Missoula May Finally Be Doing Something About Local Train Noise

Living in downtown Missoula, you sort of get used to hearing train noise every once in a while - and when it happens during the day, I don't think most people have that much of an issue with it. But let's say it's around 11:00 at night, you're finally laying down to go to bed after a long day, you're just about to get to sleep, and then... BWAAAAAAAAAAAMMM! Your sleep is broken by the sound of the nearby train.

It happens to me pretty frequently, so it's pretty encouraging to see this story that Missoula's Public Works & Mobility Department are actually trying to do something about it. They've been running some tests over the last few weeks with a new system that could severely cut down the amount of noise a train has to make as it comes through Missoula.

Right now, trains are required by law to sound their horns when coming through a public road crossing - but if there's an alternate system in place, they can use that instead. The new system would place wayside horns at the intersections where a train would be crossing - it still makes noise, but a lot less and with a much smaller reach than the horns you're hearing now.

I know plenty of locals have been agitated about train noise for a while now, especially over the past few years as the number of trains passing through town has only increased. Hopefully this is the first step in creating some actual change, and hopefully it means I'll be able to get a peaceful night's sleep again!