Schumer: Peace & Quiet Is Finally Here To Stay in Hamburg

Press Release

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that the Town of Hamburg has completed the construction required to designate the railroad crossing at Rogers and Cloverbank Road a "quiet zone." As a result, the "quiet zone" -- which puts barriers in place at a rail crossing that automobiles cannot penetrate, preventing the need for a train to honk its horn -- is set to officially go into effect on June 24th. Schumer has pushed for the project for years, bringing train companies together with local residents to discuss the need for a quiet zone, securing $475,000 in federal funding to finance the project, and pushing the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) to expedite upgrades and construction at the railroad crossing that were required to take place before the town could begin its work. Schumer explained that, until now, trains have been required to sound their horns when they approach the crossing at Rogers and Cloverbank Road because it is not designated a quiet zone due to the lack of safety components for drivers. As a result, over 20,000 residents of the Town of Hamburg have been burdened by the frequent loud blast of train horns.

"I am pleased to announce that, at long last, the Hamburg railway "quiet zone' project is finally complete, which will be a mean a huge quality of life improvement for local residents and motorists," said Schumer. "Hamburg residents will no longer have to put up with hundreds of trains blasting their horns day in and day out, and can look forward again to peace and quiet in their community. This "quiet zone' is an example of a smart use of federal money, because it is a win-win for the community -- not only does it make Hamburg a more peaceful, quieter place to live, it increases safety for pedestrians and motorists near the tracks."

"Today's announcement that the Hamburg Quiet Zones are now complete and ready to be implemented is great news for local residents. This project has been a collaborative effort between all levels of government - and will one and for all address an important local quality of life issue," said State Senator Mark Grisanti.

In order to put this "quiet zone" into place, the Town of Hamburg had to complete pavement improvements and construct traffic separator systems along the highway approaches to the railroad crossings on Rogers Road and Cloverbank Road. In addition, NYSDOT was required to make upgrades at the crossing for it to meet the Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA) specifications for a "quiet zone."

A "quiet zone" puts barriers in place at a rail crossing that automobiles cannot penetrate, which prevents the need for a train to honk its horn, and maintains a quiet area for local residents. A "quiet zone" designation allows communities who meet the safety needs at particular highway-rail grade crossings to have train horns silenced. Federal law requires on-coming trains to sound their horns if they are approaching a grade-crossing without advanced safety precautions. The establishment of a new quiet zone requires, at minimum, that each grade crossing be equipped with flashing lights and gates, and additional safety measures may be required to compensate for the absence of the horn as a warning device. New quiet zones can be in effect 24-hours a day or just during the overnight period between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.

Western New York is the crossroads of freight rail traffic in the Northeast, and the Town of Hamburg has eight surface crossings and over 12 miles worth of freight track that carry over 100 trains a day through populated residential areas. Approximately 20,000 town residents live within audible range of these tracks.

Copies of Senator Schumer's letters are available upon request.

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