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Proposal to cut train noise goes off track

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Contributed by: Joseph Kirchmer/YourHub.com on 6/4/2008

A proposal to create a so-called "downtown quiet zone" to help cut down on the noise from train whistles at railroad crossings was put on hold for six months at a June 3 town council meeting.

The proposal, developed by town staff, recommends installing four-quadrant gates at each of the three train crossings downtown, which would effectively make train crews exempt from having to sound their horns at crossings.

Under current Federal Railroad Administration laws, locomotive engineers are required to sound their horns before approaching all public grade crossings -- usually in a pattern of two long, one short and one long.

The gates would cost between $1.5 and $2.2 million and take approximately 30 months to install, according to town staff. That price tag was a little too much to stomach for council, which is grappling with a tight budget.

Castle Rock mayor Randy Reed said he understands the concerns of downtown business owners and has his own qualms with the train noise. But he said other transportation-related projects need to be finished before the town looks at creating the quiet zone.

"We're in a belt-tightening time right now, in my opinion," Reed said. "I would like to see us pursue a downtown quiet zone, but to put any money into it ... I just have a little trouble with that."

Others, however, feel the project should be a priority.

Chip Wilson, who represents the core downtown area in District 4, said cutting down on the train whistles is essential to creating a vibrant downtown area.

"The train noise itself, it's almost intolerable if you're next to the tracks," Wilson said. "And for business owners, it's insane. The train is one thing. I can handle the train. It's nostalgic. But the horn itself, if there's anyway to mitigate that, I would strongly recommend that."

Town manager Mark Stevens recommended looking at the quiet zone proposal once the town knows more about the proposed North Meadows extension, which is one of the more pressing transportation projects on the town's agenda.

According to town staff, Commerce City is the only other Colorado municipality that has established a quiet zone.

QUICK FACT

-- The total number of trains that run through Castle Rock each day on all tracks averages 35 per day, close to 17 on each side of Interstate 25

SOURCE: Town of Castle Rock

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