SE Bend train noise? (Klamath Falls, Redmond: house prices, subdivision, living)

[PNWRelocator]

Hi, I’m considering moving to SE Bend, the Mountain High community, and wonder what it’s like living that close to the train, ie. noise, having to wait for it to pass, and anything else. Thanks in advance!

[NW4me]

Hopefully someone who lives in Bend will reply soon.


My initial reaction was "Hmm, Bend is kind of remote... chances are, not many trains pass through."
Wrong... it turns out that Bend is along the line that connects the northern part of the BNSF system
to California: www.mapsofworld.com/usa/usa-maps/usa-bnsf-railway.jpg
So probably there's a lot of rail traffic.

[Coniferian]

We live in Redmond, 15 miles north of Bend. Although we're a little over a mile from the RR line, we can hear the whistle as the train goes through several crossings, sometimes at 5am. In NE Redmond they're building homes where the backyard is only separated from the tracks by a fence. It must shake the house. Before you get interested in any property, check the satellite view of the area. If the price is cheaper than the median, there may be a reason.

[Thom52]

Definitely check the satellite photos for tracks, especially on "bargain" priced houses. Also check the map carefully for the house being near a spot where the tracks cross a road, where they will definitely be blowing their whistle long and loud.

The tracks going through Bend are used heavily and at all hours. Half a mile to a mile away, or further, and the whistle is "Bend Atmosphere" and really is no big deal. Some people live right next to the tracks and say it is not a big deal. I call those people "deaf". Or maybe they are just trying to spin it to keep their house value up.

The trains seem to take pleasure laying on the horn while going through Bend, especially at night.

But some people think it is worth the tradeoff for the lower house price.

[Racer46]

Originally Posted by Thom52

Definitely check the satellite photos for tracks, especially on "bargain" priced houses. Also check the map carefully for the house being near a spot where the tracks cross a road, where they will definitely be blowing their whistle long and loud.

The tracks going through Bend are used heavily and at all hours. Half a mile to a mile away, or further, and the whistle is "Bend Atmosphere" and really is no big deal. Some people live right next to the tracks and say it is not a big deal. I call those people "deaf". Or maybe they are just trying to spin it to keep their house value up.

The trains seem to take pleasure laying on the horn while going through Bend, especially at night.

But some people think it is worth the tradeoff for the lower house price.

Once you live near the tracts for a while, your mind gets used to it and you have minimal reaction after that adjustment.



Well maybe not if your mind does not work well.

[rrampage]

Originally Posted by Racer46

Once you live near the tracts for a while, your mind gets used to it and you have minimal reaction after that adjustment.



Well maybe not if your mind does not work well.

That line isn't that busy. The rail yard there isn't huge. The train noise shouldn't be too bad.

[rkcarguy]

That line runs parallel to Highway 97 down through Klamath Falls and into California, has an Amtrak route on it but I'm not sure if there is service now in Bend. I think it's by bus to Chemult then train from there per Amtrak's website.
One thing you really have to watch, is train traffic changes with economic conditions. We lived a block from a RR subdivision that originally only saw 2 trains per week. When the dollar tanked in 2008, exports boomed and it went up to 3-4 a day. Plus, they started switching grain, lumber, and propane cars in/out of a nearby siding between two crossings in the middle of the night(train has to do a single long warning honk before it starts moving again after coupling/uncoupling and of course at the crossings) and it was hell living there.

[rrampage]

Originally Posted by rkcarguy

That line runs parallel to Highway 97 down through Klamath Falls and into California, has an Amtrak route on it but I'm not sure if there is service now in Bend. I think it's by bus to Chemult then train from there per Amtrak's website.
One thing you really have to watch, is train traffic changes with economic conditions. We lived a block from a RR subdivision that originally only saw 2 trains per week. When the dollar tanked in 2008, exports boomed and it went up to 3-4 a day. Plus, they started switching grain, lumber, and propane cars in/out of a nearby siding between two crossings in the middle of the night(train has to do a single long warning honk before it starts moving again after coupling/uncoupling and of course at the crossings) and it was hell living there.

3-4 a day is nothing. A small rail yard doesn't produce very much noise. That line isn't an extremely busy line.

[Thom52]

Originally Posted by rrampage

3-4 a day is nothing. A small rail yard doesn't produce very much noise. That line isn't an extremely busy line.

That line gets a lot more than 4 trains a day! And the train traffic does not stop overnight.

If you are deaf, living on the tracks could be a very good deal though.

I think a lot of people that live near tracks defend it as "no problem" to keep their house prices up.

[rrampage]

Originally Posted by Thom52

That line gets a lot more than 4 trains a day! And the train traffic does not stop overnight.

If you are deaf, living on the tracks could be a very good deal though.

I think a lot of people that live near tracks defend it as "no problem" to keep their house prices up.

You'd be surprised how used to the noise you get. It really isn't a big deal for most people.


Again, not a busy line there. More than 4 trains a day, yes, but not overly busy like the Chicago corridor, etc.