[Quietcars] Fwd: Crossing light rail tracks

Sat Nov 22 00:02:50 UTC 2008

Hi, David,

I completely agree.  In talking with SAE, NHTSA, and others we are trying to 
make it very clear that hybrids and electrics are not the only problem. 
There has been an industry-wide effort to make cars quieter, and there needs 
to be a threshold established for safety purposes.  That's definitely what 
we're aiming for!

Debbie

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Evans" <drevans at bellsouth.net>
To: "Discussion of new quiet cars and pedestrian safety" 
<quietcars at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, January 20, 2006 5:19 PM
Subject: Re: [Quietcars] Fwd: Crossing light rail tracks

>
> Dear Debby,
>
> It is true that some communities, pass local ordenances that set "quiet 
> hours", mostly at night, that keep trains from sounding horns and ringing 
> bels as they pass through certain areas to prevent waking up residents.
> Even so, this normally effects only heavy rail traffic which still makes 
> alot of noise.  I know as a house I use to live in was right next to the 
> train tracks and a unprotected grade crossing.  Just the train passing by 
> use to cause the whole house to shake and raddle.  I am glad I don't live 
> there any more.
>
> You could even feel the ground shaking for 200 feet away from the tracks 
> when a freight train came rumbling pass.
> Trains are not our issue here.  Even light rail is usually not an issue as 
> most are elevated or have protected crossing points.
> Cars that we can not or have difficulty hearing at street crossing, with 
> and without normal traffic sounds are what is most dangerous to us.
>
> There are even some gas powered cars that are very quiet and hard to hear 
> even when they are running and stopped at a light.
> I was standing at a corner yesterday, waiting to cross, and there was a 
> BMW stopped at the light and I could not hear it running.
> I did not even know it was there as it had stopped before I walked up to 
> the curb to get ready to cross.
> As it took off,, I heard it and made a remark out loud to which another 
> person who was standing there told me what kind of car it was and that it 
> had been sitting there, stopped, waiting for the light to change.
> It seems that all of the dangerous cars are not just the new quiet and 
> even silent hybreds.
> My hearing was just checked last month and I have better than normal 
> hearing so I know that it was not due to my lack of the ability to hear or 
> even listen.  It was due to the level of sound, or the lack of that level 
> of sound, being emitted from the cars that prevented me from detecting its 
> presents.
> This is why I believe that there needs to be some minimium  level of sound 
> required to be emitted fromm vehicles to not just warn people of all ages 
> about their presents, but to also make them detectable to all and at all 
> times.
>
>
> David Evans,NFBF
> Nuclear/Aerospace Materials Engineer
> Builder of the Lunar Rovers and the F-117 Stealth Fighter
> Member:
> South Florida Regional Transit Authority/Tri-Rail
> The Palm Trans Service Board,Past chair
> Para-Transit Sub-Committee Past chair
> MPO Transportation Disadvantaged Local Coordinating Board, Palm Beach 
> County
> Work Force Alliance Transportation Sub-Committee
>
>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>>From: "Deborah Kent Stein" <dkent5817 at worldnet.att.net
>>To: "Discussion of new quiet cars and pedestrian safety"
> <quietcars at nfbnet.org
>>Date sent: Thu, 20 Nov 2008 11:45:29 -0600
>>Subject: Re: [Quietcars] Fwd: Crossing light rail tracks
>
>
>
>>In my neighborhood there are railroad tracks at sidewalk level,
> and I have
>>to cross any time I walk from my house to the shopping area.
> Because of the
>>audible crossing signals I have been crossing safely for 16
> years.  However,
>>I have heard rumblings that residents in some neighborhoods with
> similar
>>arrangements are complaining that the audible signals and train
> whistles are
>>too noisy, and demanding that they be reduced or eliminated.
>
>>Debbie
>
>
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: "David Evans" <drevans at bellsouth.net
>>To: "Discussion of new quiet cars and pedestrian safety"
>><quietcars at nfbnet.org
>>Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2006 9:51 AM
>>Subject: Re: [Quietcars] Fwd: Crossing light rail tracks
>
>
>
>
>>> dEAR aLL,
>
>>> i HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS KIND OF SITUATION WHERE i COULD
> NOT HEAR AN
>>> APPROACHING TRAIN, EVEN A LIGHT RAIL ONE.
>>> i SERVE ON SEVERAL TRANSPORTATION bOARDS AND cOMMITTEES THAT
> OVERSEE THE
>>> OPERATIONS OF FIXED ROUTE BUS, pARA-TRANSIT, AND BOTH LIGHT AND
> HEAVY RAIL
>>> SYSTEMS IN THE sOUTH fLORIDA AREA.
>>> mOST ANYWHERE THERE IS A CROSSING, THERE IS PROTECTION WITH
> LIGHTS, BELLS,
>>> HORNS AND EVEN THE PHYSICAL LOCATION.
>>> it IS ALSO AGAINST THE LAW TO EVEN WALK ALONG THE TRACKS OR even
> THE RIGHT
>>> OF WAY OF THE RAIL LINES where the heavy rail trackes are at
> grade level.
>>> Most all trains sound a warning, such as a bell or horn when
> nearing a
>>> station or grade crossing which is in addition to the claddering
> they make
>>> from their wheels on the tracks and the sounds the air brakes
> make.  .
>>> the LIGHT RAIL IS ELEVATED AND THERE ARE NO PLACES TO EVEN
> physically
>>> CROSS THE RAILS accept AT THE TUNNELS AND BRIDGES WE PROVIDE AT
> THE
>>> STATIONS.  This is done to keep people from possibley coming in
> contact
>>> with the third rail.
>>> If you have a light rail system that is that silent, I would be
> surprized.
>>> I think that we need to stay focused on the "Quiet Cars" and not
> get
>>> sidetracked here.
>
>>> David Evans, NFBF
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>From: "Deborah Kent Stein" <dkent5817 at worldnet.att.net
>>>>To: "Discussion of new quiet cars and pedestrian safety"
>>> <quietcars at nfbnet.org
>>>>Date sent: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 23:21:29 -0600
>>>>Subject: Re: [Quietcars] Fwd: Crossing light rail tracks
>
>
>
>>>>In our discussions about quiet cars, we've often been careful to
>>> refer to
>>>>"quiet vehicles," to encompass trucks and buses as well.  If
>>> light rail
>>>>trains are truly silent, as silent as the cars we're concerned
>>> about, then
>>>>they *should* make a noise!  For generations bells have sounded
>>> at railroad
>>>>crossings to warn drivers and pedestrians that a train is
>>> approaching.
>>>>Pedestrians and drivers will need such warnings about light rail
>>> trains too.
>
>>>>In the meantime, blind travelers better study up on the train
>>> schedules and
>>>>hope the trains stick with them!
>
>>>>Debbie
>
>>>>----- Original Message -----
>>>>From: "Corbb O'Connor" <corbbo at gmail.com
>>>>To: "Discussion of new quiet cars and pedestrian safety"
>>>><quietcars at nfbnet.org
>>>>Cc: <ben.j.bloomgren at gmail.com
>>>>Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2008 7:12 PM
>>>>Subject: [Quietcars] Fwd: Crossing light rail tracks
>
>
>>>>> Good day my quiet car friends.
>
>>>>> I send this query from Ben on the NABS list with the hope that
>>> some of
>>>>> you hear might be able to help. As Michael Townsend has said in
>>> the  past
>>>>> on this list, guide dogs may help reduce (though not eliminate)
>>> the
>>>>> dangers posed by light rail trains at intersections, I'm curious
>>> as to
>>>>> how a cane user would make this crossing safely. I haven't been
>>> to an NFB
>>>>> training center, but would be curious as to the considered
>>> opinion of
>>>>> those centers on the best way to do this -- other than, of
>>> course, for
>>>>> the train to sound like a train and make some noise!
>
>>>>> Many thanks in advance,
>>>>> Corbb
>
>>>>> -----
>>>>> Corbb O'Connor
>>>>> studying at the National University of Ireland, Galway
>
>>>>> Begin forwarded message:
>
>>>>> From: "Ben J. Bloomgren" <ben.j.bloomgren at gmail.com
>>>>> Date: November 19, 2008 9:17:57 PM GMT
>>>>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>>>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>
>>>>> Subject: [nabs-l] Crossing light rail tracks
>>>>> Reply-To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>
>
>>>>> Hello all,
>
>>>>> On December 27, the Phoenix area gets its first taste
>>> (hopefully) of
>>>>> light rail transit. The ads are already warning about the
>>> quietness of
>>>>> the trains and advising pedestrians to look both ways before
>>> crossing.  My
>>>>> question is this:  How do blind people cross the street when
>>> there  are
>>>>> tracks?
>
>>>>> Ben
>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>
>
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>
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>>> s%40bellsouth.net
>
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