That darn train in New Territory next to Telfair (Houston: renting, buying a house)

[Topaz]

If you are looking at buying a house on the north east side of New Territory or the side of Telfair that will eventually be right next to here, make sure your house is insulated well enough to be fairly sound proofed. Otherwise, the train noise will make you crazy.

My daughter is home sick today and it took me about 1.5 hrs. to get her to go to sleep for her nap. A few minutes ago, the train along Alt 90A roared through New Territory blaring its horn incessantly and loudly. She seems to have slept through it but I can't imagine how.

I was so annoyed! The noise reduction measures stop when you leave the official boundaries of Sugar Land, so they don't help us at all in this area. I'm glad that we are just renting this house because if we had bought it, I'd either be kicking myself or spending a bunch of money to block out the noise somehow.

Just something for Sugar Land house hunters to consider...

[icon7]

When New Territory gets annexed soon, they will hopefully fix that.

[Topaz]

Originally Posted by icon7

When New Territory gets annexed soon, they will hopefully fix that.

I hope you are right. I am counting the days!

[Mom2Feebs]

I noticed that, Topaz, when we were down there not too long ago! I felt really bad for those folks in that subdivision on that side! Hopefully, they will get that taken care of pretty soon.

[ZeroTX]

How long have you been there? I've lived as close as 20-30 yards from an active train crossing before with no insulation (1970's trailer house), and after a couple of months I literally couldn't tell you when trains came by at night... slept like a baby.

I live near 90@Eldridge and I never hear the trains unless the atmosphere is just-so that sounds are amplified for long distances. When do they start blowing the horns?

BTW, from what I've read, this is the oldest railroad in Texas. It pre-dates all residential development in the area, so... I'd rather they use the horns and be safe and if people can't live with that, they should consider that when house-hunting. Based on the home values in the area, I'd say it's not an issue for most people.

[Topaz]

Originally Posted by ZeroTX

How long have you been there? I've lived as close as 20-30 yards from an active train crossing before with no insulation (1970's trailer house), and after a couple of months I literally couldn't tell you when trains came by at night... slept like a baby.

I live near 90@Eldridge and I never hear the trains unless the atmosphere is just-so that sounds are amplified for long distances. When do they start blowing the horns?

BTW, from what I've read, this is the oldest railroad in Texas. It pre-dates all residential development in the area, so... I'd rather they use the horns and be safe and if people can't live with that, they should consider that when house-hunting. Based on the home values in the area, I'd say it's not an issue for most people.

We've been here since March. I want them to be safe, too, but it is really, really loud. And the noise seems to be at all hours of the day and night, which makes it more of an issue.

I can't speak for other people but I would never buy a house in this part of New Territory until they fix this.

[ZeroTX]

I can understand that. How close would you say you are to the actual tracks?

[HookTheBrotherUp]

Originally Posted by Topaz

I can't speak for other people but I would never buy a house in this part of New Territory until they fix this.

'Sorry Topaz, this is not a post of supportive news. The rail lines have been there since the before the 30's, the developer purchased land close to, or next to the rail lines, built houses close to, or next to the raill lines, and people moved into those houses.

I am not lambasting you, in fact, I can empathize with you, I live within 1/2 a mile of the railroad tracks of the last part of the line that ends in Katy, and they too blow the horns loudly when they come to deliver rocks to the sheetrock factory off HWY 90. But I can't honestly complain about it, after all, I crossed the railroad tracks when I went to search for my home, and I crossed them again when I left. Its a state law that trains need to blow their horns at all intersections, no matter what time of day.

Unless the rail company decides to remove the tracks, it won't change. About the only thing that I've ever seen done was in Houston where the rail runs right through the middle of the neighborhoods in the Heights, the rail company agreed to slow the trains down, but they still have to blow the horns. Also, what can be just as bad are the bells at the intersections, fortunately, not all intersections have the bells. Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding for 1.5 miles of train!

Regards

[Topaz]

Originally Posted by HookTheBrotherUp

Unless the rail decides to remove the tracks, it won't change.

Well, I can tell you that when I've driving on Alt 90A, I've been waiting at a red light when the train went by right next to my car and the noise was much less loud in an area with those new noise reduction horns compared to the noise when I'm in my home in this area without the noise reduction horns. Those new horns make a tremendous difference.

Originally Posted by ZeroTX

I can understand that. How close would you say you are to the actual tracks?

About 200 yards.

[ZeroTX]

Originally Posted by HookTheBrotherUp

The rail lines have been there since the before the 30's, the developer purchased land close to, or next to the rail lines, built houses close to, or next to the raill lines, and people moved into those houses.

Best I can tell with a brief online search is that the rail was built in the mid 1800's...