Krzy
Posts:53
 | | 07/07/2007 12:37 PM |
 Alert | While UnionPacific and Maricopa are trying to negotiate permits to shutdown 347, did anyone mention the possibility of building sound walls to reduce the noise from the railroad?
There are those in town that might be willing to have 347 shutdown for a while in return for some sound walls. I know the train was there first, I know I wasn't, but it can't hurt to use it as a point of negotiation.
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When the only tool you own is a hammer, every problem begins to resemble a nail."
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twostep23
Posts:1687
| | 07/07/2007 1:05 PM |
Alert | | That would be a long way and would cost a bunch of money. Where do they put the wall and where do they don't put it? | |
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Tigg
Posts:549
| | 07/07/2007 1:23 PM |
Alert | | That would look horrid and be a huge waste of money! | | | |
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twostep23
Posts:1687
| | 07/07/2007 1:24 PM |
Alert | | Yeah, there would be no sights to see unless you like looking at walls. | |
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ken
Posts:521
| | 07/07/2007 2:05 PM |
Alert | | Ya a wall would look rather strange. The only option for lowering the noise that wouldn't look horrible is if they could lower the tracks similar to a freeway. In this setup, the train would underpass all the street crossings and never have to blow their horn. But I don't think anyone is willing to shell out the sort of money that would require... at least not any time soon. | |
"Knowledge is often mistaken for intelligence. This is like mistaking a cup of milk for a cow." -- Unknown | |
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twostep23
Posts:1687
| | 07/07/2007 2:07 PM |
Alert | | They could plant some big trees as a sound barrier. | |
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OutRider
Posts:89
| | 07/07/2007 2:33 PM |
Alert | | Ken ... Without a doubt your suggestion makes the most sense on ANY I have heard so far about the railroad. I am guessing because it's such a simple idea no one else thought of it...I know I didn't. | | | |
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rex
Posts:294
| | 07/07/2007 2:40 PM |
Alert | | Ken, I think they have that in Los Angeles. It's a great idea. The cost is probably going to be great too. Don't know how they would engineer a lowered track through the 3 or 4 washes near Maricopa. I guess lower the washes too. | | | |
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twostep23
Posts:1687
| | 07/07/2007 2:45 PM |
Alert | | Oh great another LA | |
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Jason
Posts:3378
| | 07/07/2007 4:25 PM |
Alert | | Lowering the tracks would be a tremendous expense, if it is even possible. I think adding walls would be nice, if they could come up with a nice design to go on them. You know how they add designs alongside the freeway in the sand? If they could do that for a wall it would look nice and reduce noise. | |
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twostep23
Posts:1687
| | 07/07/2007 4:26 PM |
Alert | A wall is a wall no matter what it looks like.
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maricopacabana
Posts:338
| | 07/07/2007 5:02 PM |
Alert | | A lowered grade would be interesting. Getting UP to foot the bill would be expensive. I find it interesting that it seems like no one noticed part of this latest project is to add the second track through town. | | | |
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Tigg
Posts:549
| | 07/07/2007 6:12 PM |
Alert | Not only would it look tacky, as I mentioned before, but 'sound walls' really don't eliminate or abosorb the sound anyway. All the walls do is give people the impression that they reduce sound, but really the sound bounces off one wall and the right over the top of the opposite wall. Mature trees are really the only things that abosorb sound, so if you really wanted to block the sound, you'd need vegitation. Plus, at least vegitation looks nice.
Personally, I LIKE the sound of the trains anyway! | | | |
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ken
Posts:521
| | 07/07/2007 6:50 PM |
Alert | I like the idea of trees to block the sound. That would look quite nice. So if we start planting tomorrow we should have some relief from the train in about 5-10 years? Time to start digging  | |
"Knowledge is often mistaken for intelligence. This is like mistaking a cup of milk for a cow." -- Unknown | |
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twostep23
Posts:1687
| | 07/07/2007 6:53 PM |
Alert | Exactly. And it isn't as if there isn't the room for it. Not only will it help make things look better but it will be easier to sell with the sound barriers there. Five years really isn't all that long either.
I've planted 5 trees along my back wall just in case the street behind me becomes a major road. I want the protection and added benefit when and if we ever sell.
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Jason
Posts:3378
| | 07/07/2007 6:57 PM |
Alert | <div class='NTForums_Quote'>Posted By Tigg on 07/07/2007 6:12 PM
Not only would it look tacky, as I mentioned before, but 'sound walls' really don't eliminate or abosorb the sound anyway. All the walls do is give people the impression that they reduce sound, but really the sound bounces off one wall and the right over the top of the opposite wall. Mature trees are really the only things that abosorb sound, so if you really wanted to block the sound, you'd need vegitation. Plus, at least vegitation looks nice.
Personally, I LIKE the sound of the trains anyway!</div>
So why does ADOT keep building them? They have research that shows otherwise. | |
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Tigg
Posts:549
| | 07/07/2007 7:08 PM |
Alert | ADOT keeps building them because the maintenance is less than with trees and people (although wrongly) believe that 'sound walls' actually block the sound instead of just making it echo in the opposite direction. It's an illusion, not an actual solution. Research can be manufactured to show just about any results for just about anything, it doesn't mean it's fully accurate - just ask any statistician. Think of how echolocation works. Sound is emmited from one point, bounces off of solid objects, and returns to where it started. A wall is a solid object and sound bounces off of it. Vegitation isn't so solid and therefore absorbs the sound as it passes through since it doesn't have to bounce off.
People here the sounds after the walls are built and say, wow, that noise is loud, thank goodness for the walls or it'd be unbearable, when in reality, if there were trees instead of walls, the sound would be much less. | | | |
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Tigg
Posts:549
| | 07/07/2007 7:09 PM |
Alert | hear, not here!
When do we get that edit button? | | | |
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rex
Posts:294
| | 07/07/2007 7:09 PM |
Alert | Trees and vegetation would attract all sorts of animal wildlife. That means lots of roadkill or trainkill along the tracks. The Railroad would have to hire a full time team of branch trimmers/groomers and carcus picker-uppers. Imagine the smell of the hot dead animal carcusi slowly traveling through town. The tree roots could possibly affect the track as to cause a derailment of toxic chlorine/chemicals in the center of Maricopa.
The old forum had a railroad topic. I think we found out that the center of Arizona (us) and the Picacho Peak Railyard are the only things left for the railroad to complete the 2nd line.
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ken
Posts:521
| | 07/07/2007 7:16 PM |
Alert | I think I summed this thread up pretty well a few hours ago...
The only option for lowering the noise that wouldn't look horrible is if they could lower the tracks similar to a freeway. In this setup, the train would underpass all the street crossings and never have to blow their horn. But I don't think anyone is willing to shell out the sort of money that would require. | |
"Knowledge is often mistaken for intelligence. This is like mistaking a cup of milk for a cow." -- Unknown | |
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