SO what are your opions on QUITE ZONES

[Anonymous]

No quiet zone around St Francis Ave. Wonder if it is because supposedly the most dangerous crossing in Wisconsin is right around there on the Old Line. At least according to Channel six here a little while back. Funny thing was they did not even know the right street. Believe they siad Morgan Ave and it does not even cross the tracks. Great news media we have these days. LOL

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by BigJim

QUOTE: Maybe some railroad crossings should be engineered so that, when a train is coming, the pavement folds up after the lights flash and the gates come down, so anybody with the bright idea of going around the gates would **WHAM** smack right into the raised pavement!

The big problem with this idea is that there would be no way that an emergency vehicle would be able to cross the tracks in case of a gate malfunction.

The thing that I just don't understand is the nationwide lack of personal responsibility. No one seems to want to take the blame for their own mistakes. For at least the forth time, John Doe has to cross a RR crossing, he knows there are tracks to cross but he doesn't take the time to stop-look-listen. He just keeps going and WHAM. Doesn't matter if the horn was blowing because he was going across those tracks no matter what! Even with STOP signs at the crossing, still they never stop!

RR Crossing safety begins at home! It is up to each one of us to use good judgement crossing the tracks. Be it a whistle crossing or not!

Lotus098,
You speak of police force and communism. Well guess what, Big Brother, the FRA has mandated the RR crossing rules. Is that not a police force of sorts?

But the horn signals are in the railroad rulebooks; at least they started there. It would not be good for a railroad to have an image of being unsafe (UP is the safest historically) I am certain if the FRA, not a from of police since they only make regulations, hadn't made the rules, railroads would put in crossing guards anyways.
James[C):-)]

[BigJim]

QUOTE: Maybe some railroad crossings should be engineered so that, when a train is coming, the pavement folds up after the lights flash and the gates come down, so anybody with the bright idea of going around the gates would **WHAM** smack right into the raised pavement!

The big problem with this idea is that there would be no way that an emergency vehicle would be able to cross the tracks in case of a gate malfunction.

The thing that I just don't understand is the nationwide lack of personal responsibility. No one seems to want to take the blame for their own mistakes. For at least the forth time, John Doe has to cross a RR crossing, he knows there are tracks to cross but he doesn't take the time to stop-look-listen. He just keeps going and WHAM. Doesn't matter if the horn was blowing because he was going across those tracks no matter what! Even with STOP signs at the crossing, still they never stop!

RR Crossing safety begins at home! It is up to each one of us to use good judgement crossing the tracks. Be it a whistle crossing or not!

Lotus098,
You speak of police force and communism. Well guess what, Big Brother, the FRA has mandated the RR crossing rules. Is that not a police force of sorts?

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by fuzzybroken

I had an interesting idea one day while waiting at a boat crossing.

Yep, go back and read that first statement again, I said "boat crossing"...

Maybe some railroad crossings should be engineered so that, when a train is coming, the pavement folds up after the lights flash and the gates come down, so anybody with the bright idea of going around the gates would **WHAM** smack right into the raised pavement!

That might be an idea I should patent, although I'm sure it would be a nightmare to maintain, much like the "quiet zone" (that, so far, isn't "quiet") that originally provided fodder for this post... Just think what this will look like when a snowplow comes through!!! It is, BTW, already broken, several reflectors have already been broken off... [sigh]

-Mark
www.fuzzyworld3.com

You know what Mark? It's not a bad idea...maybe you should patent it...


mike

[chad thomas]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TheAntiGates

QUOTE: Originally posted by chad thomas

QUOTE: Originally posted by TheAntiGates

QUOTE: Originally posted by BNSF railfan.

I can just see this cop chasing this Train hundreds of miles just because he or she violated the so-called "Quiet zone". LOL! I can just see that one. Allan.

Wouldn't a smart cop just shoot out the airhose between 2 of the cars.?[:o)]

I don't know but I have heard of one that tried to shoot out the fuel tank. (remember the CSX runnaway?)

The Ohio runaway, right? They were targeting a red button thinking it was a kill switch, and it turned out to be a fuel control device?

Yea, that's the one. The way I heard it though the cop was trying to shoot a hole in the tank so the unit would run out of fuel. But draining would have taken a while through a .45 cal hole, and would have caused a haz-mat spill that would have streached many many miles. No matter anyway as a .45 is not going to penetrate the fuel tank. He would have had better luck trying to shoot out the tires.[8D]

[chad thomas]

QUOTE: Originally posted by fuzzybroken

I had an interesting idea one day while waiting at a boat crossing.

Yep, go back and read that first statement again, I said "boat crossing"...

Maybe some railroad crossings should be engineered so that, when a train is coming, the pavement folds up after the lights flash and the gates come down, so anybody with the bright idea of going around the gates would **WHAM** smack right into the raised pavement!

That might be an idea I should patent, although I'm sure it would be a nightmare to maintain, much like the "quiet zone" (that, so far, isn't "quiet") that originally provided fodder for this post... Just think what this will look like when a snowplow comes through!!! It is, BTW, already broken, several reflectors have already been broken off... [sigh]

-Mark
www.fuzzyworld3.com

I've had a similar thought. Kind of like the bi-directional freeway lanes have (for wrong way entry) where steel poles raise out of the pavement. I don't know if it will work in icy areas but a steel pole is a lot more of a deterant than a gate across half the road.

[fuzzybroken]

I had an interesting idea one day while waiting at a boat crossing.

Yep, go back and read that first statement again, I said "boat crossing"...

Maybe some railroad crossings should be engineered so that, when a train is coming, the pavement folds up after the lights flash and the gates come down, so anybody with the bright idea of going around the gates would **WHAM** smack right into the raised pavement!

That might be an idea I should patent, although I'm sure it would be a nightmare to maintain, much like the "quiet zone" (that, so far, isn't "quiet") that originally provided fodder for this post... Just think what this will look like when a snowplow comes through!!! It is, BTW, already broken, several reflectors have already been broken off... [sigh]

-Mark
www.fuzzyworld3.com

[fuzzybroken]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TheAntiGates

QUOTE: Originally posted by BNSF railfan.

I can just see this cop chasing this Train hundreds of miles just because he or she violated the so-called "Quiet zone". LOL! I can just see that one. Allan.

Wouldn't a smart cop just shoot out the airhose between 2 of the cars.?[:o)]

Smart cop??? I think those only exist on these forums!!!

-Mark
www.fuzzyworld3.com

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by chad thomas

QUOTE: Originally posted by TheAntiGates

QUOTE: Originally posted by BNSF railfan.

I can just see this cop chasing this Train hundreds of miles just because he or she violated the so-called "Quiet zone". LOL! I can just see that one. Allan.

Wouldn't a smart cop just shoot out the airhose between 2 of the cars.?[:o)]

I don't know but I have heard of one that tried to shoot out the fuel tank. (remember the CSX runnaway?)

The Ohio runaway, right? They were targeting a red button thinking it was a kill switch, and it turned out to be a fuel control device?

[chad thomas]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TheAntiGates

QUOTE: Originally posted by BNSF railfan.

I can just see this cop chasing this Train hundreds of miles just because he or she violated the so-called "Quiet zone". LOL! I can just see that one. Allan.

Wouldn't a smart cop just shoot out the airhose between 2 of the cars.?[:o)]

I don't know but I have heard of one that tried to shoot out the fuel tank. (remember the CSX runnaway?)

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by BNSF railfan.

I can just see this cop chasing this Train hundreds of miles just because he or she violated the so-called "Quiet zone". LOL! I can just see that one. Allan.

Wouldn't a smart cop just shoot out the airhose between 2 of the cars.?[:o)]

[Junctionfan]

I just don't really like quiet zones at crossings because even lighted and gated systems can malfunction and fail to activate when they are supposed to.

(reinterating by intended statement before)

Quiet zones are o.k if there is no direct contact with rails and roads (ie a bridge) because there is little chance of a car or pedestrian getting in the way but if a crossing gate is there, some people even think that maybe the gates aren't working right because maybe they think if a train was coming, surely they would sound the horn; and so they go around them.

[Anonymous]

I can just see this cop chasing this Train hundreds of miles just because he or she violated the so-called "Quiet zone". LOL! I can just see that one. Allan.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by BigJim

QUOTE: Also, the new Federal Regs (FRA) preempt all the State and local laws for any new QUIET ZONES extablished after the effective date of the FRA regulations.

However, Communities can file to get their quiet zones back and some already have.

True, but they must conform to the new FRA standards concerning warning devices. I"m not happy with the FRA reg because it has several major holes in it that, sadly, will surely be exposed by the death or serious injury of someone. This assumes that there is full compliance with the rules and that the new equipment will function.

LC

[daveklepper]

Quiet zones make sense ONLY if there is sufficent grade crossing protection by other means, including the right combination of bells, gates, center dividers, etc. Ashland, VA, is one place where Doug Riddell tells me a quiet zone is appropriate and can work well.

[Anonymous]

ROFL!!!

OKAY, [:-,] [:-,] [:-,] seems like it was the Wabash railroad near my house when we moved in, and ya know what? I have no grievance with the Wabash blowing it's horns.

But this new outfit that's come in since then,...Noisemaker Southern THEY are the ones who upset the appl cart... And since they came in later, they are the new kid on the block. Doggone noisy new kids!! [wow]

[TrainFreak409]

I have no idea what a QUITE ZONE is...[:p]

But on the topic of QUIET ZONES, I think they are stupid. Grade crossing warning is one of the reasons locomotives have horns in the first place. If someone moves into a house next to the railroad, it is their fault they can't sleep, or they always hear the horn because they moved right next to the source.

You know what I say? Move out, and GIVE THE HOUSE TO ME! I'LL GLADLY LIVE THERE![:D]

[Puckdropper]

Think about quiet zones from the perspective of a driver unfamiliar with an area. While quiet zones may work for city streets, they should absolutely NOT be allowed for any upgraded road. That means county highways, state highways, US highways all would have to be whistled for.

An important fact is: At any given time, a train can be so quiet that it is not noticed above background noise. The whistle may be the ONLY warning a person gets. Not everyone has full sight or hearing.

[BigJim]

QUOTE: Also, the new Federal Regs (FRA) preempt all the State and local laws for any new QUIET ZONES extablished after the effective date of the FRA regulations.

However, Communities can file to get their quiet zones back and some already have.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: I really feel that quiet zones are out of line. It's always a bunch of "concerned" citizens complaining. Let them do what's safe, and stop complaining. (I'm referring to the (quote)Concerned(endquote) citizens)

uspscsx

My point in saying that is this:

People always seem to go complain to their county or town/city officials. When the officials speak of this, they call them concerned citizens. It always seems like the spoken of "concerned citizens" later admit that it was just an annoyance and no health or safety issue. That's what it seems like with this case. It seems like it would be more of a safety issue without the engineers blowing their horns. So, if the citizens really are concerned, then they should state valid reasons for why not blowing horns would be helpful.

Just my money in the change jar.[2c]

uspscsx

[Anonymous]

Guys -

Quiet is spelled Q-U-I-E-T, not "quite" which has a completely different meaning as in ("use it in a sentence") not quite good enough...

Also, the new Federal Regs (FRA) preempt all the State and local laws for any new QUIET ZONES extablished after the effective date of the FRA regulations.

LC

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by 440cuin

A much smaller amount of people drive cars??? Where have you been? There are more cars per square mile in Europe then in USA. More cars per mile of road and more roads per mile of land. More traffic in spite of good passenger rail, because it's a more crowded place.

I am referring to unprotected rural railroad crossings (do they have more of these too?) A large number don't have gates, and then the only warning is the horn of the oncoming train. How are you going to keep some farmer from not seeing a 50 mph freight train, that to him, might come out of nowhere, making little noise, creaming him. It might work for them, but America is different.
James[C):-)]

[BigJim]

"Isn't not being forced by the police to turn off your lights, not waste electricity typing in forums, and noting heating your home very hot; communisms?"

Nobody said anything about police forcing anything!

"Yes I think trains blowing their horns because it can and it. Will save lives from all of those stupid people tring to beat a train"

For at least the third time, SOUND WAVES won't stop ANYBODY intent on trying to beat the train!!!

And before any of you start thinking that I'm against horn blowing, you are very much mistaken. I just feel that if a community wants to have a quite zone, that is up to them...not YOU! So quit trying to bust their chops just because their wants and desires are different than yours!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by trainman2244

The engineers dont HAVE to be quiet. If they see a car or someone on the tracks they will blow the horn. Trust me, i know [;)]

Quiet zone regs don't apply to emergency situations.

LC

[Anonymous]

The engineers dont HAVE to be quiet. If they see a car or someone on the tracks they will blow the horn. Trust me, i know [;)]

[Anonymous]

Thats nice! [*^_^*]

[Anonymous]

I really feel that quiet zones are out of line. It's always a bunch of "concerned" citizens complaining. Let them do what's safe, and stop complaining. (I'm referring to the (quote)Concerned(endquote) citizens)

uspscsx

[railfan619]

Yes I think trains blowing their horns because it can and it. Will save lives from all of those stupid people tring to beat a train

[TH&B]

A much smaller amount of people drive cars??? Where have you been? There are more cars per square mile in Europe then in USA. More cars per mile of road and more roads per mile of land. More traffic in spite of good passenger rail, because it's a more crowded place.