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I'm looking at a parcel of land that is fairly near a railroad track. I've never lived anywhere near a railroad track so I don't know what to expect. The parcel is not near a grade crossing where they blow the whistle so I only am concerned about the noise of the passing train. Does anyone live near a railroad track and have experience with the noise level and vibrations from a passing train?

For 6 years, we used to live in a rental house next to railroad tracks in Southboro, Mass.
The line was the main Amtrak and freight line between NYC and Boston. Lots of trains, but they
only took a minute to pass and then it was quiet again.

The first night we were there we jumped up from a dead sleep when the train came by.
The 2nd night - not as drastic. By the time we were there a week, we were sleeping right
through them all.

The fun part about living next to the tracks is that when we had company over, my bride and
I could sense the vibrations of approaching trains well before our guests did. When the trains
would blow by at high speed, the uninitiated would swear that the train was going to come straight
through the house!

The trains didn't bother us at all. We had some neighbors on the other side of the tracks that had
a couple of horses that were nice. And with the tracks there, there was no way anyone could build
near us.

One tragedy happened before we moved there though. A teenage boy played chicken with the train,
and at the last minute he ran to the other side. Well, since there were 2 sets of tracks, and the train
he SAW was loud, he ran directly in front of the train passing the other way and was killed.

They didn't know whether to bury him in a casket or a bushel basket.

SIA

I currently live across from the tracks, but near the end of the line. I don't see much traffic just alot of connecting and disconnecting. I can tell when they have new people working because I notice the harder impacts that I normally wouldn't

I lived right across a road from a RR track when I was about 5 till I was about 10 and I still remember it.

You get used to the noise. Kinda like a Grandfather clock. when you live with it you get so used to it that you don't even hear it anymore.

I know that's hard to believe, but that's the way it was with me as I recall.

I lived with railroad tracks at my backyard for about 2 years. The grade level was lower than the yard or street level. I was living in a second story apartment. Our whole house shook while the train went by. I currently live in Galveston but I hear trains and whistles from the train that are probably at least 2 miles away and my hearing ain't so good.

ninemm wrote:I'm looking at a parcel of land that is fairly near a railroad track. I've never lived anywhere near a railroad track so I don't know what to expect. The parcel is not near a grade crossing where they blow the whistle so I only am concerned about the noise of the passing train. Does anyone live near a railroad track and have experience with the noise level and vibrations from a passing train?

It really depends on what's happening on those tracks, your proximity to the track and your sensitivity to the noises generated by rail traffic. Until I moved last year, my house was within 150ft of a Union Pacific line that follows Market Street in East Houston. We were also within 500yards of a crossing grade at Laurentide and the switching area that allows trains to enter the Anheiser Busch brewery at Gellhorn and I-10. If all you have is a passing train moving at 35 miles per hour, you may reach a point that you never notice it. Whistles aren't a big deal except that it might make it hard to hear the news. Switching however, that tends to be a bit of a distubance. If it ain't the squealing brakes, it's the million plus pound impacts as cars are jerked or rammed in one direction or another.

I agree. If the trains are going by at a constant speed it's easy to get used to. My concern about being near track is when the trains slow down nearby and the type of people who hitch free rides on trains might jump off/on in your yard. It wouldn't be a deal killer but it's something I want to know about.

UP tracks go by about 1/4 mile from where I live behind our neighborhood. IMO, that distance is "about right" you get some nostalgic train sounds without it shaking the foundation of your house. My daughter's friend lived in the house which was across the street and 1 house down from the tracks. Stuff shook every time a train went by, hanging pictures all went crooked, glassware vibrates in the cabinets, etc...

Those were 1/4 mile welded rails. Bolted track can be much more annoying.

Another thing is a train with good wheels can be pretty quiet, but if one goes by with wheels that have flat spots, it can even more jarring.

I live about a quarter mile from tracks (freight only). I rarely hear them during the day, and only very rarely wake in the night to a whistle. Actually, I love trains, so that may make a difference.

I grew up near the top of the grade of the Delaware and Hudson out of the Kenwood Yards next to the Hudson River in Albany NY. Back in the steam days those big engines would still be pounding as they gained speed and our house literally shook like there was an earthquake. As Diesels came in things got quieter.

Our volunteer fire station was an old train station and the tracks ran right behind. A lot of the time the only warning we had that the train was coming was hearing the whistle for a couple of crossings a good distance away.

After they put in CW rail things got really quiet.

Over the years in the rescue squad we had to pick up several basket cases from our tracks.

This is a single track and I don't think there are any stops within 40-50 miles either way. This is the Union Pacific line that runs from Dallas to Big Sandy, mostly along HWY 80. We stopped at a DQ in Wills Point today and I read a flyer about a "Stop Reenactment" event, which was a reenactment of what it was like when the train stopped there. The house site would be 350-400 feet from the tracks with some very dense woods between it and the track. I don't think you would ever hear the train inside the house but I was somewhat concerned what it would be like as it went by if you were sitting outside. We were there quite a bit this weekend trying to get a feel but I never did notice the train at all. My wife "thought" she heard the whistle once or twice for a grade crossing more than a mile east of the property but I'm not sure if a train passed by or not.

from age 12-18 I lived about 1/2 a mile or so from train tracks. Hardly ever noticed any noise when I was a kid but I go to my parents' house these days and I definitely notice now.

we currently live about 1/2 mile from the same railroad track (about 5 or 6 miles south on the track) and we can hear the train but it's hardly noticeable inside the house unless you KNOW what you are listening for. you have to pay attention to it.

when I was in college I lived in a house that basically backed up to the MoPac Expressway in west Austin, which as you might know, has the MoPac railroad going right down the center of it. So we were maybe 1/8 of a mile from the track. It was definitely noticeable at that distance. Like, you absolutely could not escape the noise.

I work in a Laser Research facility. I am part of a 10 person team designing our new building at Ft. Sam Houston (those in the KNOW, KNOW now where I work - BTW - BRAC ..."ACTS LIKE A VACUUM!...)

We required a vibration study to determine if the train tracks (just over 1/2 mile away - 3709 feet) would cause vibrations in our lab. We are indeed extremely sensitive to vibrations (laser point of impact is sometimes as small as 3 microns - hair is usually 12 - fine hair is usually 9) We require a 3.

The vibrations through Earth (porous clay) was 14. It required an added 4 feet thickness under certain places (sensitive areas such as for the electron microscope and others) to reduce the vibration.

SO...depending on what you are doing at your house....Really - you will get used to it..but then again - the girl "got used" to being kidnapped for 18 years...are you willing to plant your money down with THAT kind of commitment? I'd ask ANY AND ALL neighbors! (and seriously think if I wanted to take the discount for living in something that I couldn't tolerate) ASK...ASK again...BEG! and then take them all out to lunch...before you spend a penny.

You would be really surprised what you can get "USED TO!" I got "USED TO" being told what to do in just about all portions of my life...for 20 years. I would do it again as an 18 year old. I would NOT tolerate some of those same things as a 42 year old!

But...to each his own. I won't out-bid you on the land, I promise.

Doug

Funny you should mention vibrations. I went back out there yesterday. I know it wasn't very scientific but I did a little test where I placed a bowl of water on the ground and watched for any disturbance when the train went by (twice). Nothing at all happened visibly. And I really had to listen for the train. Of course, I have some hearing loss but not at low frequencies (which is what I assume would be present). The whistle at the crossing east of the parcel was barely audible.