Fort Collins City Council Stands Behind Quiet Zone for Trains

In a 6-0 vote the Fort Collins City Council has joined the masses to support quiet zone for trains rolling through Old Town.

In an online article by the Coloradoan, Fort Collins Mayor Karen Wietkunat is said to have stated that residents are frustrated with the noise of the trains.

Council members moved forward Tuesday in an attempt to quiet the trains by instructing staff to petition the Federal Railroad Administration for a waiver on sounding the train horns along a portion of Old Town.

FRA regulations say that a train must sound its horn at least 15 seconds before each crossing, there are 11 crossings between Laurel and College. The numerous crossings in Old Town create a fairly constant horn throughout the area. Some argue that the noise is a tolerable safety precaution.

The Federal Railroad Association has up to nine months to respond to the waiver.