Train Whistles (Again)!

photo by Mathieu Tremblay, via Flickr

I have recently received a number of complaints from Beiseker residents about the noise created by the Canadian National Railway (CNR) when their trains whistle several times while going through town. 

I think it has to do with many having windows open during the night to cool down the house.  The still air and those open windows can make a train whistle pretty loud at 3:00 am!

I am going to ask representatives of the CNR to join us as a deligation at one of our council meetings so that we may ask them what is involved in having the trains stop their whistles. 

I'll let you know when we've arranged that meeting.  You're more than welcome to attend that meeting to get the info first hand.

Toooooot-toot! Toooooot-toot!

I am getting requests from some Beisekerites to try to stop the CNR trains from blowing their whistles multiple times when they pass through the village.  This is a safety issue!  By law, the train must blow its whistle as it approaches a level crossing and as it passes through that crossing.  The only way we could stop the train whistles is to install crossing warning lights and/or "arm-gates" which flash, a bell sounds and the gate comes down across the roadway.  A sign could then be erected warning motorists that trains no longer whistle.

The expense of buying and installing all this equipment would fall on the village!   It costs many, many tens of thousands of dollars!  Short answer: we can't afford it.  North Road is part of Highway 72 so that crossing was paid for by the province.  I don't see this expense to be a Village Council priority in the near future.