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I was at the Flagstaff, Arizona train station yesterday. I saw several freight trains come through, and none of them blew their horns when approaching crossings. Normally, when I am in Flagstaff, I hear locomotive horns regularly throughout the day. Yesterday, I heard none. Someone at the station said there was a "noise ordinance" and the trains were not allowed to blow their horns. This sounds unsafe to me.
George Harris Member # 2077
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There is a whole list of requirements by the FRA before a "quiet zone" can be implemented. I still think it is a bad idea, but it is at least now consistent nationally. It does not prohibit use of horns in case of emergency or perceived danger, although I have no idea what sort of burden of proof is required to say that blowing the horn was acceptable.
I still think quiet zones are a bad idea. I also think those that demand them do not have a leg to stand on, as in 99.99% of the cases the railroad was there long before they were born. If you are living near a track and the horns bother you, that is your fault, not the railroad's.
RRCHINA Member # 1514
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The U. of Northern Arizona is across the double track BNSF Transcon from downtown Flagstaff. This creates a great amount of bicycle and pedestrian interface with the many trains (sometimes more than 100 trains per day). I have witnessed many of the presumably college students making dangerous attempts to cross the tracks when warning lights and bells are active.
I expect there will be some tragic accident, maybe more than one, and the City will rethink this action.
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