[The Louiswu]

...and when someone gets killed because the train was forbidden to blow it’s horn, then what?

[purpleraine]

As far as I know, the crossing arms and flashing lights at the crossing might be a hint to most drivers that a train is coming. In many towns, the trains blow their whistles 24 hours a day as they approach streets which cross the tracks. I don't think that was the case until about 15 years ago. If you live near the tracks, you can sleep with the air conditioning on or open your windows and wake up 2-4 times a night.

The whistle requirement is an example of the government trying to stop stupid people from dying. They will find another way.

[bfree]

stay off the tracks. How hard is it? Trains don’t sneak up on people.

[Rb ver. 2.0]

“.and when someone gets killed because the train was forbidden to blow it’s horn, then what?”

A friend of mine lives in a small, mainline railroad town. She says “Everyone who grew up here knows someone that has been killed by a train.”

[Wil H]

...and when someone gets killed because the train was forbidden to blow it’s horn, then what?

Then the emergency vehicles called the scene won't be allowed to use sirens either..

[Fishrrman]

...and when someone gets killed because the train was forbidden to blow it’s horn, then what?

The engineman is always permitted - indeed, required - to use the horn in case of an emergency, or to warn someone on or near the tracks. This supersedes the "quiet zone" rules.

Not to do so could result in rules violation charges against the engineman if an accident or fatality did happen afterwards. Modern locomotives have event recorders that record such things as the sounding of the horn and the ringing of the bell, headlight position, and numerous other things.

In fact, on trains such as Amtrak's Acela Express, the entire operation of the train is recorded and is retained as a permanent record. They could go back 5 years to a particular trip, and replay it back in front of you.

In the future, things are going to go even further. Today, the information is "recorded" onto an "event recorder", which can be played back later. But I believe Amtrak has invited bids on some sort of "real-time monitoring" system using "data radios", by which the operation of a locomotive can be reviewed continuously and in "real-time" as it is being operated, from a control center miles away. "Big brother is watching you", in real life! It won't be in operation for a few years, yet - but it's coming.

- John