[RP TownTalk] Hyattsville council discusses RxR quiet zone for Decatur crossing

[bob smith]

Thanks David for your work on this, and the historical perspective. 
Sometimes things don't move as
fast as we would wish, sometimes there has be a solid foundation, and 
you work at least helped build
that foundation.
bob smith

On 2/10/15 8:21 AM, David Hiles wrote:
> It is wonderful to “hear” that RP is moving forward on establishing a 
> quiet zone.  Even better if HY is doing the same for their crossings. 
>  Please allow me to provide some background and toot my own horn.
>
> When I was on the council in Riverdale Park, I initiated the SHA 
> review of the Queensbury crossing.  I had been a MARC commuter for 
> several years and had witnessed more than enough train/car collisions. 
> At that time Queensbury was one of the top five or ten most dangerous 
> crossings in Maryland.
>
> We lived on Sheridan Street,  a few blocks north of the intersection. 
>  I was very aware of the quality of life impact of the horns. I 
> researched the quiet zone concept. At that time I didn’t think there 
> was council support for paying for the safety engineering study that 
> would make the quiet zone a reality.   But I worked with SHA to ensure 
> that the crossing design would qualify Queensbury for a no-horn status 
> and would be safe.    It took a year or so for the project to actually 
> complete, and by that time I was off the council.
>
> As a result of the Queensbury crossing upgrade, the main train line 
> that runs from Baltimore to Union Station qualifies (at an engineering 
> level) for quiet zone status from Sunnyside in Greenbelt down to Union 
> Station.
>
> South of Queensbury, there is a branch line that carries traffic that 
> goes over the Decatur crossing east towards Bladensburg.  Hyattsville 
> may be able to complete a similar analysis, installation, study, and 
> approval process for that line.
>
> A few more tidbits:
> —CSX approves and cooperates on improving the safety of crossings 
> because it reduces their downtime.
> —Crossing upgrade costs are paid for out of a safety trust fund with 
> no payments required by the community.
> —The noise plume for horns is much larger than that of actual train 
> noise.
> —The jurisdiction in which a crossing lies holds the football for 
> moving quiet zone applications.
>
> David Hiles
>
>
>
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