{"id":7920,"date":"2019-10-10t11:01:05","date_gmt":"2019-10-10t16:01:05","guid":{"rendered":"\/\/www.dicovercards.com\/?p=7920"},"modified":"2024-02-29t13:37:08","modified_gmt":"2024-02-29t19:37:08","slug":"silencing-train-horns-navigating-establishment-railroad-quiet-zone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/\/www.dicovercards.com\/silencing-train-horns-navigating-establishment-railroad-quiet-zone\/","title":{"rendered":"establishing a railroad quiet zone & safety measures"},"content":{"rendered":"
in many communities throughout america, trains passing through (often at high speeds) are viewed as a way of life \u2014 a cost of small-town living. many residents have become accustomed to avoiding crossings whenever possible to prevent getting stuck waiting for a long freight train moving through town.<\/p>\n
as train horns grew louder over several decades, many communities instituted “whistle bans” to quiet the horns during certain hours of the day. due to these whistle bans, however, accidents at grade crossings increased, leading congress to demand the federal railroad administration (fra)<\/a> institute a national regulation on the sounding of train horns.<\/p>\n in response to the order from congress, the fra created a policy that required trains to blow their horn at a volume between 96 and 110 decibels using a standardized pattern and duration. the policy also stated that under normal circumstances, train engineers must start blowing their horns at least 15 seconds before all 世界杯足球比赛预选赛
grade crossings. the horn must be sounded in a specific pattern until the lead locomotive occupies the crossing. in some communities with multiple, closely-spaced crossings, that would mean the horn would be sounding almost constantly until the train cleared the last crossing.<\/p>\n recognizing that many communities with whistle-bans in effect would be upset with the new policy, the fra also paved the way for creating “quiet zones”<\/a> that followed a set of standardized rules. the rules aimed to provide communities a way to silence the train horns but also maintain a level of safety that compensates for the risk that silencing train horns at grade crossings creates.<\/p>\n warning signs are required at quiet zone crossings to alert drivers that train horns will not be sounded.<\/p><\/div>\n essentially, a quiet zone can be created through an exemption to the new fra rule. these zones comprise crossings where improvements have been made that allow the train to proceed without using the horn (except in the case of emergencies). the rules for establishing a quiet zone are extensive, and implementing them can get expensive. snyder & associates has helped many communities find the right solutions for establishing their quiet zones in the most cost-effective way. the minimum standards to be considered for receiving a quiet zone designation include:<\/p>\n to determine if a crossing or a series of crossings is eligible to become a quiet zone, the fra developed an online calculator that can be used to assign a risk index score to each crossing. the calculator helps determine whether a crossing meets the criteria before funds are allocated for proposed improvements. the quiet zone risk index score from the calculator is compared to numerous risk thresholds. if the quiet zone risk index score is below the thresholds, the proposed crossing(s) is eligible. snyder & associates has substantial experience guiding communities through this critical early assessment stage.<\/p>\n four-quadrant gate crossings prevent vehicles from driving around closed gates.<\/p><\/div>\n if not already present, communities typically need to implement supplemental safety measures (ssms) to provide maximum safety of the crossings in question. the addition of supplemental safety measures varies significantly in cost. the four most common improvements include:<\/p>\n since many crossings already utilize two-quadrant gates, adding medians or channelizing devices is often considered a medium-cost compromise between closing a crossing and adding four-quadrant gates. snyder & associates can evaluate each desired quiet zone area to make the best recommendation.<\/p>\n in some unique situations that prevent ssms from fully complying with the requirements, other alternative safety measures (asm) may be considered in consultation with the fra and the railroad with jurisdiction over the crossing. these asms fall into two categories \u2014 engineering and non-engineering asms. engineering asms would include roadway design<\/a> changes, such as crossing and roadway geometry improvements and sight distance upgrades. examples of non-engineering asms encompass programmed enforcement measures by law enforcement, 世界杯足球比赛预选赛
education and awareness initiatives<\/a>, and photo enforcement at select crossings.<\/p>\n as mentioned earlier, upgrading one or more crossings to meet quiet zone requirements can be expensive \u2014 commonly averaging more than $250,000 per crossing when upgrading to four-quadrant gates. additional improvements needed on the road, such as adding a median, can further increase the cost.<\/p>\nfra’s rule on the “use of locomotive horns at 世界杯足球比赛预选赛
highway-rail grade crossings”<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
what comprises a “quiet zone”?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
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qualifications to become a quiet zone<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
top 4 most common supplemental safety measure (ssm)\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
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use of alternative safety measures (asm) in quiet zones<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
funding for quiet zone improvements<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n