Anyone Live Near Train Tracks? (Quincy, Adams: apartment, houses, schools)

[raveabouttoast]

I'm checking out a couple of places that are near the Quincy Adams Station. Some of the places pretty much have the tracks right in the backyard.

When I physically visit, I'll be sure to go when the train in entering or leaving the station, but I just wanted to get some ideas of how bad it is in terms of noise at night.

Do the Red Line trains use their horns at the stations? There's no street crossings right?

[kingeorge]

I would not think just about noise, but pollution as well. If you ever had a kid(s), would you let them in the yard?
To me, such places are cheap for a good reason, and very poor resale.
You should ask town if they allowed to use horn. I think that they are.
I am not sure about street crossings in that area.
Anyone else knows better?

[goyguy]

Red Line train horns are rarely sounded unless the engineer wants people to move farther back on the platform before the train enters the station. This would be a non-issue outside of rush hours and when schools are dismissed. But the commuter rail uses parallel tracks, and those trains (though not much horn blowing would take place, if ever) are louder when they pass. And that's where pollution concerns would set in. Commuter rail operates under diesel power while the MBTA rapid transit lines are electrified. (Of course there's the worry about EMF's as well.)
All train service ends before 1 AM and doesn't begin much ahead of 6 AM, with later start times on weekends and holidays.
Passenger rail passes through all of Quincy without grade crossings.

[raveabouttoast]

Thanks for the info. I wasn't really thinking of pollution, but I'll consider it now. I know the commuter rail uses large diesel generators, but I wonder if it's really any worse than living right next to a busy highway such as 93 (thousands of cars each day vs a couple of trains per hour).

[n1ey]

Originally Posted by raveabouttoast

I'm checking out a couple of places that are near the Quincy Adams Station. Some of the places pretty much have the tracks right in the backyard.

When I physically visit, I'll be sure to go when the train in entering or leaving the station, but I just wanted to get some ideas of how bad it is in terms of noise at night.

Do the Red Line trains use their horns at the stations? There's no street crossings right?

The Red line horns are actually not as sharp as you might think. I am assuming that you are concerned with traditional train horns. The Red Line horns are only used within safety applications. You could also hear the traditional locomotive horns as they are are used for some general signaling to crew applications. You will not hear them blowing for crossings. You might hear them blow for a platform, but it is highly unlikely. Those horns are orientated for forward audio distribution.

At night you might be able to hear the horn as the locomotive pulls out of the siding near the Nep. River. bridge.

I would not think much of red line traction motor noise. You'll notice the displacement of air and the GP40MC's traction motors from the commuter line around 8-10PM. It is not disconcerting to me.

Bill

[konfetka]

We have train tracks at the end of our street about 6 houses away. It never bothered me, because it seemed to far away to be a concern. I usually rarely hear it during the day, because of all the other daytime noises, however at night the sound seems louder and it's the only time when I can hear it, and it actually woke me up a few times.

I could imagine not being able to fall asleep or being awakened by it as you are trying to fall asleep, that's why I would not want to live next to it.

But, on the other hand I am sure many people would tell you they get used to it and tune in out. It just depends on your personal tolerance level.

[124c41]

Our last house had train tracks close enough we could see the train from the kitchen. My wife loved it when the horn was blown, but I hated it because when it came by, it rattled our whole house. Put me in the mind of the apartment where Dan Ackroyd lived in the movie Blues Brothers.

[superleggera]

Originally Posted by konfetka

We have train tracks at the end of our street about 6 houses away. It never bothered me, because it seemed to far away to be a concern. I usually rarely hear it during the day, because of all the other daytime noises, however at night the sound seems louder and it's the only time when I can hear it, and it actually woke me up a few times.

I could imagine not being able to fall asleep or being awakened by it as you are trying to fall asleep, that's why I would not want to live next to it.

But, on the other hand I am sure many people would tell you they get used to it and tune in out. It just depends on your personal tolerance level.

Originally Posted by kingeorge

I would not think just about noise, but pollution as well. If you ever had a kid(s), would you let them in the yard?
To me, such places are cheap for a good reason, and very poor resale.
You should ask town if they allowed to use horn. I think that they are.
I am not sure about street crossings in that area.
Anyone else knows better?

Great point on the noise, pollution and the resale value kingeorge. At the end of the day you really get what you pay for. Reputation point provided!

[superleggera]

Originally Posted by raveabouttoast

Thanks for the info. I wasn't really thinking of pollution, but I'll consider it now. I know the commuter rail uses large diesel generators, but I wonder if it's really any worse than living right next to a busy highway such as 93 (thousands of cars each day vs a couple of trains per hour).

Just hearing all the cars going over the train tracks and the constant brake squealing from slow down would drive me nuts. But some people would value good deals over their children's welfare. It all depends on your priorities and preference.

[MikePRU]

Originally Posted by kingeorge

I would not think just about noise, but pollution as well. If you ever had a kid(s), would you let them in the yard?

Don't red line trains run on electricity? What pollution would there be aside from noise pollution?

Originally Posted by kingeorge

To me, such places are cheap for a good reason, and very poor resale.
You should ask town if they allowed to use horn. I think that they are.
I am not sure about street crossings in that area.
Anyone else knows better?

Solid advice!