I love to hear a train horn in the distance. To me, it is a welcomed sound. Because of my interest, I dug up five interesting facts about train horns.
Train Horns are regulated by Federal Law from the Federal Railroad Administration. Specifically, the Law is from Title 49, Subtitle B, Chapter II, Part 299, Subpart C, 229.129 and was enacted by congress “in response to an increase in nighttime collisions at locations with state whistle bans”. Trains do much to keep people safe from the dangers of crossing train tracks. Knowing about the horns can also help you enjoy them as well!
1. When do the trains sound their horns? BNSF.com reminds us that “Train horns are required by federal law to be sounded at all public crossings”. You can know that the trains are crossing through your town when you here the horn. Be careful, however, to always look both ways before crossing railroad tracks. You never know when a mistake may be made.
2. When are other times that the horns are sounded? BNSF.com also says that “train crews may also sound their horns when there is a vehicle, person or animal on or near the track”.
3. How long should the horns be? Union Pacific says “federal regulation requires locomotive horns be sounded for 15-20 seconds”
4. Have you ever paid enough attention to the pattern that the horns are blown? Here, Union Pacific explains that “the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) required pattern for blowing the horn is two long, one short, and one long sounding horn”
5. Just how loud are those horns? The Federal Rail Road Administration says that “the maximum volume level for the train horn is 110 decibels which is a new requirement. The minimum sound level remains 96 decibels.”
Now, when you here the train horns, remember that they are there for everyone’s safety—but they can also be enjoyed as the trains pass through your town.
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Find out more about Train Horns; visit BNSF.com , UP.com and fra.dot.gov
Keith Andrews says
Thank you, Ken, for that great link! There is some understandable controversy about noise and there is even an option for a Quiet Zone, if the community desires and pays for the upgrades. Thank you again!
Ken says
The horn loudness has to be measured at some realistic distance. I found this:
96-110dB @ 100 ft.
https://www.noisefree.org/newsroom/nfa-display.php?id=224
There is of course a lot of controversy about safety vs annoyance. Imagine living next door to a busy rail line, with horns blaring through the night.
Keith Andrews says
Ken–thank you for reading! As far as the location of the sound meter, I am not sure. However, I assume this is measured at the horn itself. I didn’t get into the weeds that deep but if you have more details, I’d love to know! Thanks again!
Ken says
I grew up hearing steam whistles in the 40’s & early 50’s. There was one railroad that went through the south side of Chicago that installed steam whistles on their Diesel engines in the 50’s or 60’s for people who were nostalgic about the whistles.
Ken says
At what distance is the loudness measured?