Do you really want to live next to the tracks???????

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by darth9x9

The Maryland Midland is but a few hundred yards away. It is cool to hear them blow the horn for the grade crossing about 1/2 mile away. When I hear it, I can jump in my truck and drive down to the tracks and get a front row seat of the train heading into town. I am far enough away that when they come through late at night, it sounds like faint thunder. I think I live close enough......

Howdy, neighbor! I'm over in New Windsor and in the winter, can easily watch the MMID trains from the front windows. I'm about 200 yards away from the line and I sleep through the late freights all the time. What crossing are you near?

[jimitimi]

I lived one block from the C&NW branch line growing up. It was abandoned and torn up in 1982, when I graduated high school. Thank God Soo Line was also in town. After college when I moved back to town, I bought a house less than a block from those tracks (now Wisconsin Central). I have moved to another house that is on another part of town that is also one block away. There is a lot of vegetation between the house and the tracks, so I can't see the trains well in the summer, but can in the winter. If one came for sale next to the tracks, I would have to think about it. With only 5 trains a day it isn't too bad. I am sure if there was a lot of traffic, even the foamer in me might not like it too much. But I would still strongly consdider it!

[vsmith]

I find it interesting that most who appear to live outside of urban areas think its a great idea while those who live in urban areas think the other posters are nuts![:D]

Says alot about the trackside conditions depending on where you live urbanisticly.

Rural = scenic vistas w/ trains

Urban = trackside Thunderdome scenarios

Suburban = somewhere in between

[darth9x9]

The Maryland Midland is but a few hundred yards away. It is cool to hear them blow the horn for the grade crossing about 1/2 mile away. When I hear it, I can jump in my truck and drive down to the tracks and get a front row seat of the train heading into town. I am far enough away that when they come through late at night, it sounds like faint thunder. I think I live close enough......

[Anonymous]

i think i would. i live within a stones throw away from one of the busiest interstates in the country, zillions of trucks howlin by 24/7. i think i could handle a few dozen trains in my backyard. it's like anything, it takes a while to get used to.

[agentatascadero]

I lived about 100 yards from the SP at Atascadero 1952-62, and LOVED it. The coast line was much busier then. For my dad, the agent, it was his best commute ever. I've always missed living by the tracks. Living in northern California, wanting a spot that has lots of traffic, good weather, and is scenic (which rules out the central valley), I would think the area around Mt Shasta City, or Colfax would be ideal. But, for a busy line, if I were to leave CA, I would locate on the Santa Fe near Flagstaff.

[Anonymous]

I live a short block and a half from the NS (ne Wabash) main and halfway between two grade crossings. If a tornado would remove the trees that block the view of the tracks it would be perfect!

[Big_Boy_4005]

In the right neighborhood and along the right line I would.

My father has lived next to a fairly low traffic main for years, and has no trouble with it. There is no direct access to the tracks, because the house sits on what might be considered a small bluff, but there is still a great view of the track. Whenever we are over there, and hear a train coming my kids and I ru***o see it. Dad needs to get the scrub trees trimmed though, they really ruin the view in the summer.[:P][swg]

[ericsp]

Out here I have not noticed much in the way of bums, hobos, etc. around the branch lines. Also, some branchlines go through some pretty good areas. Finally, the trains go slow on the branches. Therefore, I would not mind living by a branch line.

[Dough]

I wi***hat I had seen this earlier. There are some new townhouses in downtown Atlanta, and I had the opportunity to go in one during an open house. One row of them has decks that open up almost over the NS mainline.

And the best part is that they were approaching a million a piece![;)]

Oh, and I just remembered some lofts near the Hapeville Ford plant (South Atlanta). They converted some old industrial buildings and kept the industry/railroad theme. They added a ped bridge that is great for photographing, and they even have some old SBD and other freight cars on a sidding for effect. I have some pictures that I should scan up...

[Anonymous]

Interesting that this topic would appear when it did... My wife and I are currently house-hunting. Among HER terms: the house must have room for my train collection and a layout, and should be near tracks so that I can go train watching. We looked at a house in a small, Iowa community, with the former CNW (can't bring myself to admit that Uncle Pete owns it all now...denial is a wonderful thing) across the street from the front door. During our brief time walking around the property, 5 trains came blasting through. Did I mention there are 4 crossings close by? She says "not a problem." I said "...at 3 in the morning?" She replies "I'd get used to it." So, firefighter and paramedic that I am...I remind her of the derailment potential, AND the UP "death train" that rolls through once-a-week (so named by the safety crews at CR General Mills). That paled her already fair skin somewhat...but she is the eternal optimist.

Ultimately, we're passing on the house due to the driving distance from CR/work.

RATS! The place even had plenty of room for our dogs, and my 2 full-size fire engines. It was a bit strange being so close, legally (standing on the sidewalk of the house) ; when the parade came roaring through. God help that neighborhood if anything comes off the rails though. Even a "simple" coal train would wipe it out... I can just imagine if a propane tanker went up. Then again, the house has been there since the late 1800's...if it's survived this long without "...a locomotive in the living room..." Maybe fate just hasn't caught up to it yet...

I'd take the house...if it was closer to work, and farther from the tracks! Think I'll consult the DOT HAZMAT Guidebook for some common evacuation/explosion radius'es (sic) next time we find one by the rails.

My 1/2 cent's worth.

[tree68]

The Firemen's Field in Hancock, NY, is adjacent to the old Erie main (now NS) on the shore of the east branch of the Delaware. Things are pretty quiet in little Hancock at 6 am, especially on a Sunday. Which is about when a westbound frequently makes its way through, headed for Binghampton. There is an old truss bridge (once double track) and a tight curve, so you get to enjoy lots of sound, especially from the firemen's field.

One Sunday morning a bunch of us were camped there for the firemen's field days, courtesy of our hosts (the Hancock FD). It was a pretty good party the night before, and not everyone was up with the sun. I heard the train blowing for a crossing a few miles away, as well as the defect detector, so got up to enjoy the passing.

Did I mention that there are 4 crossings in quick succession? Even though the trains creep thru due to the curve, and keep the blowing to the minimum possible, it's still almost continuous horn as they pass through town...

Anyhow, one of our members, who had been on particularly good terms with his friend Jack Daniels the night before, was not happy with the RR. It seems he was sure that the train was coming right through his tent.[8D]

[Anonymous]

I live about a half mile away from an NS yard, so I can hear the trains pretty well. A couple of weeks ago I camped at Lake Nickajack, in Tennessee. About a quarter mile away was a very busy CSX line running from Chattanooga to Birmingham. The water of the lake boosted the sound enough so that I got woken up a few times.

I went over there (train hunting- trusty Canon at my side) and saw a couple of houses with about an acre of backyard between them and the tracks... looking out over the lake. I fell in love with those houses.

I imagine the noise is something you get used to.

The thread kind of reminds me of a real estate commercial running around the TV right now. A couple is out to look for a house- one has nosy neighbors peering in the back window, and one looks beautiful- until an AMTRAK train goes blowing through the back yard.

I wonder if the real estate agent would lower the price of the house?

Erik

[Anonymous]

Well yes I would because I love watching trains big and small rumble past and the doesn't really bother me.

[SALfan]

For about 40 years my wife's parents lived in a house where the backyard was next to the ex-SAL line from Jacksonville to Chattahoochee in Tallahassee, FL. The rails were in a 10-15 ft. deep cut, which didn't stop any of the train noise. It was great to be there - hear a train blowing for the nearby crossings and you could be beside the back fence to watch it go by. I even got some of the grandkids infected . . . err, interested in trains. I'd move there in a heartbeat. They said after getting used to the noise and vibration they never noticed a train passing.

[Anonymous]

I have lived for quite a few years next to train tracks.My first one was in Wausau,Wi,next to the Milwaukee Road rail yard,then in Brokaw,Wi, the house was not even 100 feet away from the main line. Now I am in Fond Du Lac,Wi,and the CN/WC main line is about 100 yards or maybe a bit less than that,from where I live. In fact I face the South entrance to the Shops Yard. I like it,though I will admint it,sometimes I do wonder if a train would derail,since I have been hearing quite a few railcars "banging" due to having flat spots on the wheels,and I wonder if the CN is going to repair them? Like alot of responses have said, if you can sleep through a severe t-storm, ...... you can sleep when a train passes as well.

[vsmith]

Another thing to consider...Railroads and ROW's are often used by the homeless, trainhopper criminals, and just plain Bum's as thier personal highways and they often dont wander too far from the tracks when looking for stuff to "borrow". Out here on the left coast we have had some problems in the past with trainhopper criminals who commit crimes near the tracks (burglary, assault, even murder) and just hop the next frieght . They are long gone by the time the police arrive. There also is the problem of camps being setup off to the sides of the tracks often right up against peoples back yard fences. Local police sometimes will move them out but other times you have to contact the RR company to have them moved out. Gangbangers and Taggers also inhabit the ROW's and dont care who they are disturbing late at night or whos property they are defacing. These thing happen from South Central LA to Yorba Linda and Simi Valley, Next to the tracks? not a good place...

[Anonymous]

hell ya as long as its in a good area and not on the "Bad" of the tracks

[ericsp]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Brak710101

i always wanted to live right next to tracks, i live about 200ft from a (now) CSX branch (i think, or intechange...). i really could care less about then noise, i have sleped though gun shots ( ppl said it wasnt a gun shot, but a car backfire). but what would really scare me, would be waking up in morning to a Dash-9 running through through my living room! Thats right, a derailment, ouch...

Look at the bright side, at least you wouldn't have to leave your livingroom to go railfanning. Plus you could get up close to a locomotive and not be tresspasing.[:D]

[Willy2]

Well, if I were to live next to the tracks, it would have to be in the country, so that the house could be far enough away from the tracks so that I would not have to worry about a derailment, but I could still see the trains.

[Anonymous]

i always wanted to live right next to tracks, i live about 200ft from a (now) CSX branch (i think, or intechange...). i really could care less about then noise, i have sleped though gun shots ( ppl said it wasnt a gun shot, but a car backfire). but what would really scare me, would be waking up in morning to a Dash-9 running through through my living room! Thats right, a derailment, ouch...

[DSchmitt]

About a year ago I saw a nice looking house for sale in Sacramento. Its back yard was adjacent to the RR right of way[8D] Nice quiet tree lined street with well kept houses. I considered inquiring about it[:D] but the even though I'm a rail fan, the idea of having a main line RR on a 20' embankment right outside my back door worried me.

[rich747us]

If I can sleep through severe thunderstorms, I can sleep through heavy rail traffic. I'd do almost anything for one of those houses across the tracks from the railfan park in Rochelle!

[Paul Milenkovic]

My near the tracks experience is living in commuter rail suburbs (Glencoe, Illinois, C&NW back then, 16 cylinder 567 engines making transition as an F7 pulled a string of bilevels a half block from our house, Short Hills, NJ, the old electric EL line with the wicker seat MU cars).

There is an effort to bring high-speed rail (probably 110 MPH Diesel) to Madison, Wisconsin, and it will probably go to the east side of town (currently the "wrong side of the tracks", but all Madison real estate is pricy these days). People in Madison tend to be vocal about a lot of things, even if it means forgeting that we are "liberals" and in favor of energy savings, transit, and trains, and some East Siders have their briefs in a bunch about the noise from this train.

Hello? I guess you folks never heard of Glencoe, Northbrook, or Clarendon Hills. Those are place names south of the border in Illinois. They are commuter rail suburbs, and the average Madison homeowner could sell their place and not meet the down payment on anything in any of those places. If this rail initiative goes through, would you sell me your house? I know they are talking high-speed rail and not commuter rail, but with 1 hour travel times to Milwaukee and 2 hours to downtown Chicago, East Side Madison will become in effect a Chicago commuter rail suburb.

[cpbloom]

The only problem I would have is fear of derailments, otherwise put my house 10 feet from the roadbed.

[Anonymous]

I live about a 1/4 mile from KCS tracks they do not bother us
bout 65-6 trains a night
My son loves it when he can hear the horn

[Anonymous]

Well, maybe not next to a main line no, but I could stand living next to a shortline. Maybe 2 or 3 trains per day, wouldn't be bad.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

Randy:
There have been some changes at Clearing. CSX now has an intermodal terminal along the south side of the west class yard and a small departure yard for CSX intermodals has been added to the south of the east departure yard. The hump is as busy as ever with hump cuts being pushed over the hump in both directions as a matter of routine.

As you're probably aware, motive power has changed greatly. SD38/slug sets push cuts over the hump and GP38-2's and MP15's are in pulldown duty.

Despite the changes, it's still an interesting place to watch trains.

[rrnut282]

My current residence is less than 300 feet from NS's Fort Wayne to Cincy main. Only the heaviest trains rattle the windows. They only reason I can't sleep is I think I heard a train coming in the distance! It's cool to be watching TV or on the computer and hear dynamics or air horns, turn around and watch one go by. My only lament is the line is not as busy as it was before I bought this house.