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Old 03-08-2017, 05:01 PM
 
Location: Kansas City North
6,766 posts, read 11,394,388 times
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I know this topic has been discussed ad nauseum, but here's a different variation.

Looking at a subdivision in a small town that the suburbs grew out to. There is a railroad track (single) that goes through the middle of town. We are possibly looking at a lot that backs up to the track. About a mile and a half from that lot the railroad ends at a small industrial area (grain elevator, a few very light industrial companies - no steel mills or power plants or anything like that). On Google Maps you can see the RR used to continue north but now everything is gone, tracks, bridges, road crossings, etc. in other words this is really just a short branch line now with very few potential customers. As the area continues to grow I suspect the grain elevator's crop business might be severely reduced and it becoming more of a boutique dog food store.

Anyone's thoughts on the advisibility of building close to tracks like this? I have a friend who has lived in that town 21 years and says she's been stopped by trains maybe 5 times total and not at all in several years.
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Old 03-08-2017, 07:02 PM
 
Location: Mid-Atlantic
32,752 posts, read 35,950,249 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Okey Dokie View Post
I know this topic has been discussed ad nauseum, but here's a different variation.

Looking at a subdivision in a small town that the suburbs grew out to. There is a railroad track (single) that goes through the middle of town. We are possibly looking at a lot that backs up to the track. About a mile and a half from that lot the railroad ends at a small industrial area (grain elevator, a few very light industrial companies - no steel mills or power plants or anything like that). On Google Maps you can see the RR used to continue north but now everything is gone, tracks, bridges, road crossings, etc. in other words this is really just a short branch line now with very few potential customers. As the area continues to grow I suspect the grain elevator's crop business might be severely reduced and it becoming more of a boutique dog food store.

Anyone's thoughts on the advisibility of building close to tracks like this? I have a friend who has lived in that town 21 years and says she's been stopped by trains maybe 5 times total and not at all in several years.
Will you be able to see the tracks? How long do you plan to stay there?
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Old 03-08-2017, 07:11 PM
 
Location: Kansas City North
6,766 posts, read 11,394,388 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gerania View Post
Will you be able to see the tracks? How long do you plan to stay there?
I think when the leaves come out you won't be able to see much of them. It's kind of a "natural area" i'll let you know sometime in April .

This should be pur last house. i'm 62 and Mr. Dokie 69. Of course I said the same 7 years ago when we bought this current house. Then the taxes and water bills went sky high and I decided a retired couple really doesn't need a 3500 sq ft house with 5 bedrooms and 4 baths.....
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Old 03-08-2017, 07:16 PM
 
Location: SoCal
14,530 posts, read 19,975,586 times
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If there is no chance of the railroad increasing activity then you actually have a PLUS!

Railroad tracks behind you means no noisy neighbor behind you (or catty-corner), and a few trains a month (or week) is no big deal, particularly guessing the activity would be likely daytime.

I live in a similar situation: neighbors on both sides, natural obstacle behind me = no rear neighbors.

Average lot has 5 neighbors (unless corner) including catty-corners. My lot (and yours) has just 2 neighbors.

2 neighbors = 2/5 = 40% of the neighbor problems most people face.
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Old 03-08-2017, 07:42 PM
 
Location: Back in the Mitten. Formerly NC
3,830 posts, read 6,687,817 times
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How close to the tracks is the house?
I lived within a half mile of the same railroad tracks until I was 25, and then again for another year at age 30. Most of this was about 1/4 of a mile away with an empty treeless field between (no noise barrier). I don't even hear trains. This is a fairly busy track, too. I would say 10-20 trains on average, per day, at least.
Now, if you are really close to the tracks, everything will rattle every time a train goes by. My favorite restaurant in my hometown is only a few yards from the tracks. Everything shakes and rattles.
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Old 03-08-2017, 10:07 PM
 
Location: Kansas City North
6,766 posts, read 11,394,388 times
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It's probably about 120' deep lot so maybe 50' deep backyard, then the RR easement. Didn't think about rattling, although I imagine the trains would be 10 cars or less. I think if we really get serious I'll go talk to the city people or police dept.
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Old 03-09-2017, 06:31 AM
 
Location: Sector 001
15,932 posts, read 12,176,639 times
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I'd rather have the train than the obnoxious neighbors who leave their incessant barking dogs in the kennel in their back yard for hours on end. They own the gas station in town so they kind of have inflated egos and think they can get away with anything being part of the "good ole boys" club.
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Old 03-09-2017, 06:41 AM
 
Location: Cary, NC
43,011 posts, read 76,500,303 times
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We back up to a single track. About 100+ feet from the back door.

One train north in the morning. One train south in the evening.
Usually 10-15 cars, travelling slowly. 10-12 mph. Almost always only M-F with maybe a weekend run every other year. Sometimes the return, southbound train comes through at night, like they get behind on the run.
We get the diesel rumble and some click-clack. Really, no big deal for us. Hearthrob thinks about nuclear waste, benzene, whatever.... Too much Stephen King....

It is a 100' easement, and we have no guarantee that use or speed will not be increased, or that another track would not be laid, or that the track would be straightened for transit trains at any point in the future.

In comparison to many neighbors, we have privacy on our 1/3 acre lot. On the other side of the 100' easement, there is a small church on 5 acres. At this point, it would be hard for me to move to a home with 50 neighboring windows overlooking my back yard.
So we are content with it.
BUT... If I have a client who is strongly risk-adverse, wanting highest resale future, I may suggest they not buy backing to the tracks unless they get a very good price.
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Old 03-09-2017, 06:50 AM
 
Location: On the Chesapeake
44,871 posts, read 59,846,876 times
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If it's a branch line servicing few customers the grain elevator will likely be the busiest not knowing what the light industrial is, the speed limits will be low and you won't likely have regular use.


Having said that, that siding would be perfect for car storage, putting trains together and switching cars around in the line. If that happens you will have noise as the cars are jockeyed back and forth from the siding to the main line and back. That could take hours and can be noisy what with cars crashing together, air being bled from the brakes, etc. Also, depending how much the RR is for rules compliance, every time the engines make a movement there could be a whistle signaling a movement.
https://www.up.com/aboutup/funstuff/horn_signals/
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Old 03-09-2017, 07:14 AM
 
Location: Cary, NC
43,011 posts, read 76,500,303 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by North Beach Person View Post
If it's a branch line servicing few customers the grain elevator will likely be the busiest not knowing what the light industrial is, the speed limits will be low and you won't likely have regular use.


Having said that, that siding would be perfect for car storage, putting trains together and switching cars around in the line. If that happens you will have noise as the cars are jockeyed back and forth from the siding to the main line and back. That could take hours and can be noisy what with cars crashing together, air being bled from the brakes, etc. Also, depending how much the RR is for rules compliance, every time the engines make a movement there could be a whistle signaling a movement.
https://www.up.com/aboutup/funstuff/horn_signals/
LOL
Yep. A horn every start and stop.
Before we bought, we asked the neighbors about the track usage.
"Quiet. No big deal at all."
2 weeks after we moved in, CSX started track maintenance. Came through at 2:00AM dropping off new ties every 50 feet or so.
Horn blowing at start and stop. Every 50'.

Popped over to the neighbor and he says, "I don't know what to tell you, Man."

It was funny, because, thank goodness, it was short-lived.
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