[vpintheak]

I hear a train all the time from farther than that. Perfectly normal

[Yankee]

If you are hearing a whistle you are hearing a ghost.

Today's diesel locomotives do not have whistles. They are equipped with air horns.

A reproduction of a Southern Pacific Railroad 6 chime steam whistle.

Listen Here

A typical modern 5 chime air horn

Listen Here

As many folks have stated on here, yes it is possible to hear train horns from many miles away depending on weather conditions and the terrain features between you and the railroad.

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

100 miles. You can hear the whistle blow 100 miles.

[COBOL2Java]

If you ever see it, try to catch the train number...

[scott7278]

bfl

[Gandalf_The_Gray]

We live about eight miles away from a drag-strip. There is an Interstate, hills, lots of trees, and other obstructions between us. In the summer time we can clearly hear the cars “staging” and then the sustained 1/4 mile run. When they run the jet cars it's almost like being in the stands.

I remember some years ago we heard a short run which ended in a very loud bang. The next day we heard that a fuel burning rail blew a clutch. There were some killed in the stands from shrapnel. I believe the explosion ripped open the scatter shield, now they use Kevlar blankets.

Regards,
GtG

[discostu]

I live down the street from you in Tucson. On a quiet morning I can hear the train whistle 8 1/2 miles away. I can hear the UofA clock town bell too sometimes. Sound travels well unopposed.

[rabidralph]

I live near train tracks, about 500 yards, and the loudness does vary, depending on the wind direction.

[Fire_on_High]

Yep, very plausible given the right atmospheric conditions.

[SamAdams76]

I was taking the dog for a walk around sunset and I thought of your thread. There is a "ghost neighborhood" near my house where they paved some new roads but never got around to building houses there. So it's a great place to take the dog for a walk where you don't have to worry about traffic.

So on top of the hill, where the really expensive houses will (or might) eventually get built, I heard train whistles off in the distance. Now the Danbury branch of the Metro North Line passes a good 10 miles from my house as the crow flies so I was amazed to hear the whistles so clearly. That is the closest active railroad to where I live.

It was definitely eerie as the sun had set and it was getting very dark with just a smudge of orange/red in the western horizon.

[NorthMountain]

I live about 7 miles from a train track. Is it possible to hear a train whistle that far away?

Yes.

[Semper911]

I lived near there in my youth (close to Arcadia high school, is it still there?) And I used to hear a train early in the morning. I knew damn well there was no track for miles, and I used to marvel at being able to hear it. And not just the whistle either... I could hear the rumbling of the tracks.