Elburn considers new approach to train whistle issue

Not long ago, Elburn officials seemed to be close to silencing the train horns that sound many times a day in the village.

But that plan hit some roadblocks. They are considering a new plan, but even if it's approved quickly, it would take at least a year to implement.

This week, Elburn village leaders met with representatives from Kansas City, Mo.-based Hanson Professionals, who had worked with DeKalb in establishing their quiet zone.

According to Elburn Village President James Willey, while DeKalb officials were trying to silence the train horns in their city, they went through many of the same issues that Elburn is currently experiencing.

In the end, DeKalb elected to use stationary horns at its train crossings, which sound a horn directly at the traffic around the intersection.

As opposed to the train horns which blast noise throughout the entire village, the stationary horn reduces that noise by as much as 80 percent.

"It (the train) lets hundreds of people nowhere near the crossing know that the train is coming," explained Willey. "The stationary horn is focused right at the cars at the crossing."

Last winter, Elburn officials announced that they planned to establish a quiet zone by constructing 100-foot medians at the First Street and Pouley Road crossings.

However neighbors of these crossings objected to the plan which was required by the Federal Railroad Administration to keep motorists from swerving around the gate, because the medians would limit access to their driveways.

"It gets very complicated with all of these driveways, and it gets very passionate," said Willey.

Although village leaders are not absolutely sold on the idea of stationary horns, they are interested in learning more, and plan to visit DeKalb to take a look at their crossings.

If village officials decide to use stationary horns, they would have to begin the same approval process with the Federal Railroad Administration that they went through with the medians all over again.

According to Willey that process could take 12-18 months.

"If we make that decision, we're going in a completely different direction," he said.

Once approved, the horns would be installed at Elburn's Route 47 and First Street crossings, at a cost of about $200,000.