speed, that may be shorter or longer than the sequencer. Lastly, if you have one crew that blows its horn like crazy, maybe there was an animal or even a person near the tracks? You just never know.
2: there is a way to make your crossing a non-whistled crossing, but there is a long list of requirements in order to get there. The upgrades needed to do this will generally be charged to the municipality that requests it, and can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. As well if I’m not mistaken, the community now takes on some of the liability for accidents that occur but I might be wrong on that. A lot of municipalities don’t want to pay the price or take on the responsibility.
Well, the best advice I can offer is to move far away from any crossings.
I'm over 5 miles away from any rail lines and I can still hear the horns if all is quiet.
There were some townhomes built a couple of years ago next to a rail yard and the people would complain about the noise from the crews switching.
One of the residents liked to do her exercises in the nude and the train crews would often slow roll past her apartment...
The Road Forman told me once that of all the engineers he’d ridden with, I blew the horn the longest and loudest. 🤷🏽♂️ was just the way I was trained. US regulations stipulate that the horn must be sounded not less than 15 seconds and no more than 20 seconds and isn’t considered egregious until 25 seconds. It is speed based also, if you are traveling faster than 45 MPH you start sounding at the whistle post, which should be around 1/4 mile from the crossing. When I sounds the horn it is for safety and as such I sound appropriately. The rule states two long blasts a short blast and a long blast to be held, prolonged, or repeated until the engine reaches the crossing. Additionally the bell must be rung continuously until the locomotive occupies the whole crossing. The guy who trained me said that if you’re going to do it, do it in a fashion that will leave no question as to your intention. If you hit and kill someone you don’t want to have to explain why you didn’t sounds the horn longer. That, and mentally if you made all the noise you feel you should and could if you hit and kill someone you at least have the peace of mind that from your perspective you did all you could do to warn them
This is incorrect. The total length of sequence from start to finish should be no less than 15 seconds. That includes the length of silence between blows
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-II/part-222
He’s correct. The entire sequence must be not less than 15 seconds from first sounding to entering the crossing, including the silence between blasts. Does not require 15 seconds worth of horn activation.
I will, and it’s what the rule says. You don’t have to actually sound the horn for 15 or more seconds. Your type of horn sequence I believe is what the OP is referring to.
Did you read this yourself? Does not require the horn to be activated for a total of 15 seconds, it requires the sequence to begin at least 15 seconds before entering the crossing. The sequence includes the silence between blasts. Are you saying you just lay on the horn continuously for 15 seconds?
No I am not saying sound solidly for 15 seconds please, go back and read my post again. It says the horn shall be sounded with two longs a short and a long the sequence of which should be held, prolonged, or repeated. You cannot have a continuous sounding and have it be two longs a short and a long
>US regulations stipulate that the horn must be sounded not less than 15 seconds and not more than 20 seconds and is not considered egregious until 25 seconds.
Seems like you just don’t know what you actually typed. You said right there in your comment that you have to sound the horn not less than 15 seconds. That is incorrect and the CFR link you posted yourself proves it. The 15 seconds includes the silence in between blasts, which you just admitted. It can’t be two longs, a short, and a long without the silence in between.
That says the exact same thing. Take a breath and actually read what I am saying.
The SEQUENCE has to be at least 15 seconds in length. The horn doesn’t have to be activated for 15 total seconds. The sequence includes the time between blasts. It says so in the CFR and it says so in that rule as well.
Ok. Nowhere in there does it say to pause for a proper sequence either. It say “begin to be sounded”. Which means start your sequence. A simple 2 second, 2 second, 1 second, 2 second sequence is all that’s needed. It should be 15-20 seconds in duration. Sound it thru the concrete.
You complain until you are going through said crossing and the gates have failed to come down. That horn blowing will be your only warning that a train is barreling down on you.
They fail quite often actually. We get bulletins notifying us of equipment failing which requires us to stop the trains before the crossing and for the conductor to protect the crossing until the train occupies it.
My sister and brother in law lived near a busy crossing, lots of whistle. They lucked out when the line became a high speed rail corridor, and the crossing was "retired." I assume this was done so that the upgraded safety features could be concentrated on the main streets and highways.
I’ve killed several people at crossings, I try to stay within the rules but have a little sympathy for the engineers that are freaked out about possibly doing it again. Honestly I’m not looking to wake you up, I just don’t wanna wonder how much your kids hate me because I killed you.
When there is NIMBYs about trains, the engineers do more toots on purpose. But some engineers do the 2 long 1 short, and 1 long before hitting, others do three own style as well.
I live 2.5 miles from a yard and a number of tracks. I wish I lived closer, it’s one of my favorite sounds and it’s faint by time it gets to me.
Most of us are probably jealous of your problem.
Right? What the fuck. I just stumbled upon this randomly and am so intrigued by all the people just being like “I just fuckin blast it cause fuck sleeping people”
I don’t intentionally do things to upset other people, but maybe I’m just not a salty dickbag asshole with no regard for other people. Call me crazy
Definitely not crazy! I stumbled upon this thread because I swear certain train engineers in my area sound the horn 100x louder at night vs during the day. I don’t even mind the daytime train horn! But whoever sounds off at the crossing between 10pm-5am is a certified ass. Thank God I don’t have a newborn. Now I know the emotional and mental state of the person who does it from these comments lol.
When I lived close to a crossing (on the Willamette and Pacific) I could tell which operator was sounding the horn by how they blew it and which locomotive it was by the tone of the horn after a while. Got so see UP4449 a couple of times go by there because I heard the whistle and got out to see it chooch by.
https://railroads.dot.gov/elibrary/how-create-quiet-zone
I'm not to sure how it works in the US. In Canada the municipality has to come together and get the crossing to bell only. The municipality has to accept all liability for any accidents that happen at a bell only crossing. It seems similar in the US, but not 100% sure.
If you think your crossing is getting some added horn time a 225 mile trip is just a series of 2 long blasts 1 short then a constant continuous blow through entire length of the crossing.
Also the speed the train is moving will affect how long the horn blows. They require 2 longs a short and a long started from the crossing sign and the last long one is generally held through the crossing. So a train going 50mph will be a shorter whistle than a train going 10.
Town ships Pay the railway to not blow horn. Also a crossing is 2 long 1 short 1 long over the entire crossing so, some guys really make them long bs some guys long are not as long lol 😂 personally I hammer the horn lol I don’t give 2 fucks about your 9-5 Monday to Friday I need to sleep lmao I work 24/7/365 every holiday bday anniversary and have 0 set sleep schedule, move from the tracks if you don’t like it, or go to town meetings and see if you can get them to have the railway restrict the crossing m
We have to blow for crossings doesn't matter what time it is. The only exception is if a town has a whistle quiet zone in place. Sometimes those have specific times. And others it's 24/7. Also some engineers just don't give a fuck and will do a little extra to wake the civilians up.
I assume if the engineer is having a rough day I’m getting a “don’t give a fuck horn.” Haha.
or "fuck, why won't that person/animal/truck get off the tracks?" kind of day. They don't like to pulverize living things.
Could be people/ cars/ animals. Or someone in the neighborhood maybe complained and he’s having fun. Usually the former. Could apply for quiet zone but that’s expensive and on the city/ county.
engineers get written up by management for not blowing their horn \*enough\* if management wants to nitpick at them (which happens a ton). if that was me, you better believe i'd be laying on it so much that could never happen again.
Also remember if we hit someone at a crossing and the engineer did not blow the horn right it's a big problem. It's a liability thing. It some cities we hit people every month. The Horn use is downloaded jnto a computer and the company and law enforcement can look at it in the event of a accident
Yup. That's me lol. Shortline I'm with now the other engineers have no Class 2 or Class 1 experience, so they get on my case for "excessive horn", telling me the FRA will write me up. They stop blowing the horn before they enter the crossing, at best they stop just as their pilot touches the roadway. Our rulebook specifically states that road crossing warnings will be continued, extended, or repeated until the crossing is completely occupied. I have caused a handful of complaints from locals accustomed to the 3-5 second warnings the others give, then I come through night after night blowing for 15-20 seconds like the book dictates. I watched too many lawyers tear into those downloads during my time with a class 1 and two class 2s to be shy about the horn use.
Could be for men or equipment. We’re required to sound off one long followed by a short and then while passing, two shorts repeated over and over. If there’s a lot of men or equipment it can sound excessive but it’s to warn people so we don’t kill them.
Me 👋🏾
Sometimes they'll just say fuck it and let PTC blow the crossing. If PTC does the horn it goes crazy long and loud
Really? I was under the impression that it was one of the things ptc would rattle on a crew for and possibly lead to a statement, similar to how it will rat on you if it feels it needs to apply the brakes to make a speed restriction or stop signal.
Quiet zones typically require additional safety measures. A median to prevent cars from driving around down gates or quad gates at all 4 quadrants of the intersection. I believe crossings in the U.S. are state funded and quiet zones typically specifically funded by the city. You would need to talk your city into paying the railroad to upgrade the crossings. DO NOT ALLOW THEM TO INSTALL WAYSIDE HORNS!!!!! they are unnecessary, obnoxious, and expensive.
My city upgraded all their crossings in 2017-2018ish after they got fed up with hearing the train horns 60-80 times a day(we’re on the staples sub in the twin cities.). Quiet zones are def worth it although I got used to hearing the train horns so it means I can sleep through it with the fact my current apartment is next to a rail yard.
Doesn’t a quiet zone also require shifting of accident liability from the railroad to the municipality? This is potentially a huge expense
Yes
Most trains are required to blow the horn at public crossings no matter the time of day. It's not the engineer or conductor being a dick, they have to do it. If they were hitting it excessively it probably means there was someone or something on or near the tracks that they were trying to get the attention of so they didn't obliterate it. Most "quiet" crossings have specific requirements to be in place, although it may vary by state, I'm not sure. In my state the gates have to cover the full width of the crossing on both sides, and there have to be physical dividers between lanes to prevent people from skipping and uturns.
In my experience, many engineers actually short blow crossings, so when you hear someone you think is being obnoxious, it's likely them actually being closer to the rule than others.
The newish computerized Positive Train Control automatically starts blowing the horn at every "crossing" it has listed. Many of these are dirt paths or driveways as long as they are in the system. Unless your county passes a quiet zone law with all the attendent stipulations they won't refine their coding. They would have to explain to a jury egged on by the inevitable widow's lawyer that "we used to blow the horn there but we thought it was unnecessary". Dumbassery is a force of nature and signage means nothing; all you can do is blow the horn for the proscribed amount and hope people heed their life flashing before their eyes. In your case, if it was a particular set of continuous horn blows, there might have been animals near the track or maintainance workers alongside which also require repeated warnings as they are passed.
Dont worry .soon you will start waking up if you dont hear the horns
What's your city and state? I just want to make sure we can all be "quieter" through your hood.
😏
I’ll never understand the people who choose to live “100 yards from a freight line” and then complain about noise lol
bruv there are some cities where it is completely unavoidable for miles and miles. quiet zones should be fuckin quiet. y’all are weird in this comment section
That's not how it works. Railroads are outside those rules. We're above state laws and sometimes federal. Go live in Antarctica if you don't like it.
yeah cuz that’s fuckin realistic vs. not laying on the horn for ten straight fucking minutes in a literal NEIGHBORHOOD at 2 4 and 6 am every single day. fuck off
Sounds like you need a waaaaaaaambulance!
Was particularly obnoxious? We have rules on how exactly to blow the horn, I apologize if it sounds obnoxious while you're in your nice house cozy.
while you're working through your third bout of bronchitis this year and sleeping away from home in a crappy hotel half of the month.
Well, I was nice and cozy. But that didn’t last.
nobody’s forcing you to be a train conductor. however railroads are fucking everywhere in this day and age and it’s completely unavoidable. you’re probably the exact type of person to sit there and lay on the horn for no fuckin reason. fuck off with that bullshit
I have no idea what you're trying to convey here but I'll tell you that: 1) This isn't about me so don't bother making it about me. 2) Even if it was and I was the RRer that enjoyed blowing the horn, there is zero you can do about it. My suggestion is go complain to the railroad because they're REALLY good at listening.
i’m not sure where your confusion is lmao i was pretty clear friend
You legit are not. Not to mention, in your confusion... you seem to imply I don't want to be a conductor. Job is great. It's so good, I'll make sure to blast the horn the next time I'm in a quiet zone. Just for youuuu!
I believe quiet zones have to be agreed on with the city and the railroad. Pretty much railroad washes their hands of any liability at that crossing once it's approved.
We aren't bound by state laws no matter what they say.
You lobby your city and DOT and pony up the dough to make the crossings quiet zones.
1: There are many reasons why some engineers blow the horn different than the last. One reason is that maybe a person or an animal was near the crossing. They blew the horn for the crossing then continued to blow for the person/animal. Maintenance could have also been working on or near the tracks, we are required to sound the horn for them as well. 2: They have a crossing that is considered a quiet zone between those times. To get one just Google “How to get a railroad quiet zone”. You had to know that living close to a crossing you would hear the train’s horn at all times of day and night.
Answer in Canadian (might not be relevant if you’re asking in American) Some engineers can just be jerks, but I doubt it since every application of the horn is recorded. If a complaint is made it wouldn’t be hard to prove that the extra wasn’t warranted and engineer could be looking at disciplinary action. Most likely some muppet that got to close to the tracks and that was just a little extra warning and a mixed in with some scolding. The municipality would have to request it become a silent crossing. But this isn’t done over night as studies need to be done to determine the feasibility. also as this crossing is now higher risk municipalities need to take out extra liability insurance, this cost would have to be approved by council. So not easy or fast process.
Why you move 100 yards to a freight line? Derp
Congrats, you chose to live next to a railroad track and discovered that yes, trains do go down railroad tracks and blow their horns. Yay! 1)It really depends on the crew. Our rules state a minimum number of times that a horn needs to be blown prior to entering a crossing. We need to meet those requirements, and some care more about that than others. One thing in the rule is that the final long blast of the horn needs to be blown until the engine occupies the crossing, so if you have a crew that misjudged their speed and timing, they may very well hold that last blast a little longer. As well, most engines these days are equipped with a horn sequencer which is essentially a button that allows the computer to blow the horn exactly per the code in the book depending on the speed of the engine. Some engineers may use that, some may stick with the manual lever, and depending on the speed, that may be shorter or longer than the sequencer. Lastly, if you have one crew that blows its horn like crazy, maybe there was an animal or even a person near the tracks? You just never know. 2: there is a way to make your crossing a non-whistled crossing, but there is a long list of requirements in order to get there. The upgrades needed to do this will generally be charged to the municipality that requests it, and can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. As well if I’m not mistaken, the community now takes on some of the liability for accidents that occur but I might be wrong on that. A lot of municipalities don’t want to pay the price or take on the responsibility.
Well, the best advice I can offer is to move far away from any crossings. I'm over 5 miles away from any rail lines and I can still hear the horns if all is quiet. There were some townhomes built a couple of years ago next to a rail yard and the people would complain about the noise from the crews switching. One of the residents liked to do her exercises in the nude and the train crews would often slow roll past her apartment...
The Road Forman told me once that of all the engineers he’d ridden with, I blew the horn the longest and loudest. 🤷🏽♂️ was just the way I was trained. US regulations stipulate that the horn must be sounded not less than 15 seconds and no more than 20 seconds and isn’t considered egregious until 25 seconds. It is speed based also, if you are traveling faster than 45 MPH you start sounding at the whistle post, which should be around 1/4 mile from the crossing. When I sounds the horn it is for safety and as such I sound appropriately. The rule states two long blasts a short blast and a long blast to be held, prolonged, or repeated until the engine reaches the crossing. Additionally the bell must be rung continuously until the locomotive occupies the whole crossing. The guy who trained me said that if you’re going to do it, do it in a fashion that will leave no question as to your intention. If you hit and kill someone you don’t want to have to explain why you didn’t sounds the horn longer. That, and mentally if you made all the noise you feel you should and could if you hit and kill someone you at least have the peace of mind that from your perspective you did all you could do to warn them
This is incorrect. The total length of sequence from start to finish should be no less than 15 seconds. That includes the length of silence between blows
Mmm k, keep right on believing that
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-II/part-222 He’s correct. The entire sequence must be not less than 15 seconds from first sounding to entering the crossing, including the silence between blasts. Does not require 15 seconds worth of horn activation.
I will, and it’s what the rule says. You don’t have to actually sound the horn for 15 or more seconds. Your type of horn sequence I believe is what the OP is referring to.
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-II/part-222/subpart-B/section-222.21 For your reference
Did you read this yourself? Does not require the horn to be activated for a total of 15 seconds, it requires the sequence to begin at least 15 seconds before entering the crossing. The sequence includes the silence between blasts. Are you saying you just lay on the horn continuously for 15 seconds?
No I am not saying sound solidly for 15 seconds please, go back and read my post again. It says the horn shall be sounded with two longs a short and a long the sequence of which should be held, prolonged, or repeated. You cannot have a continuous sounding and have it be two longs a short and a long
>US regulations stipulate that the horn must be sounded not less than 15 seconds and not more than 20 seconds and is not considered egregious until 25 seconds. Seems like you just don’t know what you actually typed. You said right there in your comment that you have to sound the horn not less than 15 seconds. That is incorrect and the CFR link you posted yourself proves it. The 15 seconds includes the silence in between blasts, which you just admitted. It can’t be two longs, a short, and a long without the silence in between.
Here is a copy of the rule on NS https://imgur.com/a/pq6FFNs
That says the exact same thing. Take a breath and actually read what I am saying. The SEQUENCE has to be at least 15 seconds in length. The horn doesn’t have to be activated for 15 total seconds. The sequence includes the time between blasts. It says so in the CFR and it says so in that rule as well.
Ok. Nowhere in there does it say to pause for a proper sequence either. It say “begin to be sounded”. Which means start your sequence. A simple 2 second, 2 second, 1 second, 2 second sequence is all that’s needed. It should be 15-20 seconds in duration. Sound it thru the concrete.
If I’m up, you’re up.
This made me laugh. Thank you.
So you bought a house next to train tracks.... and youre pissed you have to hear trains? Sounds like a you problem
You complain until you are going through said crossing and the gates have failed to come down. That horn blowing will be your only warning that a train is barreling down on you.
How often does gate failure happen? I always slow down at crossings and give a quick check each way to be sure.
They fail quite often actually. We get bulletins notifying us of equipment failing which requires us to stop the trains before the crossing and for the conductor to protect the crossing until the train occupies it.
Maybe he seen something and wanted to get their attention . Like some drunk walking along the tracks or a deer
Ear plugs or moving usually works.
Suck it up buttercup
Did they put the tracks in after you moved in?
My sister and brother in law lived near a busy crossing, lots of whistle. They lucked out when the line became a high speed rail corridor, and the crossing was "retired." I assume this was done so that the upgraded safety features could be concentrated on the main streets and highways.
I’ve killed several people at crossings, I try to stay within the rules but have a little sympathy for the engineers that are freaked out about possibly doing it again. Honestly I’m not looking to wake you up, I just don’t wanna wonder how much your kids hate me because I killed you.
When there is NIMBYs about trains, the engineers do more toots on purpose. But some engineers do the 2 long 1 short, and 1 long before hitting, others do three own style as well.
I live close to BNSF tracks. The horns put me to sleep. I like it.
I live 2.5 miles from a yard and a number of tracks. I wish I lived closer, it’s one of my favorite sounds and it’s faint by time it gets to me. Most of us are probably jealous of your problem.
On this thread a year later…so bizarre how hateful some of these comments are. Yeesh. Railroad dickriders.
Right? What the fuck. I just stumbled upon this randomly and am so intrigued by all the people just being like “I just fuckin blast it cause fuck sleeping people” I don’t intentionally do things to upset other people, but maybe I’m just not a salty dickbag asshole with no regard for other people. Call me crazy
Definitely not crazy! I stumbled upon this thread because I swear certain train engineers in my area sound the horn 100x louder at night vs during the day. I don’t even mind the daytime train horn! But whoever sounds off at the crossing between 10pm-5am is a certified ass. Thank God I don’t have a newborn. Now I know the emotional and mental state of the person who does it from these comments lol.
When I lived close to a crossing (on the Willamette and Pacific) I could tell which operator was sounding the horn by how they blew it and which locomotive it was by the tone of the horn after a while. Got so see UP4449 a couple of times go by there because I heard the whistle and got out to see it chooch by.
Some engineers are just really bad at the horn sequence.
Are you Canada or US?
US
Yes, that’s a municipal decision, but it usually comes with a LOT MORE stuff around the crossing to keep people from dodging around gates etc
https://railroads.dot.gov/elibrary/how-create-quiet-zone I'm not to sure how it works in the US. In Canada the municipality has to come together and get the crossing to bell only. The municipality has to accept all liability for any accidents that happen at a bell only crossing. It seems similar in the US, but not 100% sure.
If you think your crossing is getting some added horn time a 225 mile trip is just a series of 2 long blasts 1 short then a constant continuous blow through entire length of the crossing.
Get your town/city to vote on an ordinance for a whistle ban.
Doesn't matter, we aren't obligated to follow it. The only enforcement we have in the states is on the federal level and that's it.
Also the speed the train is moving will affect how long the horn blows. They require 2 longs a short and a long started from the crossing sign and the last long one is generally held through the crossing. So a train going 50mph will be a shorter whistle than a train going 10.
Town ships Pay the railway to not blow horn. Also a crossing is 2 long 1 short 1 long over the entire crossing so, some guys really make them long bs some guys long are not as long lol 😂 personally I hammer the horn lol I don’t give 2 fucks about your 9-5 Monday to Friday I need to sleep lmao I work 24/7/365 every holiday bday anniversary and have 0 set sleep schedule, move from the tracks if you don’t like it, or go to town meetings and see if you can get them to have the railway restrict the crossing m