By Paul Wein
Locals sound off to LIRR brass about blare of train horns
With the horns of the Cedarhurst trains echoing outside Village Hall, Long Island Rail Road officials met with local leaders and concerned residents on Dec. 1 to determine whether the six train crossings in the village can be classified as a quiet zone, and whether village officials want to spend the money it would take to meet the federal requirements to make it one.
In a meeting arranged by state Senator Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre), LIRR President James J. Dermody and members of his staff came to Cedarhurst to address an issue that has been ringing in the ears of many village residents: train horns, which many say keep them up all night and force them to sleep with earplugs.
On June 24, new federal regulations went into effect that gave the Federal Railroad Administration jurisdiction over train whistles. Under the regulations, trains must sound four blasts in a row - two long, one short and one long - that should last no longer than 15 seconds each and measure between 96 and 110 decibels. Decibel levels are measured 100 feet ahead of the train's locomotive and four feet above the train tracks. Some residents who live close to the train tracks claim conductors blast the horns out of sequence, which leads to longer blasts that seem much louder.
One resident, Jack Mevorach, founded an organization called the Train Noise Abatement Association to try and reduce the noise of the train horns to acceptable levels. "The current situation cannot continue to exist," he said. "If we need a full quiet zone to restore the quality of life in the area, then we have to explore it."
According to the FRA, a quiet zone is an area in which trains are allowed to operate without having to blast their horns in the required sequence. Local officials must prove to the FRA that the lack of a horn does not pose a significant safety risk. Five of the six crossings in Cedarhurst are under the jurisdiction of the village, but to create a quiet zone at the Rockaway Turnpike station, the Village of Cedarhurst and Nassau County would have to agree on its designation.
In a quiet zone, other warning devices must be in place to alert pedestrians and motorists that a train is approaching. These devices include flashing lights and four-quadrant gates that stretch across an entire intersection. But installing these devices would cost between $400,000 and $650,000 per crossing, depending on the level of safety devices installed, which village officials said is too expensive.
"I have many issues in Cedarhurst that I need money for that are far more important, such as fixing the roof on the Water Pollution Control Plant," said Mayor Andrew Parise. "Unless we get some state and federal funding for these safety devices, we simply can't afford it."
There are, however, other ways for the village to qualify as a quiet zone. One way is to install Wayside horns on the platforms, which use cones to aim the horns' blasts toward station platforms. These horns not only reduce the noise of the blast, but are fixed at 92 decibels, which is softer than the horns on the trains themselves.
Another way to qualify is by implementing "channelization," a series of curbside delineators that would make it impossible for a vehicle to cross the tracks when a train approaches. Although these measures would cost far less than the four-quadrant gates, they are still expensive, at $65,000 per crossing - and that's still too expensive, according to Parise.
LIRR officials recently conducted three days of noise tests at the Washington Avenue crossing in Cedarhurst, within 100 feet of the train and, according to Dermody, the trains are "well within compliance." The Far Rockaway branch has stops in Far Rockaway, Inwood, Lawrence, Cedarhurst, Woodmere, Hewlett, Gibson and Valley Stream.
Whether or not a quiet zone is established, everyone agrees that pedestrian and motorist safety is the main priority, and that improving the quality of life for residents close to the train tracks is important as well. "Everyone wants the same thing here, and that's safety and a better night's sleep," said Dermody. "If you show a good-faith effort to the FRA, they will work with you to help establish a quiet zone."
Skelos agreed. "We're going to explore all the options," he said.
Skelos, along with local and LIRR officials, plans to hold additional meetings to address the issue, and come up with a solution that will either establish a quiet zone or reduce the volume of the horns to 98 decibels, the lowest volume allowed by the regulations. But all who attended were pleased with the results of the meeting. "Everyone cooperated - it wasn't adversarial," said Mevorach. "I look forward to the future meetings and a positive result to this problem, which currently is unbearable."
Skelos agreed with Mevorach that the meeting was productive, and was hopeful that it would result in an outcome that would please everyone. "I think we can make a difference here," he said. "I think it was a very productive meeting."
Comments about this story? PWein@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 204.
