A Daily Breeze Letter to the Editor on August 6th expressed concerns about the train noise in Torrance. Here is some additional information on this issue.
Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) operates trains through eight-at-grade crossings including two in Southeast Torrance at Sepulveda/Walnut and Western/South of Sepulveda Blvd.
In 2005, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) established standards for sounding locomotive horns. In Torrance, where the trains travel at less than 45mph, the operator must sound his horn/whistle for at least 15 seconds before the lead locomotive enters the crossing. The operator should continue blowing the whistle until the lead locomotive passes through the crossing. Failure to do comply can result in a FRA fine of $27,000.00. The federal rules require that all train sound horns at between 96 and 110 decibels at all public crossings.
The FRA 2005 rule making process also established a process by which local governments can establish "quiet zones," which remove the requirement for train operators to routinely sound their horns at crossings.
On April 20, 2010, the Torrance City Council voted to spend $39,892.00 to create conceptual exhibits and provide a conceptual cost estimate to establish a Quiet Zone that would silence the sound of train horns at eight at-grade crossings WITHIN the City limits. That DOES NOT INCLUDE the crossing at Western Avenue in Southeast Torrance. There was no public speakers for or against the study at the City Council meeting.
The City of Torrance must consider liability issues when establishing quiet zones. When a quiet zone is established, liability for any accidents in the quiet zone is shifted from the railroad owner or transit operator to the local government. Since quiet zones are relatively new, little case law has been established to date. FRA and railroad documentation indicate that quiet zones may increase the likelihood of accidents at crossings. In its consideration of establishing quiet zones, City Council will need to weigh the trade-offs and consider the costs of assuming liability. This consideration was not mentioned in the staff report at the April 20, 2010 meeting.
City staff gave a rough estimate of $2million to $10million to construct the eight quiet zones. The estimated time for complete the study was four months or August 2010.
John Bailey, President
SETHA
Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) operates trains through eight-at-grade crossings including two in Southeast Torrance at Sepulveda/Walnut and Western/South of Sepulveda Blvd.
In 2005, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) established standards for sounding locomotive horns. In Torrance, where the trains travel at less than 45mph, the operator must sound his horn/whistle for at least 15 seconds before the lead locomotive enters the crossing. The operator should continue blowing the whistle until the lead locomotive passes through the crossing. Failure to do comply can result in a FRA fine of $27,000.00. The federal rules require that all train sound horns at between 96 and 110 decibels at all public crossings.
The FRA 2005 rule making process also established a process by which local governments can establish "quiet zones," which remove the requirement for train operators to routinely sound their horns at crossings.
On April 20, 2010, the Torrance City Council voted to spend $39,892.00 to create conceptual exhibits and provide a conceptual cost estimate to establish a Quiet Zone that would silence the sound of train horns at eight at-grade crossings WITHIN the City limits. That DOES NOT INCLUDE the crossing at Western Avenue in Southeast Torrance. There was no public speakers for or against the study at the City Council meeting.
The City of Torrance must consider liability issues when establishing quiet zones. When a quiet zone is established, liability for any accidents in the quiet zone is shifted from the railroad owner or transit operator to the local government. Since quiet zones are relatively new, little case law has been established to date. FRA and railroad documentation indicate that quiet zones may increase the likelihood of accidents at crossings. In its consideration of establishing quiet zones, City Council will need to weigh the trade-offs and consider the costs of assuming liability. This consideration was not mentioned in the staff report at the April 20, 2010 meeting.
City staff gave a rough estimate of $2million to $10million to construct the eight quiet zones. The estimated time for complete the study was four months or August 2010.
John Bailey, President
SETHA
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