Renting in Fremont's Redwood Terrace (Livermore, Union City: lease, townhouses, safe area)

[maya24]

A close friend of mine is considering renting at Redwood Terrace - A small community off of Mowry Avenue in Fremont. The community consists of townhouses that occasionally get rented out. My friend loves the unit, but is concerned about train tracks that run behind this community, around 300 yards from this unit across a compound wall. On doing a quick google search, it looks like three trains make their way on these tracks - ACE, Capitol Corridor, and Coast starlight. Any thoughts on whether it is a good idea to rent this place? I'd really appreciate any response from either residents of this community, or someone you know that lives here, or just based on personal experience that applies to this situation.

[jrb724]

I would try to talk to people currently living there to see about the noise. That would be your best bet. It would also help if you know how the insultation is in the units.

I have lived near BART and trains before...you get use to it after awhile and don't hear it - you basically tune it out. Is there a crossing there where they will blow the whistle too? That would be a lot worse than just the train passing by. 300 yards is a fair distance though - 3 football fields so at least your not right against the tracks.

I think those trains generally run during the daytime and commute hours but you would have to check the schedule. I would also see if the tracks have any freight trains. A lot of times, these tracks are shared by freight and passenger rail.

[sonarrat]

Freighters run on those tracks too. You can even see them in the Google satellite image.

There are no level crossings in the area, though, so you won't get jolted awake by blasts from the horns. That is a compromise I would find bearable to live in a great neighborhood close to BART.

[maya24]

Thanks for the great responses.

@jrb724: I agree you get used to these things. I've lived near airports before and nothing beats the sound of a jumbo jet release its landing gear on its final descent. They did speak to neighbors about it and of course they are most positive about their experiences

@Sonarrat: So freight runs through it - I guess that means its traintime at nighttime also.

I should also mention that its a lease-to-buy option so they're also concerned about the resale value of this place if they do decide to go through with the purchase. As mentioned in the responses, its a good school district (Parkmont) with API in the 900s and a generally safe area of Fremont.

[cardinal2007]

There were plans to have the Capitol Corridor move west to the tracks adjacent to the Union City BART, but that was part of the Dumbarton rail project, and the money for that got shifted to the BART to Warm Springs project. So there were plans to reduce the rail transit over the tracks, but they sort of got tabled.

Menlo Park is suing to have the Altamont route for the High Speed Rail re-evaluated (the state chose the Pacheco route) since they think it wasn't properly chosen (By having the high speed rail go through Fremont Pleasanton and Livermore they avoid it going through Atherton, downtown Menlo Park and Palo Alto), but the possibility of this re-route is very remote.

My guess is rail traffic will remain much the same for many years to come, so they can probably count on that, but I can't guarantee it.

On the satellite map it looks like Shinn St. might be at-grade though. (It might not be required to blow the whistle since it seems like a private road)

I don't think the neighbors would lie about their experiences, granted I could believe that there is some selection in it, in that people less bothered by the trains are more likely to stay, and visa-versa. If they are really concerned they should visit around the time the trains pass by and see if they think it is an issue. The schedules for the CC and the ACE are online. My guess is that they might not notice it that much unless they are right by the tracks.