New Mexico Rail Runner Express Quiets North Valley

Residents living north of Osuna will soon hear less train noise

(Albuquerque, NM – July 29, 2009) – On Friday of this week, the remaining six North Valley railroad crossings between Osuna Road and Alameda Road will officially “go quiet” - meaning that trains will stop sounding their horns when passing through the area.

 “This has been a tremendous effort, but certainly well worth it when you consider the significant difference in this area in terms of train noise reduction”, says Lawrence Rael, Executive Director for the Mid-Region Council of Governments. “With the addition of these last six crossings going quiet, more neighborhoods and businesses along the Rail Runner corridor will now be less impacted by the sound of train horns”.

Up until the last few years, all trains were required to issue a warning horn as they approached railroad crossings in the city. But Federal Railroad Administration rules released in 2005 outlined specific safety guidelines that would qualify a crossing for quiet zone status when equipped with additional warning signs and safety measures to compensate for the absence of the train’s horn as a warning device. Following appropriations 2007 legislative session, the Rail Runner corridor between Menaul Boulevard and Montano Road in Albuquerque’s north valley was the first to be designated an official quiet zone. Appropriations provided in the  2007 and 2008 sessions along with the allocation of federal railroad crossing safety funds and the support of House Representative Bill O’Neill and Senators John Ryan and Dede Feldman provided the funding for this final three-mile stretch of track to be quieted.

“These quiet crossings will be welcomed by the residents of Alameda and Los Ranchos, who have been impacted by unwanted noise”, says Representative Bill O’Neill, District 15. “The Rail Runner should be commended for responding to these neighborhood concerns. Helping to support the appropriation was one of the highlights of my first legislative year”.

“This has been a top priority of the neighborhood associations and many homeowners in the north valley ever since the Rail Runner began service”, says Senator John Ryan, District 10. “The residents of my district will be grateful to have both the added safety measures at the crossings, as well as the added quiet”.

“Peace and quiet comes at a price. We’re happy to have helped pay for it” Senator Dede Feldman, District 13

Over the past couple of months, crews have been busy setting foundations and installing cable for the new equipment needed for the Quiet Zone crossings. Just this past week, new gate mechanisms were installed, along with light assemblies and new electronic equipment. This area of the corridor will officially “go quiet” at noon on Friday, July 31^st.

Contacts: 

• Augusta Meyers, MRCOG Communications Mgr. 505-239-8612, ameyers@mrcog-nm.gov

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