Normal toots its horn for railroad Quiet Zone

Posted on December 21, 2017
Amtrak
Despite the Quiet Zone designation in Normal, passenger trains at Uptown Station will still sound their horns to alert people to departures.  (file photo by B Corbin/WJBC)

By Howard Packowitz

NORMAL – The Town of Normal is ‘on track’ to create a railroad Quiet Zone, starting January 8.

A Quiet Zone is a segment of rail crossings where locomotives won’t routinely sound their horns.

In Normal, a spokesman said the Quiet Zone will encompass the entire town.

There won’t be complete silence. Train crews can sound their horn to prevent imminent injury, death or property damage. Passenger trains will also sound their horn when they’re leaving Uptown Station.

Normal qualified to become a Quiet Zone because new safety equipment was installed as part of the Illinois High-Speed Rail project.

The safety features include four-quadrant gates, which make it harder for motorists to drive their vehicles around lowered gates to beat a train.

Amtrak, the Union Pacific Railroad, state and federal governments helped Normal acquire the Quiet Zone designation.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]

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