Stationary horns OK'd for Elburn

Elburn this week took a big step toward creating a quiet zone, or at least a quieter zone, around train traffic.

The board on Monday approved an agreement with Hanson Professional Services for preliminary engineering services regarding the construction of stationary horns at the First Street and Route 47 crossings.

"They will walk us through the entire process," Elburn Village President James Willey said of the Springfield-based company. "They will manage the relationship with the (Union Pacific) Railroad and with the Illinois Commerce Commission."

Instead of each train blasting its horn as it passes through the village, the stationary horns sound directly at the traffic around the intersection.

"What the village struggled with was making a determination on which way to go," Willey said. "The median approach (constructing 100-foot medians at the First Street and Pouley Road crossings) was the most economical, but there were conflicts with residents over driveways. It would have also required widening the street which would mean a lot of additional costs.

"On the flip side, having the railroad install four quadrant gates was very expensive," Wiley said. "We're trying to find the middle ground and installing wayside horns seems to be the best for Elburn."

Willey said that Hanson Professional Services also worked with DeKalb, which has installed stationary horns.

Willey said installation of the horns would not technically create a quiet zone, but would significantly reduce the noise.

"You can't hear them from 1,000 feet away," he said.

Elburn must receive approval from the Federal Railroad Administration, which could take up to 24 months. The cost of installing the horns is estimated at $200,000.