West Indy or Western Suburbs?

[MortonR]

There is enough of a buffer zone around the airport that aircraft noise is minimal. One thing that was really done right as a part of the airport expansion was the acquisition of property and zoning for the area around the airport, which is nearly all industrial and warehouse.

Aircraft have to follow noise abatement procedures as a part of the approach and departure procedures, so unless the weather is really foul (which allows them to lift the abatement procedures for safety purposes) you're not going to hear much from the aircraft.

However, I will say one thing....

In between Avon and Plainfield is the CSX "hump" or "classification" rail yard where trains are broken down and made up. As a function of this process, rail cars are pushed over a "hump" in the yard and allowed to run downhill using gravity to shunt them into sidings where the trains are being made up. As a result of this, there are "retarders" or brakes that are used to squeeze the wheels of the train cars to slow them down. This makes for a horrendous screeching noise that travels for miles, especially in the winter time when the air is really thin and clear.

I mentioned that I lived off of 200 North (21st St.) and SR 267. I could hear this screeching year 'round.

Of course, I could hear the dragsters at the Nationals on Labor Day weekend, too, but that wasn't so bad...

RM

[pshuckleberry]

I'm a single woman with dogs who just bought in Plainfield! I grew up hanging out there at my sister's place, planes were never an issue.

Let me know if you move here!

[bender2007]

CSX is ramping down their Avon train yard so the noise will be going away, CSX to shutter facility at Avon train yard | WISH-TV.

Also most flights generally run south of I-70 (or close to it) or across Indy from the East. Impact on the communities of Avon and Plainfield is minimal especially like a previous poster mentioned with the warehouse district buffer that straddles the county line. Brownsburg is a nice community with nice plans being put in action for a redeveloped downtown area, actually the same in Plainfield.

[MortonR]

Originally Posted by bender2007

CSX is ramping down their Avon train yard so the noise will be going away, CSX to shutter facility at Avon train yard | WISH-TV.

This is not true. If you check this story out they're talking about the locomotive maintenance shop closing down, not the classification yard, or "hump". This is a vital part of CSX's operations in this area, and is unlikely that it will ever shut down. In fact, they state very clearly in the story that other operations at the Avon yards will be unaffected.

Just as many interstate trucking lines have terminals here for transferring LTL loads, the railroads use this as an ideal location for breaking down and assembling trains for freight hauling.

RM

[bender2007]

It does appear you are correct at least about only the train yard repair facility closing. That will lead to less noise for sure but I can't quantify it since I don't live close to the tracks. It also appears that we read different things into the story. CSX said that there are no other announcements about other operations not necessarily that other operations will be unaffected. That seems to give them an out if they choose to further reduce operations.

[MortonR]

Originally Posted by bender2007

It does appear you are correct at least about only the train yard repair facility closing. That will lead to less noise for sure but I can't quantify it since I don't live close to the tracks. It also appears that we read different things into the story. CSX said that there are no other announcements about other operations not necessarily that other operations will be unaffected. That seems to give them an out if they choose to further reduce operations.

I did some checking with an acquaintance who is a union steward with labor at CSX. Here is what they told me:

CSX said it would close the locomotive shop there, but now it plans to farm out its other activities to the Hawthorne, Transfer and State Street yards. A new intermodal facility is to be constructed at a site to be named. One report is that some switching now done at Avon will be taken over by the Alton & Southern in the St. Louis region.

In years past, Avon built blocks for Penn Central and Conrail that were interchanged with western railroads in St. Louis and the St. Elmo, Illinois, gateway.

One impetus for closing Avon might be that the area around it has developed into a busy commercial-residential area and CSX might see an opportunity to sell land to developers.

So it sounds like they will eventually close down the Avon yard completely, but they said this wasn't clear when that might occur at this time.

RM

[indy_317]

Originally Posted by MortonR

So it sounds like they will eventually close down the Avon yard completely, but they said this wasn't clear when that might occur at this time.

Many of the changes with CSX were being driven by their CEO who came in and wanted to make big changes and fast from what I read. Thing is, the guy died a month ago. I'd say right now everything is up in the air on what CSX will do.

[1grin_g0]

I haven't heard this noise at all, but then again I'm not around Plainfield during the day. When does it normally occur? Thanks

[creamsoda005]

Thanks for all the replies!