Community Corner
Residents Protest Train Noise At Waltham Railroad Crossings
Residents say the city is doing what it can to ensure the safety at the crossings, and they hope the federal railroad administration sees it
WALTHAM, MA — A handful of residents, upset that Waltham has lost its designation as a "Quiet Zone," made signs and stood out in the rain Monday near the Moody street railway crossing, hoping to catch the eye of Federal Railway officials, as city officials scramble to reinstate the designation.
During a nationwide review in April, the Federal Railway Administration determined that city at-grade train crossings lacked required "supplemental safety measures" that the city was asked to have going back to 2008, and thus no longer qualified as a quiet zone, according to the agency.
So, for the past month, train whistles and honking have sounded off at every train crossing in the city. Without a quiet zone, train engineers are required to sound horns or whistles for at least 15 seconds as they approach intersections at Beaver, Elm, Moody and South street intersections.
About eight people showed up, many of them artists who work or live at the Mill, with hand painted signs, that read "We can't sleep, too much noise," and "Stop the noise."
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Catch up here: Waltham Scrambles To Have Feds Reinstate City As Quiet Zone.
Find out what's happening in Walthamfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Jenna Fisher is a news reporter for Patch. Got a tip? She can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna). Have a something you'd like posted on the Patch? Here's how.
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