City-data.com is a "secondary" general-interest site oriented around the real-estate industry, and concerns over "train noise' regularly from time to time. But this is the first time in my memory that a discussion has surfaced attempting to link proximity to a grade crossing with health issues.
http://www.city-data.com/forum/health-wellness/2869949-living-near-close-railroad-tracks-bp.html
I'm posting a link to that thread, and will post a similar link to any response here.
Some years ago I stayed at a motel located hard by Interstate 40 in Greensboro, NC. I would have preferred a rail line, and not because I like trains. The roar from that highway was constant. At least trains have a certain amount of spacing.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
tree68 At least trains have a certain amount of spacing.
As to street/highway noise, for 37 years we lived one house away from a major street. My wife did not like to sleep with the window open in the summer because of the noise on that street (it was perpendicular to our street)--and the noise did not bother me. Of course, when some non compos passed by in front with his sound system turned up, I was exceedingly annoyed.
Johnny
blue streak 1 tree68 At least trains have a certain amount of spacing. Transportation noises seem to have always brought about many complaints. We all know about train horns. What about present loco low rumbles. They often shake a house. Ship's fog horns, roads that in our area have newer construction also have noise barriers being built often over 20 feet high. Even some airports have barriers to protect from taxxing aircraft. And noise complaints from landing and take off aircraft keep coming even after the ePNB has been lowered 10+ dB from the old straight jet early jet fighters.
About two years ago, maybe more, the FAA changed the preferred landing and take off runways at BWI in Baltimore. Prior to the FAA mandated route changes controllers spaced planes on multiple approaches and take off departure routed. With the FAA changes ALL traffic is now using the same path and residents under these path area complaining, and rightfully so, that getting the full sound blast of arriving and/or departing jets every minute to two minutes through out the day has left them unhappy at best and fighting mad on the other end of the spectrum.
I lived in a house that was about a mile from the Chesapeake Bay - when the wind was right the sounds of weapons being tested at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds which was about 40 miles North could clearly be heard - both indoors and outdoors.
Railroads get continual complaints about engines idling, which must be done in cold weather on engines that aren't equipped with a 'hot start' feature that keeps the coolant and lubricants warm enough to permit the prime mover to be shut down in freezing temperatures.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Since we are into war stories - we live on one of the top 5 streets for noise/traffic here in the city. (250,000 pop) Only lull is about 3-4 am and then the "trying to shatter your windows" sound systems go by.
Some nights the trains east of us a few blocks sound like they are running at the foot of the bed. I will take that sound anytime.
She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw
Eddie SandCity-data.com is a "secondary" general-interest site oriented around the real-estate industry, and concerns over "train noise' regularly from time to time. But this is the first time in my memory that a discussion has surfaced attempting to link proximity to a grade crossing with health issues. http://www.city-data.com/forum/health-wellness/2869949-living-near-close-railroad-tracks-bp.html I'm posting a link to that thread, and will post a similar link to any response here.
From one of the posts on that forum (emphasis added):
"I lived half a block from the elevated subway track , part on NYC transits system for most of my life. I could tell you that unless I was thinking of taking the train, I rarely notice it go by.A bigger stressor of having a train close by may be the added congestion, or more Urban enviorment being next to a transit station. I also lived near the freight trains for a few years, the occasional whistle or rumble in the middle of the night was barely noticeable.There are other factors that mare trigger high BP, like being over weight, not excercising, salty or fatty fried foods.Read more: http://www.city-data.com/forum/health-wellness/2869949-living-near-close-railroad-tracks-bp.html#ixzz53hnKgucj "
The problem with train noise is that it is intermittent. Highway noise (roadside motels, anyone?) is nasty, but you can get used to it if you turn on your air-conditioner's fan...which helps.
Living under the glide path of a modestly busy airport is deadful. As a military family, we lived in MQ's just 600m from the 'button' at the southern end of the main runway at Winnipeg...for seven years. That means seven 4-month winters where day-time highs often reach a balmy 15 deg F. Nights, when most of the freight traffic came in, or left, on older DC-9, 727, and older 737's, was when the place really rattled and shook because the air temps would have dropped to about 0 deg F or colder, making the air heavy and dense for excellent sound propagation. It was not like highway traffic because, like trains, it was intermittent. What made it much worse was the frequency.
But everyone finds something to b..ch about. We host a national gliding camp for Air Cadets each summer. When the staff are doing their own workups and certifications, the tow planes begin to elicit complaint letters in the local rag in mid-June, a couple of weeks before the noisy fun starts upon arrival of the cadet trainees. We get at least one letter a month until the programme closes near the end of August.
I have waked because I did not hear a noise that was intermittent. In college, my room was on the backside of the dormitory, and I could clearly hear the sound of the pump in the boiler room that put condensed water from the steam line back into the boiler. One winter night, I woke and, after a while, I realized that I had not heard the pump. I knew that if the water in the boiler ran too low the stoker power would be cut off, so I dressed and went down to the boiler room, cracked the inlet valve, and went back to bed. After breakfast, I told the superintendent of buildings and grounds what I had done. Apparently, his crew took care of the matter; I did not hear anything from him about the matter.
In 1957, my assignment as a Co-op Student was with the PRR's Buckeye Region in the signal and communications Department. One assignment was with a line gang that worked on the wayside pole lines and I bunked with them in their camp train in Greenfield In. The train was separated by one track from the main line between Indianapolis and Richmond IN. I had a top bunk and the passenger trains were doing track speed (TT said 79 but when I was in the cab, that was exceeded) and they layed on the horn for the multiple grade crossings in Greenfield. My first night in the bunk, I hit my head on the ceiling when the train came through. It was as if it was coming down the middle of the car. But by the end of my first week, I would barely wake up and think there goes #30. Later weeks, I would sleep right through them. One adapts. I'm sure most of you have heard about the use of crickets in Japan as warnings of intruders. The crickets stop their noise making when somebody comes near them and the people awaken to the silence.
My hubby and I bought our house that is perfect for him since he loves to railfan. We live about 1/2 mile from the BNSF and can see it out our front window all year long. At first the 70 trains a day they ran by were annoying now we do not hear them. What makes the most noise are the 3 times a day the local manufactoring plant changes shifts and their employees think they are racing at Dega and go 3 wide down the streets to get away from work.
I'll see your shift change and raise you a high school end of day dismissal. We live about three blocks from our local public high school and my wife has mentioned the LOUD accelerations from the stop sign (if they stop) when school lets out.
CSSHEGEWISCH I'll see your shift change and raise you a high school end of day dismissal. We live about three blocks from our local public high school and my wife has mentioned the LOUD accelerations from the stop sign (if they stop) when school lets out.
Undoubtedly the faculty!
We think the 3 wide is going to be coming to quick end here in a couple weeks. A new couple is moving in and the mom of it is a Deputy in the Sherriffs office of the county. She was looking at the house when shift changed and said well I am asking for a Photo radar and have it put in my car. She clocked 3 cars doing 45 in a 25 zone.
Shadow the Cats ownerShe clocked 3 cars doing 45 in a 25 zone.
Sports radars are inexpensive these days - I just got one to use on the railroad. Not sure how many folks have radar detectors around here, but it would be fun to sit on my front porch and set them off...
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