KXAN-TV, Austin TX, 3/28:
Cedar Park residents react as trains start blowing horns in “quiet zones”
CEDAR PARK, Texas (KXAN) — The Federal Railroad Administration has ordered trains running through Cedar Park to immediately start blowing their horns, even in “quiet zones.” For years, residential areas in Cedar Park have had the quiet areas alongside the Capital Metro Railroad, as approved by the FRA nearly seven years ago. But on Thursday, city officials say they started getting calls from upset residents.
“The sound of train horns at all hours of the day and night certainly has a negative impact on residents living in the Quest Village and Town Center neighborhoods,” Jennie Huerta, City of Cedar Park Media and Communications Manager, said in a release.
“They have counted on these crossing being quiet for many years,” Huerta said. “And what is frustrating for City staff is that we went through all of the proper procedures. We have not made any changes to these crossings and there have been no changes in the federal regulations since then, so either they made a mistake when they approved them, or they’re interpreting their own rules differently now.”
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Note: I believe the horn noise source is the Austin, TX Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority MetroRail service.
