Residents
Can't Wait to Mute Whistles
1/6/04
By CAMILLA COHEE
NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Santa Barbara News-Press
Soothing
to some, aggravating to others, the sound of the train whistle blowing
through town could become a thing of the past if efforts by local
property owners stay on track.
A new federal ruling approved in December allows communities to ban
train whistles at rail crossings if there is a low risk of collision
or if certain safety measures are in place.
Some residents and business owners in Montecito and Santa Barbara who
find the around-the-clock whistles disruptive -- and a detriment to
property values -- are already pushing for so-called "quiet
zones," or at least less intrusive warning devices approved under
the ruling.
They include crossing gates that block traffic in both directions,
cameras that photograph people pulling around the gates so that they
can be given traffic tickets, or an automated horn installed at the
crossing as a substitute for the horn on the train. The automated horn
blares only at the crossing as the train approaches from a
quarter-mile away, instead of all
along the track in that quarter-mile stretch.
Proponents of quieting the whistle include hoteliers Ty Warner, the
Beanie Babies mogul and owner of the Four Seasons Biltmore, and Bill
Levy, whose Ritz-Carlton is set to get off the ground on lower State
Street in February. Both are close to the tracks.
Representatives from Mr. Warner's corporation, Keystone Advisors, plan
to notify the Montecito Association tonight that they hope to install
an automated horn at the Olive Mill Road crossing.
"I hear that whistle in my sleep. I've always thought there has
to be a better way," said John Indrieri, general manager of the
Biltmore who also lives near the train tracks in Montecito. He said
some hotel guests have complained that the whistle jolts them out of
sleep, while others find it dreamy. "Each engineer has their own
style. Some are aggressive, some are very tame."
Federal railroad officials say the automated horn system, which costs
about $60,000, has been implemented and studied in cities elsewhere in
the state and was proven to be safer than the current warning method.
Governing agencies from communities or cities -- but not individuals
-- must apply to the Federal Railroad Administration for approval to
make the upgrades. That hasn't deterred Montecito resident Ned
Quackenbush, who would like to see a quiet zone declared throughout
Montecito, which would lead to the elimination of train whistles
entirely except in emergency situations.
A telephone interview with Mr. Quackenbush from his Posilipo Lane home
was interrupted twice by the blaring sound of a train whistle in the
background.
"My bedroom is about 75 feet from the railroad," he said.
"They've welded the tracks together so it's not that huge
clickety-clack noise you used to get. The real problem is at 3Êa.m.
you get some conductor running a train through who says, 'I'm not
sleeping and nobody else is going to sleep either,' and blasts that
horn at full volume."
He's working to inform members of local governing agencies, from the
Montecito Association up to county supervisors, that more is gained
than lost in taking advantage of new warning device technology.
Cost is a question, he admitted.
Although Mr. Warner has offered to pay the $60,000 it would require to
install the new horn at Olive Mill, it's not yet evident how other
upgrades would be paid for, such as the $250,000 crossing gates that
would replace whistles altogether if a "quiet zone"
designation is pursued.
Still, Mr. Quackenbush said he did an informal survey of residents who
live along the tracks and said not one opposed the changes.
"The person who hears the train whistles as the romantic symbol
of the 19th century, and lives far enough away so it doesn't intrude
on his consciousness, may miss something," he said. "But the
people who are most affected won't miss that horrendous
nuisance."
Developer Bill Levy said he is confident members of the City Council
would support the change because it directly affects quality of life
and tourism.
"It's been an ongoing problem. This is the first time I have
heard of any organized effort to try to solve it," Mr. Levy said
Monday, adding that "$60,000 is a small price to pay" for
peace and quiet. "Ty (Warner) is going to have to deal with the
county, and we'll have to deal with the city. This would be a great
opportunity for the city and county to work together."
The federal ruling applies to 160,000 public railroad crossings
nationwide.
Speed limits for trains were increased in the area last year. They
were raised to 60 mph for passenger trains and 40 mph for freight
trains, but the limits differ depending on location, taking into
account curves, residential areas and crossings.
According to the Santa Barbara Police Department, three to six people
are usually killed by trains in the city every year. Three people have
been killed on the tracks in Santa Barbara since September.
Local Union Pacific officials could not be reached for comment on
Monday, but federal railroad officials say the new rule strikes a
balance between safety and quality of life, a clash that has grown in
urban areas undergoing a boom in rail traffic.