BERNARDSTON — Two residents came before the Selectboard last week to pitch the idea of creating a quiet zone where use of locomotive horns is prohibited.
Federal regulations require that locomotive horns begin sounding 15 to 20 seconds before public highway crossings, no more than one-quarter mile in advance, according to the Federal Railroad Administration. Only a public authority, the governmental entity responsible for traffic control or law enforcement at the crossings, is permitted to create quiet zones where the horns would not be allowed.
Residents Melissa Murphy and Barbara Fish proposed making the area between Merrifield Road and Gill Road a designated quiet zone. The area includes three railroad crossings, while the town’s fourth crossing is located on Cross Road.
“It’s just overkill, the horns going through the night and all day long,” Fish said. “It’s just really a nuisance, especially for people who are sleeping at night, babies.”
Fish also shared a personal story, saying her daughter was thrown from a horse about 10 years ago after the animal was frightened by the sound of a locomotive horn.
Murphy said there are 28 municipalities in Massachusetts that currently have quiet zones approved by the Federal Railroad Administration. However, there’s a cost associated with ensuring the railroad crossings have the flashing lights and barriers needed to mitigate the additional risk the town takes on by creating a quiet zone.
“Public authorities seeking to establish quiet zones should be prepared to finance the cost of installation,” said Selectboard member Brian Keir, reading from the “Guide to Quiet Zone Establishment Process” created by the Federal Railroad Administration. “Costs can vary from $30,000 per crossing to more than $1 million depending on the number of crossings and the types of improvements required.”
Although Murphy believes the town already has the flashing lights and barriers needed to mitigate the risk, the added liability was a serious concern for Selectboard members.
“Once you stop them horns, if someone gets hit on those tracks, the town is liable,” board member Stanley Garland said, noting that although there is a process to establish quiet zones, they are not recommended by the federal government. “Those whistles are there for a reason.”
“I don’t want any liability to be passed onto the town,” Keir agreed.
Ultimately, Selectboard Chair Robert Raymond was tasked with contacting a Federal Railroad Administration inspector, to see if the town does indeed have the necessary safety equipment or what improvements might be needed at the crossings, should the town move forward with adopting a quiet zone. Raymond said if there’s a cost for an inspection, he will bring the discussion back to the board first.
Reach Shelby Ashline at 413-772-0261, ext. 270 or sashline@recorder.com.