►Tired of being awakened in the middle of the night by the incessant horn blowing of a railroad engineer?  You are not alone and relief is on the way.

►Is anything being done about it?   Construction on the Quiet Zone begins in August 2010 with completion set for November 2011.

►Their is no question that Freight Trains in San Diego are an important part of our local economy.  Read on and be informed.

Their is no question that some element of noise goes with living in an urban setting particularly if your neighbor is a railroad.  The question being asked is "Why must their be such an excessive use of Train Horns & why so loud?"

►Just what is a "Quiet Zone" anyway?

The term "Quiet Zone" is somewhat of a misnomer since the end result is not total quiet but rather (and hopefully) less noise.  You might say the "Quiet Zone" will be a "Less Noise Zone".  Another advantage of a "Quiet Zone" is safety.  "Quiet Zones" are safer because of all of the mitigating conditions required.  Read more

The Center City Development Corporation (CCDC) is working to meet the Federal requirements to provide railway engineers the opportunity for discretion regarding the use of the Train Horn.  Under present conditions, railway engineers are REQUIRED to sound their horn when approaching Railway Crossings at the numerous intersections in Downtown San Diego.

Once a "Quiet Zone" is in place the same engineers will have the option to NOT sound their horns at those intersections.  This does not mean that they will never again sound their horns.  It WILL mean that they don't have to unless they perceive a need to do so.  See Excerpt from the CCDC 2006 Downtown Living Guide.

What about the clanging bells at the RR intersections - can they be silenced or lowered a few decibels?  The bells that sound in conjunction with crossing arms are another matter entirely.  They will not be eliminated.  In fact the clanging bells are a condition of obtaining a "Quiet Zone".

Is it true that G St will become a one-way street between Pacific Hiway and Front St? Yes

On the "Contacts & More" page you will find a host of web links to answer some of your questions in detail and contacts to voice your concerns, etc. 

►For a detailed explanation about Train Horn Noise read:

• Is train horn noise a problem in your town? by John W. P. Redden, P.E. Senior Railroad Engineer Hanson-Wilson, Inc. Kansas City, Missouri

It is important for all of us, as Downtown residents, to keep the pressure on to ensure a better quality of life in the close proximity of our neighbor - the BNSF railroad.