Date: Tue, 11 Oct 2005 00:15:48 +0200 (CED)
From: Eva Hocks 
Subject: quiet zones for the Sprinter in Oceanside



in one of the future (not too far in the future though) meetings I would
like to start a discussion about the expected noise level when the train
station on Oceanside Blvd will be active. Train horns every half hour will
intrude completely the peaceful quite neighborhood we are living in.


I found some information on the Web:


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http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20041226-9999-2m26quiet.html


	Sprinter's approach cues quest for quiet

Quiet zones are railroad crossings where train engineers are not required
to sound their horns unless they consider it necessary to warn people on
or near the tracks.

The North County Transit District is rebuilding 22 miles of track between
Oceanside and Escondido to provide passenger rail service, and will lay
1.7 miles of new track to serve Cal State San Marcos.

The tracks have 37 crossings, and train operators will be required to
sound their horns as they approach every one.

The Federal Railroad Administration undertook a 10-year process to adopt
new rules regulating train horns. The rules take effect April 1.

The regulations will allow cities to apply for quiet zones if the
crossings meet federal safety standards.

The Sprinter passenger trains will not begin operating until December
2007, but that hasn't stopped cities from considering quiet zones in
anticipation of the trains.

San Marcos and Vista already are asking about quiet-zone designation, and
Oceanside is considering it for the coastal tracks where Amtrak, the
Coaster and freight trains operate.

Escondido is the only city along the future east-west passenger rail line
that is not yet considering quiet zones. The tracks run through an
industrial zone in that city.

Encinitas is studying establishing a quiet zone on the coastal tracks at
the Chesterfield Drive crossing.

Richard Phillips, an assistant to the Encinitas city manager, said the
Federal Railroad Administration has published a complex formula for
calculating whether a crossing meets safety standards for a quiet zone.
Factors include the frequency and speed of trains, the number and types of
accidents at the crossing and the speed and frequency of car traffic.

If the crossing falls short of the standards, the city may pay to improve
the crossing so it can qualify as a quiet zone. Improvements can include
installing "quad gates," which block all lanes to prevent motorists from
driving around them, building a median or closing the crossing at certain
times.