[quote_left]Please reconsider![/quote_left]
Hello Loveland Magazine Readers,
The City is planning on eliminating the trains blowing the horns as they go thru town. I think this is dangerous to the citizens of Loveland. I have been doing an informal survey on this and the vast majority of the citizens are against this.
Please reconsider!
Thanks,
Jack Koch,
Citizen of Loveland
Read about the train whistle controversy:
Quiet Zone in Historic Downtown under attack?
About the Loveland R.R. “Quiet Zone”
When you thought Loveland’s downtown traffic couldn’t get worse…
First: I live very close to the tracks/downtown area. I was not surveyed but I am IN FAVOR of reducing railroad associated noise! – as are my significant other and children.
Second: It is not possible for City Council to “reconsider” this. The railroad quiet zone is part of the contracted agreement with the developer of Loveland Station. It’s too bad the opponents of this clause didn’t protest it before the contract was finalized.
Third: The train whistle will only be silenced within the very small quiet zone. The noise of the whistle will still be audible when it is sounded at other area crossings, and it can travel miles.
Fourth: Everyone is entitled to opinions. There are, however, established facts about the safety of railroad quiet zones. State and federal regulations ensure that quiet zones are safe. From http://www.puco.ohio.gov/puco/index.cfm/be-informed/consumer-topics/railroad-quiet-zones/:
“A quiet zone is a railroad grade crossing at which trains are prohibited from sounding their horns in order to decrease the noise level for nearby residential communities. The train horns can be silenced only when other safety measures compensate for the absence of the horns.
“The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) train horn rule provides localities nationwide with the opportunity to establish quiet zones. The federal rule pre-empts all applicable state laws. To qualify, communities wishing to establish quiet zones must equip proposed grade crossings with adequate safety measures to overcome the decrease in safety created by silencing the train horns. The additional safety measures must be constructed at the community’s own expense and must meet federal specifications. The federal rule also contains language which for the first time restricts the volume of train horns.
“For more information, visit the FRA train horn rule web page.” (http://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0104)