Freight Train Noise on RR tracks in Crestview (Austin, Meadow: for sale, how much) - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum

eggos · 04-07-2010, 08:28 PM

Hello - I have searched the forum using several different terms and was unable to find the answer to a question. My wife and I are looking to buy a house in the Crestview area and have noticed the railroad tracks that run behind Grover Ave. I have been in the neighborhood in the afternoon when the light rail goes by and to me the noise was not excessive; however, due to the fact freight trains run in the middle of the night, it's not so easy for me to be in the neighborhood to understand if there is much noise or activity on the tracks behind Grover Ave.
My question is over the use and subsequent noise of the tracks at night. I know that Crestview is considered a "quiet zone" so the trains will not use their whistles/horns; however, I would like to know if freight trains run on that section of track at night and if so the type of noise they cause.

Can anyone verify if:
a) the section of track in the Crestview area is used nightly by the freight trains
b) how much noise the trains make in the middle of night
c)hours these trains run.

Thanks for responses in advance.

mickey65 · 04-07-2010, 09:12 PM

I don't hear the trains too often, but I don't live near there. I live near Gattis School off Meadowlawn.

I actually like hearing the trains in the distance. For me it's a peaceful sound, and reminds me of California when I lived right next to BOTH the BART and RR tracks.

You may want to re-think where you want to live if it's going to bother you. It would be like someone buying a house next to an airport and THEN complaining about the noise....I'm just sayin'...

mimimomx3 · 04-07-2010, 11:32 PM

I live clear across Mopac in NWHills and I hear the trains all night. In fact, I just heard one blow its horn! I love the train sounds, but I'm not sure I would if it were right by my window!

centralaustinite · 04-08-2010, 05:30 AM

Most places in central Austin, you can hear the trains, especially if your windows are open. The key thing to know is how close is the nearest crossing. If you are far from a crossing and there is a quiet zone where they won't blow their whistle, then I would think that the rumble would not be much of a bother.

The tracks that cross Oltorf, then Ladybird Lake, and up MoPac run about 23 freight trains a day! But the line that goes up Airport, through Crestview, is a different line. It is mainly used to haul gravel for road construction. Before light rail went in, I'd guess that most days there were fewer than 10 runs. It is definitely lower volume than the MoPac track.

But if it is really going to bother you, look for another house.

TexasHighDef · 04-08-2010, 05:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eggos

Hello - I have searched the forum using several different terms and was unable to find the answer to a question. My wife and I are looking to buy a house in the Crestview area and have noticed the railroad tracks that run behind Grover Ave. I have been in the neighborhood in the afternoon when the light rail goes by and to me the noise was not excessive; however, due to the fact freight trains run in the middle of the night, it's not so easy for me to be in the neighborhood to understand if there is much noise or activity on the tracks behind Grover Ave.
My question is over the use and subsequent noise of the tracks at night. I know that Crestview is considered a "quiet zone" so the trains will not use their whistles/horns; however, I would like to know if freight trains run on that section of track at night and if so the type of noise they cause.

Can anyone verify if:
a) the section of track in the Crestview area is used nightly by the freight trains
b) how much noise the trains make in the middle of night
c)hours these trains run.

Thanks for responses in advance.

I live in Crestview and it is rare for me to hear the trains here at night. They run slower and are much shorter than the ones on Mopac. I am about three blocks for the tracks. I can hear them on Mopac more than Crestveiw.I would not want them coming through my backyard but at three blocks away it is just fine. And I have good ears! LoL

neddy · 04-08-2010, 06:12 AM

I live about 2 blocks from some tracks and the noise does not bother me. Every once in a while you might have a in that sounds like it could use a can (or case) of wD40 but other than that no bother to me.

RevMen · 04-08-2010, 09:12 AM

I noticed that there are quite a few houses along Grover and Woodrow in front of the tracks that have been for sale lately. If you're looking at a house that's next to the tracks, I would recommend against it. Even though the trains are short and slow, the low frequency rumbling of a diesel locomotive easily penetrates the structures of most houses. And it only takes one train to wake you up.

If you're a few houses away you have distance on your side and, more importantly, other houses acting as shields. Try to assess how much of a passing train you can see from the house. If it's hidden or mostly hidden by other houses, you might be OK. If you can see a lot of the train, then your house will be "naked" and susceptible.

passionatearts · 04-08-2010, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RevMen

I noticed that there are quite a few houses along Grover and Woodrow in front of the tracks that have been for sale lately. If you're looking at a house that's next to the tracks, I would recommend against it. Even though the trains are short and slow, the low frequency rumbling of a diesel locomotive easily penetrates the structures of most houses. And it only takes one train to wake you up.

I definitely agree with RevMen. A friend of mine has a house on Grover Ave and a highly sound-proofed recording studio behind the house. When I was recording some tracks in the studio, I could actually hear and feel the freight trains rumbling by. This is in the same studio that is so sound-proofed that I couldn't even hear the drummer pounding away when I stepped outside the studio. That should give you an idea of how loud these trains can be.

austinizer · 04-08-2010, 03:13 PM

eggos,

The freight trains used to run during the day, but have been running at night for about a year now in preparation for the commuter rail (they are not allowed to share the tracks at the same time of day). I used to live near the Crestview neighborhood for about 10 years, about 0.3 miles from the tracks. When they first started running at night, the Lamar intersection wasn't a quiet zone yet and it was definitely noticable when the freight train came through (usually around midnight or 1 am). I moved before the area became a true quiet zone. I recommend you come and listen for yourself ... perhaps you can call Capital Metro and find out the schedule of the freight train.

I do believe that the freight traffic is less frequent on the Capital Metro tracks than on the UPRR tracks. I live about 2 miles from the UPRR tracks now, and we can hear the train very quiet and muffled (I like it).

TexasHorseLady · 04-08-2010, 03:14 PM

I actually have one of those listings, friends of mine. I asked them about the track noise, obviously, and she said that they did notice them going by a couple of times a day but it wasn't a big problem to them.

Had someone in there painting for several days while they were testing the MetroRail, and asked her about it, and she said it was pretty much unnoticeable while she was in the house, although she did notice once when she stepped outside at the same time that the trail was going by. This house is on the tracks side of Woodrow.

I'm thinking someone who's already concerned about noise issues probably shouldn't buy there, or on any of the streets relatively close to it. But people's tolerance varies; clearly people have been living there for quite some time now.