Rail Freight Speed

[Anonymous]

What is the max rail freight speed limit for CSX in West Virginia?

[CShaveRR]

It would depend on the line you're looking at. My employee timetable is obver 15 years old; it shows 50 m.p.h. as the maximum for freights on portions of both the former C&O and the former B&O main lines. I wouldn't be surprised if it was less than that now.

[Anonymous]

I was interested in the CSX line between Charleston, WV and Montgomery, WV. I think you are right but have not been able to find it. I am a city councilman tryiing to get a "quiet zone" established. Info on the calculator for risk index lists 70 mph through here because of Amtrak. We only have 2 Amtrak per day 3 days per week while we have appx. 35 freight (mostly coal per day. I am trying to use the calculation on each seperate to meet the guidelines. Thank you for your input. I wrote to CSX and asked them. Not heard a word. I called the FRA Region 2 office and they said they do not set the limits that the railroads set their own limit.

Thanks again......

[MP173]

What exactly is the purpose of a "quite zone"? Would it be to eliminiate the whistling and bells thru an area?

If so, I would suggest that you read thru some of these posts regarding the accidents that occurred when there was adequate protection. Then, attempted to determine what MIGHT happen if two additional safety features were eliminated.

I live fairly close to 2 lines, one busy, one has one per day. I have adjusted.

There is a reason why the bells and whistles are utilized...not just for some grown boys to make noise.

ed

[mudchicken]

ROGL Green:The answer is right there on the data sheet for the DOT# of the particular crossing involved. http://safetydata.fra.dot.gov/OfficeofSafety/NewCrossing/Default.asp

If you are asking anyone other than the railroad's public works engineer (in Jacksonville) about crossing related questions, you very well will not get an answer.

The fact that you are asking here tells me you have no city engineer or that person is grossly unqualified. Hire a QUALIFIED traffic engineer. Quiet zones are not political solutions, have serious ramifications and look at zones on the same line as opposed to individual crossings. Go back and CAREFULLY read the interim rulemaking. Trying to do this ad-hoc is a recipe for failure (and I wouldn't be surprised if it failed or cost you plenty of extra $$$$$)

IMHO -Your ru***o eliminate the whistle/train horn at a crossing is putting the public at risk (the same folks that elected you). Follow of MP173's advice.

[V][V][V]

[jchnhtfd]

RogL Green -- I see you are fairly new here. Welcome aboard! We all hope that you find these forums helpful and informative. I fully second Mudchicken's words of wisdom.

Please think twice (at least) about the wisdom of quiet zones. While it may make some of your constituents happy initially, they will become considerably less happy when the inevitable happens and someone gets smacked by a train because they ignored the crossing protection and didn't hear the train because it was being quiet. Or gets smacked because they were hiking on the tracks (trespassing) and didn't hear the train. Or...

Even with the best of crossing protection (quad gates, bells, lights) people do manage to get on the tracks. Just a while ago there was one in Connecticut, where someone got on the tracks and got whacked -- two dead, one critically injured -- at a crossing with full quad protection.

One might add that a train whistling for the crossings reminds folks that trains do exist and do run on those tracks. Otherwise, our friends the GP tends to forget that.

Remember that a train doesn't whistle for the crossing because it's happy. It's because it wants to use everything it can to ensure the safety of the general public.

[chad thomas]

I agree with Ed,Mudchicken and Jamie. Do your reasearch. Horns serve a purpose, that is to protect the public by giving them fair warning at crossings. Eliminate the horn and that is one less warning device to keep the crossings safer.