Lauren E Hernandez

Statesman Journal

A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the number of casualties and fatalities on Oregon railroads. During 2016, there were 106 railroad casualties, eight of which were fatal.

Salem is expanding the quiet zone along Union Pacific railroad tracks to reach Silverton Road NE, according to officials.

Starting May 1, Union Pacific train operators will be prohibited from sounding their horns at four additional crossings, with some exception for emergency situations.

The new crossings will be at Madison Street NE, Sunnyview Road NE, Woodrow Street NE and Silverton Road NE, bringing the total number of quiet zone crossings in Salem to 12.

"I always found the sound to be a nuisance and I know that's a shared sentiment around town," said Tyler Braun, who lives a few blocks away from a train crossing. "The train would wake me up."

Braun said he is often startled when a freight train rumbles through town at 11 p.m. after he's settled for the night.

The expansion comes four years after the initial quiet zone improvements were established and constructed, said Mike Gotterba, the communications manager of the Salem Public Works Department.

"The mayor, city council and staff have all been working hard on this with the Federal Railroad Administration to bring this to fruition," Gotterba said. "This has been a desire for the Salem community for a long time."

Union Pacific, however, does not endorse quiet zones because the company said they pose a safety risk to the community.

"When you establish a quiet zone, it takes some of the horn rules and safety features out of play," said Justin Jacobs, spokesman for the Union Pacific region that oversees Oregon, California, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Arizona. "It's strictly a safety concern from our perspective."

Federal regulations allow local public authorities like cities to establish quiet zones as long as they are bolstered with safety measures like signage, whistles, bells, lights and gates that drop to cease vehicle and pedestrian traffic.

Trains traveling within these zones are prohibited from sounding their horns at crossings with the exception of a train engineer determining there is an imminent danger on or near the tracks or when railroad switching operations are underway.

A review process and coordination between a municipality, railroad company and the Federal Railroad Administration is required before a quiet zone is officially established.

Municipalities must submit a notice of intent and establishment for a quiet zone, refer to specific federal guidelines to the establishing process and get the final OK from the Federal Railroad Administration.

Once established, Jacobs said, Union Pacific train crews and engineers are provided work briefs that detail the job they're conducting and specific instructions to prohibit horn blowing in quiet zones.

"That's the reason why it took so long to get this done," said Alan Scott, a member of Northeast Neighbors community organization.

Scott has pushed for quiet zone crossings for the past 17 years and worked with then-city councilor Chuck Bennett to pass a 2008 bond measure that included safety improvement for rail crossings in Salem.

"It made no sense to me that trains would blow their horns 24/7 at every crossing when every crossing already had lights, bells and gates," Scott said. "The Federal Railroad Administration has an 1800s mentality that they have to blow a horn at every crossing."

Scott, who lives three blocks from the Madison Street NE crossing, likened the sound of a passing train to an 18-wheeler truck roaring at his doorstep.

"Now if we hear the horn, it will be an emergency warning, not just a routine sound," Scott said.

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He points to incidents where trains still injured pedestrians despite auditory warnings, like a recent incident when a Beaverton woman was distracted by her cellphone and struck by a freight train in a Portland suburb.

There have been five railroad casualties in Oregon so far this year, two of which occurred on Union Pacific railroads — one in Hood River County and one in Clackamas County, according to Federal Railroad Administration reports. The administration defines a casualty as an individual who was injured on federal railroads.

In 2016, there were 106 railroad casualties in the state, eight of which were fatal.One of these fatalities occurred in Marion County.

Gotterba said the city of Salem is currently pursuing similar quiet zones to be established at three Portland Western Line crossings at Court Street, State Street and Minto Island Road.

He said the city hopes to place a bid for the idea and possibly construction later this year.

A celebration of the new quiet zones will be held on Monday, May 1 at 10 a.m. at the Silverton Road NE crossing.

Quiet zones in Oregon

- Salem

- Columbia City

- Westfir

- Portland

- Milwaukie

- The Dalles

- Pendleton

- Tualatin

Information compiled by Federal Railroad Administration