"Whistle Free" areas? - Seems plain wrong...

hornet540 Sep 3, 2006

  1. Charlie

    Charlie TrainBoard Member

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    I'll keep blowing for the crossings, thank you.

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    on the 3MT BNSF/METRA line to Aurora, aka "Aurora Racetrack". We are(or were in my case)always blowing the whistle. The towns the RR serves are developed right up to the edge of the ROW. We normally get
    at least one a year, trespasser or gate runner. Some of the yuppie rocket scientists like to use the railroad ROW as part of their jogging route. They also like to wear their audio headphones so they cant hear
    the train whistling its warning to them. SPLAAAAAT!!! If any of you have not seen what remains of a human body after being struck by a
    70mph train, let me tell you that it is not a pretty sight. If you follow the RR news you will know that there were two fatalities last week in the village of Berwyn on the BNSF/METRA Aurora line. Crossing gate marauders! This was also right by McNeal Memorial hospital. The hogger
    whistled!

    Another Chlorine dose for the gene pool!

    CT
     
  2. milwaukeerailroader

    milwaukeerailroader TrainBoard Member

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    I talked to an Amtrak engineer once and his trains had hit 3 seperate morons within 6 months. After the last one he quit. He was talked into taking his job back. One thing for sure, there is never a shortage of idiots!
    Rob
     
  3. YoHo

    YoHo TrainBoard Supporter

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    I was in the Southwest Chief trying to leave just after those Idiots were hit in Berwyn (it was two weeks ago unless more idiots were killed.

    I myself was cursing the fact that we weren't running over the classic route at this point.

    Funny thing was, our train hit an old lady in her car just west of KC. Between the 2 accidents we were 5 hours liate into LA.
     
  4. Matthew Roberts

    Matthew Roberts TrainBoard Member

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    While I don't approve of no-whistle crossings, along with complaints about the railroad from people that are new to the area, if the railroad crossings are either not-at-grade or adequately protected, I don't have a horrible stigma against them.

    For example, the AUAR line (owned by CapMetro) from Austin-Leander is now to be a commuter line. CapMetro has installed four gate systems at almost all of the grade crossings along the line. This is in preparation for the faster commuter rail vehicles along with moving the freight trains into the night.

    Due to beginning moving the freight trains into the night, CapMetro has recieved calls from many people along the line who "can't go to sleep!" due to signalling at grade crossings. This is the main reason the new gates were installed, so that the grade crossings will be whistle-free.

    I for one will be saddened if the nearest crossing will be silenced, it always is nice to hear, especially since they've increased in frequency due to high traffic on the line that is in turn due to improved trackwork in preparation for commuter rail. I for one thinks it looks better than the local UP track. :thumbs_up:

    What really riles me though is that the next crossing north of my subdivision has been silenced due to a City Council meeting in which a Councilmember who lives in another subdivision right next to the tracks is "woken up at night!" :angry: :angry: Why should this one man have the ability to silence this crossing?

    Just my thoughts on the topic. Then again I lived here for all of my life, so not hearing a train horn would be a little odd. I guess then I'd have to figure out whether a GP40 or SD40-2 was leading the train by the chug of the prime mover, and that's a little harder. :shade:
     
  5. CB&Q Fan

    CB&Q Fan TrainBoard Member

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    It truly amazes me with all the complaints over train whistles. My in-laws live near the Norfolk Southern tracks outside of Waynesboro Virginia. Their house is an old farm house with no air conditioning. So on those hot summer nights, the windows are wide open. The train whistles have interrupted my sleep maybe 1 hour over 21 years. My wife and kids have never noticed the noise. Train whistles provide safety to the general public. If people wish to complain about something, go after the banging sound coming from some cars that can be heard over a 1/4 mile away. HAHAHA

    To all those engineers, let the whistle rip........The warning you send may save the life of my teenage kids.
     
  6. Charlie

    Charlie TrainBoard Member

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    On my earlier post, I neglected to state that it was AMTRAK that struck
    the two geniuses. Didn't mean to insinuate that it was a METRA train.
    Sorry for the oversight.


    CT
     
  7. BALOU LINE

    BALOU LINE TrainBoard Member

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    Well said, well said indeed!
     
  8. YoHo

    YoHo TrainBoard Supporter

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    Was it the Empire Builder or the Zephyer I can't remember except that it was whichever leaves right before the Southwest Chief? All I know is that we spent an hour and a half in Union station and then another hour crawling out to Berwyn.

    In the 26 years I lived in River Forest, I don't ever remember a major accident occuring on that section of the racetrack, but of course, when I'm trying to ride those rails, two idiots get killed.
     
  9. stripes2

    stripes2 TrainBoard Member

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    Here in Capreol we had a person hit by a freight train 2 weeks ago, (he commited suicide) So all the horn blowing meant nothing.
    Capreol is a small town that is built around a large CN yard. I live about 1/2 mile from the yard. Between switch operations and horns it can be loud! BUT! I love it! So many railfan opertunities!
     
  10. milwaukeerailroader

    milwaukeerailroader TrainBoard Member

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    I haven't heard anything since spring, but a woman in Seattle sued the BNSF because not too long ago her sister was killed while walking across the BNSF bridge over the Green River! What is that about. She should not have been able to file since the dead sister was trespassing. It's stuff like all these idiots are doing is why the railroads are trying to stop people from being anywhere near their property!:angry:
    Rob
     
  11. Charlie

    Charlie TrainBoard Member

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  12. madperseid

    madperseid New Member

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    excuse me. Its the railroads fault. Clearly, they should have stopped the train so the woman could safely cross. Perhaps the town council should ban trains from using the bridge, so that all pedestrians may cross iti n safety.
     

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