United States Department of Transportation
i
The Effect of Installation Location on Railroad Horn Sound Levels [final report]
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2002-09-01
[PDF-3.39 MB]
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Abstract:Many comments have been received as a result of the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) issuance of a Proposed Rule for the “Use of Locomotive Horns at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings”1. This proposal contains many provisions, two of which are addressed in this study. The first provision states that the sound level generated by the horn, when measured at the side of the locomotive, shall not exceed the sound level measured in front of the locomotive. In the late 1980’s it became the de facto standard to install horns on the top/center portion of the locomotive. This was done in an attempt to reduce the noise exposure for the locomotive cab occupants. However, the result was that measured sound levels off to the side of the locomotive were often higher than levels in front of the locomotive causing community noise impact. FRA’s Proposed Rule addressed this condition with a provision that set a performance standard to mitigate the community noise impact. One possible means of complying would be for railroad operators to relocate most installed horns to the locomotive front. A large number of negative comments were received on this provision, focused principally on noise exposure to the locomotive crew. The second provision proposed for discussion a range of maximum sound levels for the railroad horn as follows: a ‘low’ maximum level of 104 dB(A), for use at active crossings; and a ‘high’ maximum level of 111 dB(A), for use at passive crossings. This was also included in response to public concerns of unacceptable community noise exposure.
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