Buffalo News: Quiet Zones Come to Hamburg

Matt Langworthy wrote:Hence the need for more horn blasts, not less. Young people, in particular, love to listen to their music very loudly. The extra horn blasts increase the opportunity for them to potentially hear the appraoching train, as there are quick gaps between songs on MP3 players.

So it falls upon the railroads to reach the Darwin Award candidates who walk down the tracks with headphones on? Some of us old folks remember a thing called "personal responsibility", but that concept has gone the way of the steam locomotive and the link and pin coupler.

BR&P wrote:So it falls upon the railroads to reach the Darwin Award candidates who walk down the tracks with headphones on? Some of us old folks remember a thing called "personal responsibility", but that concept has gone the way of the steam locomotive and the link and pin coupler.

Back in those days of "personal responsibility", I don't think someone bought a home near RR tracks and then whined about the whistle.

I agree that the RR is not at fault. However, idiots happen. Live or die, lawsuits have a tendency to fly when trespassers get killed/injured on the tracks. As a shareholder in both RRs that cross Rogers Road in Hamburg, I'd rather not see that money drained from their coffers. A working horn is already a must for the lead locomotive on a train, so there's no additional cost. It also reduces the possibility a crew may have to agonize over a needless death. Let it blow, let it blow, let it blow...

What would be very helpful would be a law barring lawsuits in the case of trespassers. I believe at least one state had such a law proposed, I don't recall whether it actually passed or was defeated. But given the prevailing political leanings in this state I doubt there's any chance.

Bottom line as far as the no-whistle zone - as said before, the engineer is clearly authorized to use the horn in case of a problem. I very much dislike the concept of pandering to people who bought a house near the tracks and then complain, but again we as a society no longer have the testicular fortitude to tell them "that's the way it is - deal with it."

Politics aside, I passed over the Cloverbank crossing Thursday evening and happened to catch a train on CSX headed East, jr & I both thought it was really strange to see a 4 unit lash up with a big freight train behind it & then have it go whizzing by, silently with no horn at all. On first imprression it seemed like something was wrong, & then a second later you remember- oh yeah, "Quite Zone". I bet the locals LOVE it.

I was by McKinley Mall last night when I heard a train horn.

I found the Lake Ave crossing in Blasdell and hung out with 2 fellow railfans.

First a westbound.

We saw *4* intermodal trains go east right after another.

Then another eastbound.

6 trains all within 75 minutes.

All CSX power...

its fascinating to see how this topic got such a strong response

I live down the tracks from the Rogers Rd crossing, & work with Traffic Safety. This is just an accident waiting to happen.

News article says they want 2 more. Plesant & Lakeview next.

DECA wrote:I live down the tracks from the Rogers Rd crossing, & work with Traffic Safety. This is just an accident waiting to happen.

I hate saying this, but whatever happens, it's on Hamburg now. They made their beds---let 'em lay in it! :-/

Charlie

most trains don't blow their whistles but you will get the occasional train that decides to. overall i think its a very lame thing on a very busy mainline not to blow their whistles at each grade crossing.

I live close to the bridges at camp and bay view and can still hear trains whistling in the direction of Rogers rd, i guess some engineers would rather error on the side of caution? Good for them I say.