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From: Gary Smith, President
San Diego Downtown Residents Group (SDDRG)
Please bear with me for a bit of history and the latest.
Prior to the merger of ATSF and BN, Santa Fe used small eight axle
diesels with the horn mounted over the cab and not much louder than
a Semi's. After the merger,
BNSF disposed of most of their smaller
diesels and started bringing twelve axle monsters into Downtown.
These engines were designed to run seventy miles an hour over the
great plains and the horns were designed to reach out ahead of them
in areas with no guarded crossings...they are so loud that the
engineers required them to be mounted back in the middle of the
engine so they wouldn't become deaf.
About this time, those of us living downtown vowed to get some peace
and quiet...with the help of our then councilman Byron Wear, we
besieged city hall, and within a couple of months got an ordinance
passed preventing, except in the case of emergency, the blowing of
horns between 7 PM and 7 AM. When we tried to enforce it, the
BNSF,
backed up by the PUC, said only the Federal Railway Administration
(FRA) could make rules.
We lobbied our previous set of congressional leaders to pressure the
FRA and the then Sec of Transportation, agreed to require rules
allowing quiet zones to be established. After years of work that
regulation is becoming a final rule. At the urging of Downtown
Residents and Council Dist 2,
CCDC hired consultants in 2004, and in
consultation with FRA, PUC,
BNSF, Amtrak, NCRTD, MTS and the local
short line, examined the intersections we desired to include in the
proposed quiet zone (Laurel to Park Blvd (old 8th Ave). From this
consultation, plans were produced for making these intersections
compliant with the new Rule. These plans were basically approved in
2005 and $13 million was included in the 2006
CCDC budget for
implementing these measures.
The first step was to eliminate the "non standard" crossing at
Kettner and G by changing G St. to one way eastbound. This was to go
to the City Council in Aug of '05 but was delayed by Council Dist 2
not having a council person. Then the new city attorney, in their
review of docketed items, decided that this was not covered by the
existing Master EIR.
CCDC then had to staff and prepare a "negative
declaration" which is currently out for public review, and will be
submitted in Mid June 06. Once this is submitted for final action it
will be docketed with the Mayor/City Council for approval.
Upon approval, CCDC can begin the actual construction of the
improvements.
A final agreement over maintenance, liability, etc will also need to
be approved and public support will be essential. With this
agreement, it is hoped that the PUC and
BNSF (and their engineers
union) will not file objections when we apply to the Sec of
Transportation for a "quiet zone". We will keep the pressure on
CCDC
to expedite the construction.
FYI, the proper signal for a crossing is long, long, short, long.
and is to begin about 15-20 seconds (about 300 ft at 5 mph) and end
at the crossing. Since our blocks are 200 x 300 and about
every second one crosses the tracks you can see it can be almost
constant. THAT IS NO EXCUSE for playing a symphony at 2 AM. That
said, there is no example like a video/audio tape to convince
non-believers. Last time it definitely persuaded the City Council
that it was a problem. So try to get the worst on tape.
BNSF still does not believe that their engineers are not playing by
the rules...some are not in the other direction as well...they move
by with scarcely a toot. That also is not permitted by the new
rule. Blowing the horn is now mandatory, not discretionary. The new
quiet zone will not prevent the engineer from blowing the
horn if in his opinion it is required. Enforcement will probably
require someone with a video camera catching them in the act from a
high rise with a picture that shows no one any where near the
crossing.
Please spread this information to those new residents who may not
have the history and current plans.
Thanks,
Gary Smith
President
[email protected]
San Diego Downtown Residents Group
PO Box 124715
San
Diego, CA 92112-4715
(619) 232-0110
www.sddrg.org
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Sleepless
in San Diego
Information and Contacts regarding Train Horns & a Quiet Zone in San Diego 
