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Frequently Asked Questions About Quiet Zones and Train Noise

Read through the following FAQs to learn more about train noise in Boulder and what can and is being done to help alleviate noise issues.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who owns the railroad tracks in Boulder?

  • Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway owns and operates all railroad tracks in the City of Boulder.

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Who controls the railroad crossings in the Boulder area?

  • There are ten crossings in the immediate vicinity of Boulder. Five are on roads controlled by the city and five are on county-controlled roads. Therefore, it is likely that the city and county would need to work together to establish quiet zones in Boulder, as federal rules stipulate that the agency that controls the road at the crossing must apply for Quiet Zone status. 

Who regulates the sounding of train horns at railroad crossings?

  • The sounding of train horns at crossings is regulated by federal rules from the Federal Railway Authority (FRA).

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Why has train noise increased in recent years?

  • The apparent recent increase in train noise, despite the number of trains passing through our community remaining fairly stable (about seven per day), is due to federal rules governing the blowing of horns at crossings adopted in 2005 and a recent push for an increased adherence to those rules by BNSF. The new federal rules require that all trains sound horns at between 96 and 110 decibels at all public crossings. You may wish to contact BNSF for clarification and further explanation on their current freight operations and their use of horns.

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What can legally be done to decrease train noise at crossings?

  • The same 2005 Federal Railway Authority rules that governed the blowing of horns also established a process by which local governments can establish "quiet zones," which remove the requirement for train operators to routinely sound their horn at all crossings. Information on the use of locomotive horns at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings can be found on the FRA Web site.

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How are quiet zones established?

  • Establishing a quiet zone is not an easy task. It usually requires significant improvements to crossings, such as: enhanced warning circuitry, special types of gates, extended medians and other supplemental safety measures.

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What is the cost of establishing a quiet zone?

  • The establishment of quiet zones usually requires significant improvements to crossings, such as enhanced warning circuitry, a special type of traffic control gating, extended medians and other supplemental safety measures.
  • The city of Denver is exploring the costs of implementing a quiet zone at one of their crossings. They estimate that it will cost them $300,000 to set one up at this location. Others have put the cost of establishing a quiet zone at between $250,000 and $500,000 per crossing if significant infrastructure improvements are required, as will be likely at many of Boulder's crossings.

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What are RTD and the City of Boulder doing to help establish quiet zones?  

  • The city has assembled a staff team to explore quiet zones. There are several elements to consider, including the application process, liability and safety issues, required physical improvements and the associated cost, and the need for cooperation between agencies. The city is working closely with RTD, the regional transit provider, because the launch of RTD’s FasTracks commuter rail service (called the Northwest Rail) will bring significantly more trains to Boulder. The start date for this service could be as early as 2017, or as late as after 2030, depending on funding availability.

    • RTD is currently conducting a planning process for the FasTracks northwest rail corridor. Noise impacts and the mitigation of those impacts is one aspect of the study. RTD has stated that they will upgrade crossings to "quiet zone standards" but the details have not been resolved. Any improvements not funded by RTD will likely be the responsibility of local governments, as will the actual application for quiet zone status. Public input is an important part of the RTD planning process. Visit the RTD-FasTracks Web site for more information.
    • In October 2007, the RTD board of directors adopted “the Responsible Rail Amendment,” which committed RTD to working closely with communities to understand and implement quiet zones as part of FasTracks improvements. More information is available at http://www.johntayer.org/2007/10/13/the-responsible-rail-amendment/.
    • In accordance with the Responsible Rail Amendment, RTD completed a detailed noise and vibration analysis of crossings along the corridor as part of the Northwest Rail Environmental Evaluation (EE). Based on this analysis, RTD has committed to completing the infrastructure improvements necessary to implement quiet zones at 8 of the 10 crossings in the Boulder area.
      • RTD’s analysis found that the noise impacts at the crossings at 55th Street and at north 63rd Street in Gunbarrel were not significant enough to justify quiet zone implementation. On the other crossings, RTD identified the improvements that would be needed to bring the crossings up to quiet zone standards. This information is included in the draft EE for the Northwest Rail, section 3.8, available at http://www.rtd-fastracks.com/nw_64 . In commenting on the draft EE in the spring of 2010, the City of Boulder requested that all crossings be upgraded to be quiet zone compliant, and that RTD strengthen its commitment to quiet zones. These comments are available at http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6549&Itemid=2052

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How difficult is it to establish a "quiet zone?

  • The application process is complicated and time-consuming, requiring cooperation between the city, BNSF, the Federal Railway Authority, the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, RTD and others. The quiet zone rules stipulate that the entity that controls the roadway at the crossing is the one who must apply for quiet zone status. A quiet zone must be at least a half-mile in length, so a collaborative effort at least between the city and the County will likely be necessary to effectively address horn noise in our area.

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In the case of an accident at a railroad crossing, who is liable?

  • When a quiet zone is established, liability for an accident in the quiet zone is shifted from the railroad owner or transit operator to the local government.  The City Attorney's Office and Risk Management team are exploring this aspect. Since quiet zones are relatively new, little case law has been established on this issue.

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Do quiet zones increase the likelihood of accidents at railroad crossings?

  • FRA and railroad documentation indicate that quiet zones may increase the likelihood of accidents at a crossing. In its consideration of establishing quiet zones, City Council will need to weigh the trade-offs, as a single tragedy at a railroad crossing will have a significant impact in our community.

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Are quiet zones really quiet?

  • Experts estimate that 90% of train noise comes from blowing the horns, so quiet zones can make a significant difference. Other noise comes from the engines and from train wheels, particularly on curved sections of track. A variety of infrastructure improvements can be used at quiet zones. Some communities have chosen to replace the train-mounted horns with horns mounted on the poles at the crossings. The pole-mounted horns are more directional (aimed down at the railway), which can reduce the number of homes and businesses impacted by the noise. Whether or not these pole-mounted horns are appropriate for some Boulder crossings is being explored by staff.

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What is the city currently doing in regards to quiet zones?

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Contact

For more information, please contact  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , GO Boulder Manager, at 303-441-4155.

pdfRailroad Quiet Zone Standard Response 

Last Updated on Tuesday, 26 February 2013 12:39