10/28/2009 12:11:00 AM Quiet zone remains on track
Photo by Ann Gill
THE VILLAGE of Coal City is moving forward with a plan to create a railroad quiet zone within the community. Town leaders have indicated they are willing to close the Lincoln Street crossing (pictured), as well as one other in order to obtain financial assistance from the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad. The proposal is being met with opposition from local school bus drivers who fear a quiet zone will jeopardize the safety of the students they transport.
Ann Gill Editor
Just as the dialogue was beginning on the establishment of a railroad quiet zone, a horn sounded and a freight train rumbled by.
"That's the sound I like to hear," stated a school bus driver who came to the Coal City Village Board meeting with a request, "keep the horns."
The driver was one of six employees of Illinois Central School Bus that attended the board's meeting to state a case against the village's attempt to silence trains passing through the town. The bus drivers fear a quiet zone will put lives in danger.
"The only thing we have going for us as bus drivers is hearing the horn," one of them said, with another adding, "you're taking away our one safety precaution."
Mayor Neal Nelson said he understands their concerns. "The safety of children and the public is our concern too." But he was quick to note the drivers' concerns would not derail the proposal.
"We'll work with the railroad and if we do make these changes we'll make sure we don't jeopardize safety," Nelson said.
Village officials have been working toward the establishment of a quiet zone for about five years. By definition, a quiet zone is a section of rail line that contains one or more consecutive public crossings where train horns are not routinely sounded.
It's common in the village of Coal City to hear the sound of train horns, so common that village officials are willing to close a few crossings if it means the railroad's support for a quiet zone.
Nelson and Village Administrator Matt Fritz recently met with officials from the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad to discuss a host of issues, including quiet zones.
"The idea to have a quiet zone established in Coal City is so the horns do not have to blow all the way from Carbon Hill Road to Fifth Avenue," said Fritz. The constant horn blowing is viewed as a quality of life issue for village residents.
Village officials have asked BNSF to consider funding a quiet zone. The cost, based on a 2006 study, is projected at $1.2 million. Apparently the railroad hasn't ruled out the idea of putting a few dollars toward the project, but it will most likely cost the village a crossing or two.
Village officials have already agreed to close the Oak Street crossing. In exchange, the railroad and the Illinois Commerce Commission have entered into an agreement with the village to provide the funds needed to extend First Avenue from Division Street south to Vermilion Street.
Fritz told BNSF, "the village would like to begin contemplating the closure of additional crossings." By closing a crossing or two, the village anticipates the railroad would reduce its overall risk and long term maintenance. The funds could then be put toward the village's quiet zone plan.
As of Monday's meeting it was clear trustees had no problem with closing the Lincoln Street crossing, but Fritz was warned to not be specific on what other crossing could be eliminated. Initial discussions focused on Kankakee and Mazon streets, as well as First Avenue, but those were simply suggestions.
By closing just one crossing, the village estimates the railroad could save hundreds of thousands of dollars.
"To get this done we need to close a crossing," Nelson said, noting a letter is being sent to BNSF outlining the village's intent to close crossings.
Outside of closing crossings the village would need to meet a host of federal guidelines. To do that the village needs the railroad's support and financial assistance.
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) established the rules for achieving quiet zone status. The rules require that all crossings within a quiet zone be improved to a certain baseline criteria, generally including flashing lights and gates, power out indicators, constant warning time circuitry (CWT) and audible warnings for pedestrians.
Village officials note the railroad has already installed the circuitry, it's just not been activated. "That's a huge gain for us," said Trustee Joe Phillips.
Nelson noted the village is in contact with FRA officials and is also talking to Operation Lifesaver, a not-for-profit dedicated to reducing collisions, injuries and fatalities at highway rail crossings, "because we need to get the education out there about the danger of trains," he said.
BNSF officials recently reported an average of 72 trains cross through the village on a daily basis. Town officials believe that number will only increase with the construction of a third rail line to handle the expansion of intermodal facilities in neighboring Will County.
In regard to the third line from Vermilion northeast to the Kankakee River, town officials asked that the railroad consider focusing its required wetland mitigation with the village limits and to consider participating in a drainage study.
"The BNSF's presence often divides drainage areas and leads to further infrastructure expense in order to accommodate the railroad's presence," Fritz stated in a letter to BNSF that asked it to cover the $14,000-plus study.
At this point it's unclear just how much if any the railroad will be willing to contribute.
Outside of the drainage study and wetland mitigation issues, the one project the board wants to see the railroad cooperate with is the quiet zones.
"We need to get this conversation going," Fritz said. Given the input on Monday, the board is starting to hear what the public, or at least a small portion of it, has to say about the plan.
In response to the opposition, Trustee Dave Togliatti said he's all for the quiet zone. "I hate (the horns)," he said.
But one driver piped up, "If someone gets hurt the blood is going to be on your hands."
Reader Comments
Posted: Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Article comment by:
TH
As a wife of a freight conductor for BNSF, I believe the Coal City Village Board needs to have a few of the BNSF train operators at a meeting and they can explain first hand what happens when you take away a very vital safety measure!!! I agree completely with the above comments. That is one of the main things wrong with our whole country, cut cut cut and be reactive to safety issues instead of proactive. Lets just take chances with lives until we lose one or a couple to save a buck or profit and if something horrible happens then we will look for resolutions to the problem. Maybe you need to listen to these train operators with your families and also bring in victims of these horrible accidents!!
Posted: Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Article comment by:
Concerned
If you read the article, it clearly states that there will be extra lights and pedestrian alerts added. This system has worked in several other municipalities. If you live by the tracks, you know that many train engineers do not just give a simple warning horn, but rather choose to lay on the horn throughout their ENTIRE ride through town, regardless of time of day. I think you may change your tune when your property value goes up as a result of this project! Had a barbeque in your backyard recently? Lots of fun, until the deafening train comes through and you can't hear the person standing a foot away from you! Same goes for any activity held at Campbell Park, lots of fun until all of the kids have to stop what they are doing and cover their ears for a couple of minutes, and this happens several times an hour! I think that although trains are an inconvienient fact of life here in Coal City, why not take steps to make them less of a nuisance???
Posted: Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Article comment by:
CB
I feel the village is overstepping here to a large degree. The train horns are there for public safety. The fact that the village is trying to make a deal so that they will have First Avenue extended and paid for by the ICC and BNSF makes me wonder what their ultimate goal is here. The railroad was here long before the people who are now complaining about it moved here. I live 2 blocks from the tracks, and hear trains all day and night, but I am used to it. I don't think that Coal City, with 72 trains running through it's village daily, and more on the way, needs to take any steps to diminish the amount of safety provided to it's residents. The buses depend on those those train horns, and they should be continued to be allowed to operate as they do now. If people don't like the sound of the train horns, than move. One train fatality is one too many. We don't need to incur our first fatality to prove that. And one last thing. It's not just the road grade crossings. You can close every one of them. There are still pedestrians that cross between road grade crossings. The horn ban does not just mean the train horns don't sound at road crossings, it means they don't sound at all. Be careful what you ask for, people, and the village politicians should set politics aside, forgo the 'paid for' road extension on First Avenue, and put your concern where it should be first and foremost, providing safety for your residents!
