Old Glory Road railroad crossing deemed 'quiet zone'

  • Published
  • By Elizabeth McClain
  • 90th Civil Engineer Squadron
F. E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. --  The 90th Civil Engineer Squadron worked hard to establish a quiet zone at a well-traveled railroad crossing on base: the Burlington-Northern Santa Fe Railway and Old Glory Road crossing. A quiet zone is a railroad grade crossing where trains are not required to sound their horns, decreasing the noise level for nearby residential communities.

"I am very excited to finally turn the page on this effort, so that the families on Sergeants' Row and the rest of the base can have a little peace and quiet," said Lt. Col. Travis Leighton, 90th CES commander.

The train horns are silenced only when other safety measures compensate for the absence of the horns. The requirement from the Federal Railroad Administration provides localities nationwide the opportunity to establish quiet zones. To qualify, communities wishing to establish quiet zones must equip proposed grade crossings with adequate safety measures to overcome the decrease in safety created by silencing the train horns. The additional safety measures must be constructed at the community's own expense and must meet federal specifications. The improvements cost the base approximately $650,000 and took four years to attain. In the U.S. there are currently 448 quiet zones.

Members with the 90th CES and 90th Contracting Squadron met with BNSF, Federal Department of Transportation and Federal Railroad Administration representatives regarding the establishment of a quiet zone at Old Glory Road in 2007. Various alternatives and engineering approaches were discussed. Flashing lights were present, but cross arms and modern circuitry were not installed at the Old Glory Road railroad crossing.

The Air Force funded project included the installation/construction of a road median or channelization on both roadway approaches to the railroad crossing and closing off and re-routing the alley south of the Sergeant's Row military family housing area to prohibit entry onto Old Glory Road near the railroad crossing as an extra safety measure. Additionally, four-quadrant gates, which include pedestrian and vehicular-type gates, additional flashing lights, vehicle presence detection sensors, constant warning time circuitry and power-out alarm controls were installed.

A railroad quiet zone enhances the quality of life of base residents by eliminating the need for locomotive air horns day and night. A railroad quiet zone increases driver safety because cross arm gates and modern sensor circuitry have been installed. There will be an occasional horn sounded as needed to avert safety hazards, but the routine day and night sounding of the horns will be silenced.