Austin aims to 'silence' train noise

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Leslie Hirsch strolls down Mary St. every afternoon with her two boys just to wear them out enough for that much-needed N-A-P.

"It takes a lot to tire out a three-year-old though," laughed Hirsch.

It never fails. A little extra adrenaline always seems to rush through their neighborhood around that time.

"The whistle is loud,” she said. “We're very close (especially) at nap time."

Meyer, 3, and Solomon, 10 months, aren't the only ones staying awake. Dough Taylor has been listening to that sound the horn along the Union Pacific line since he moved in two and half years ago.

"It's like a blast,” he exclaimed. “It's just really, really loud."

So, he organized some residents to voice their concerns to the city.

"I find myself waking up at four or five in the morning,” he said. “It's 24-7."

By next summer, the Mary St. intersection should have a new set of gates, as the city looks to upgrade the warning equipment. The joint plan with the railroad line would cost about $600,000 for six crossings:

• Matthews Ln.
• Stassney Ln.
• Oltorf St.
• Mary St.
• Banister Ln.
• Duval Rd.

Union Pacific already has plans to replace all existing rails and ties in Austin during the first part of 2010. The city set aside money for the quiet zone project, as it already faced the possibility of additional upgrades with the railroad project.

If those six locations are a success, city transportation officials said the the Green Line in east Austin would come next.

"The crossing of the street has been set up so that people cannot drive their cars onto the tracks once the gate arms are down,” said Gordon Derr, assistant transportation director for the city. “Once that's secure, the trains can go through without blowing their whistle."

Another option beyond the extended gates would be a median in the middle of the crossing to prevent further sneaking through. Taylor said he knows either possibility would upset some people who enjoy the sound of a train.

"It's fun,” he said, “For the people who live right on it, it's not so much fun."

The Hirsch boys are some of those fans, but their mom says safety trumps whatever is blaring on the tracks.

"This is a busy street with lots of traffic,” she said. Safety is very important."

The city council will meet with transportation officials and residents in this area next Monday at city hall to discuss the details coming up. Capital Metro's new commuter rail service is already running through several quiet zones.

Even though it is not hauling passengers yet, MetroRail is making test runs through Leander, Cedar Park and Austin neighborhoods already designated quiet zones back in the spring. Cap Metro also had to install the "quad gate" technology order to make that happen.