The Fuzzy World 3um

I live about a block away from both a WSOR crossing and CN crossing. The CN crossing is a horn-free zone with the gates and the like, and the WSOR track isn't. The CN tracks are ribbon rail and the WSOR tracks are still sticks, so WSOR trains go through very slowly. So, that makes it easy for me to tell which train is coming by wether or not I hear a horn and by how fast it sounds like the train is moving.

However, I've recently been hearing horns blasting all the time, and what's weird is it sounds like the horns are on fast moving trains, which made me think it's CN blasting it's horn through a horn free zone for no apparent reason. So tonight, the mystery was solved when I got stopped at the CN tracks, only to see a WSOR train come blazing through with it's horn blasting.

So what's the deal? WSOR doesn't have to abide by the whistle free zone rules when they're on someone elses track? Or do they just not know the crossings are whistle free? (Note that I'm not really bothered by train horns because I'm a traini-o-holic, but I'm pretty sure the CN and the town of Richfield didn't go through all the expense of installing gates and road dividers just to have the trains blast their horns anyway! )

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Sincerely,
Todd M. Taylor
The Unofficial $oo Line Diesel Roster

What crossing? Pioneer Rd?

If so, the horn-free zone (IIRC) is only for the CN. The center line "barricades" and "No horn" signs are only for the CN crossing. Driving west on Pioneer from 175, the sign is just before the CN tracks but west of WSOR's tracks, as are the barricades.

You meant a WSOR train on the CN tracks?

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Badgerland Rail Videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/HighIronofWisconsin
Rail photos: http://andyws.rrpicturearchives.net

Exactly. WSOR on CN tracks.... zooming through, blasting the horning right throught the horn-free zone. Sorry if that wasn't clear in my first post.

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Sincerely,
Todd M. Taylor
The Unofficial $oo Line Diesel Roster

I think WSOR blows when on CN through Waukesha also. All the times I've seen the JH, they blow for all their crossings and then as they head north from Grand Ave. I've heard them blow for crossings on CN.

Prior to the WSOR radio upgrades, it was about the only way to know they were in town because CN doesn't blow (figuratively, of course )

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Isn't there typically a little white sign with a black "W" for "whistle" if you're supposed to blow your horn? I'm assuming that near horn-free crossings, that sign isn't there, hence you shouldn't blow your horn? I don't know very much about the actual operations of a railroad, but I'm assuming there are rules that apply and everyone should follow them consistently, or is this not the case between different railroads?

_________________
Sincerely,
Todd M. Taylor
The Unofficial $oo Line Diesel Roster

The white "W" signs are there but with a hash across the W. See the pic:

Right On Time by Wide Cab, on Flickr

If WSOR's still blowing there, that may be related to any agreement with the municipality and/or CN.

the only crossings I've heard WSOR blow horns for is the ones on thier track, and the payne and dolan, but both CN and WSOR blow from payne and dolan and north IIRC

They had to blow there because the CN took the Quiet Zone Away due to the work on the CN at Rugby Junction.
Today ( 11/23/2011 ) the Quiet Zone was re-instated.

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Duplainville USA
Where the Two Canadians Meet
Duplainville USA

Interesting... I wonder what they're doing. I did see a lot of CN trucks just south of Slinger a few days ago, but none of them looked like construction vehicles.

They must be a little slow to reinstating the horn ban... I'm hearing another train horn as I type this

_________________
Sincerely,
Todd M. Taylor
The Unofficial $oo Line Diesel Roster

They must be slow to let the crews know.
Heard the RTC tell one train crew today "the quiet zone is back in effect at south Rugby".

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Duplainville USA
Where the Two Canadians Meet
Duplainville USA

Grand Ave. in Waukesha is a "NO BLOW" crossing for WSOR. WSOR crews must have CN TT & Rules to opperate between Slinger and Waukesha, so WSOR crews would know of the Whistle bans on CN. Horns are allowed to be blown in emergencies (i.e. cars passing crossing signals).

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Sal
WFB, WI

CN MoW or Signal crews in the RoW are also reasons to blow. Especially if any of the work taking place involves signalling or crossing protection devices.

As of late, instead of the normal "loooong-loooong-short-loooong" horns, I've been hearing quick, 'double-toots'. I drove from Ackerville and headed south today, and it looks like the CN is busy replacing old signals and in some cases, putting in new signals. With all the work they've done on the tracks and signals in the Ackerville/Rugby Junction area, I'm assuming they plan on cramming a lot of trains through the area in the not so distant future. Too bad they probably aren't putting a web cam on any of the new signal towers so I can see what's going on

_________________
Sincerely,
Todd M. Taylor
The Unofficial $oo Line Diesel Roster

Double toot is normally a forward signal - three a reverse move. But for trackside heads-up "make a little noise" alerts - those are fairly common - while minimizing the neighborhood distraction.

CN has been installing hardware to support Positive Train Control both trackside and on locomotives. That goose stick rail was supposed to be replaced in early Nov. - but the goose railheaters aren't beefy enough to work in the colder temps. Wonder if WAMX has a few in their arsenal that are larger. WSOR might be in the market for a larger one - or perhaps, with 2.5 trains of welded rail planned for 2012 - they could lease a bigger rail dragon.

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