Has anyone here ever lived right NEXT to the El tracks? (Chicago: apartments, house)

[Lookout Kid]

Here's another thing to consider: How close are you to a station? It's worse to hear the starting and stopping of trains and the electronic announcements than to have them just passing by. You'll go crazy if you have to hear, "Diversey is next... Doors open on the right at Diversey" every ten minutes.

Also, it's bad near curves. The "L" screeches a horrible sound when it goes around a curve. It's deafening.

I personally would like to be at least across the street from the "L"... I've been a few houses down from the Blue Line before, and I've also been one block away from the Red/Brown/Purple lines. Both situations were fine. In fact, the "L" just sounded like a passing breeze or distant thunder. Not bad at all.

[coldwine]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Here's another thing to consider: How close are you to a station? It's worse to hear the starting and stopping of trains and the electronic announcements than to have them just passing by. You'll go crazy if you have to hear, "Diversey is next... Doors open on the right at Diversey" every ten minutes.

Also, it's bad near curves. The "L" screeches a horrible sound when it goes around a curve. It's deafening.

I personally would like to be at least across the street from the "L"... I've been a few houses down from the Blue Line before, and I've also been one block away from the Red/Brown/Purple lines. Both situations were fine. In fact, the "L" just sounded like a passing breeze or distant thunder. Not bad at all.

I've had that occur to me. It's amazing, what you just become accustomed to.

The screeching is by far the worst of them all. The rumbling was OK, and after a while it no longer woke me up or interrupted studying. But that screech was simply deafening. I got into this pattern where I would wear earplugs for several hours until well past 4 a.m., and then get up to use the bathroom and take them out so that I could hear my alarm clock.

Anyone can do it. You learn to ignore it

[Avengerfire]

I swear there are a couple threads about this already...

[coldwine]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

I swear there are a couple threads about this already...

Here he comes to save the day! Thread patrol! Thread patrol!

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by coldwine

Here he comes to save the day! Thread patrol! Thread patrol!

I have been-how shall we say?..."busy" the last two months... I am on a bit of a break.

[knitgirl]

Meatpuff, thanks for posting the Real Men of Genius link, I love those.

[Jwo85]

Originally Posted by Dis99

Few years ago I lived so close to the Metra I could hit a train with a rock from my bedroom window. It was horrible. Every time a train went by your TV show could not be heard, your phone conversation was put on hold, your sleep was interrupted. The only good thing about this situation is the EL train is much shorter than Metra and passes by faster. I can tell you though it's still loud and the trains are clearly audible inside tall buildings much higher than the tracks.

Never again

LOL that sounds like when I lived by anAir National Guard Base. When those F-16's and C-130's were taking off /landing, you just had to put anything with sound on hold.

I stayed by the tracks (in the loop) when I was on Vacation. It wasn't that bad. 3 floors up. Not sure if it was because I was in an office type building (HiChicago.)

[dewthedru]

Originally Posted by SmartGXL

....it will be mostly quiet except for every 30 minutes or so one will hear the train rumble by.

don't the cta trains usually go by much more frequently than this?

[synapse]

It depends where you are in the building. I had a friend who lived near Sheffield and Diversey, which got the Red Line trains screaming by every ten to twenty minutes, 24 hours a day. Yes, you start to block it out after a while, but it's always there. If there's decent insulation, it's not so bad, but otherwise...

[paytonc]

There are too many variables at work: concrete or steel substructure? wood or plastic railroad ties? near a station, and thus slower but possible announcements? near a curve? building age and insulation? window insulation?

I currently look right out over the "L," and find it just fine -- it's slowing as it gets to a station. I've had meetings in several buildings right next to the tracks -- in some you had to pause, in others you only see and don't hear the trains. It's impossible to know until you're inside the apartment.