Dear Editor:
I am responding to the letter about train horns at night in the
newspaper on Oct. 2.
Dear Editor:
I am responding to the letter about train horns at night in the newspaper on Oct. 2. The reason that trains honk their horns so much at night is because it’s dark and the trains aren’t so easy to see. Even though the lights are on, you sometimes can’t see them coming, especially around the many blind curves that Gilroy has, like the one near Leavesley and the one near the train station.
Even though the crossing guards go down, some people still try to beat the train. Trains always honk a lot during the day, so it’s probably the dead of night that exaggerates the horn’s volume. A train horn is as important as a siren in an emergency vehicle. Even though the train has lights, you can’t always see them, but can always hear the horn screeching.
Personally, as a rail fan, I love the sound of the horns at night, but I know some people don’t enjoy it. But you have to remember that a train horn is a very important safety feature that saves lives everyday. So, every night, when you hear a train horn, think that it could be saving lives.
Andrew Robb, Gilroy
Submitted Friday, Oct. 3 to [email protected]
Dear Editor:
I’m also getting very disgusted being awakened by the loud train horns.
I am aware they are for “safety” but considering the time of day, (night) the crossing arm with lights and the “wig-wag” lights from the train, if some one is going to cross, they will do it with or without the loud horn !!!
As Mr. Melendez wrote, this goes on several times during the “sleeping” hours, usually between 10 and 11 p.m., then again between 3 and 5 a.m. but not on weekends. Also, they have gotten louder in the past two years!
Is there something that can be done?
Zack Snyder, Gilroy
Submitted Monday, Oct. 5 to [email protected]
Editor’s note: We will look into the issue.
