The following article is from The Courier News for 10-15-09.
(Previous postings on this topic were on 11-9-08, 4-2-08, and 2-20-07.)
Hillsborough, Norfolk Southern agree on safety improvements to train crossing
By PAMELA SROKA-HOLZMANN
STAFF WRITER
Courier News
October 15, 2009
Municipal officials have approved an agreement with Norfolk Southern Railway Company that would allow train quiet zone electronic safety improvements at the Valley Road crossing.
Quiet zones are a section of a rail line that have one or more public crossings, where locomotive horns will not be routinely sounded. Under federal law, locomotives are required to sound their horns when approaching crossings.
Quiet zones previously were constructed at the Beekman Lane and Auten Road grade crossings, and safety improvements at the Roycefield Road crossing have been completed. But because Roycefield Road is less than one half mile from the Valley Road crossing, federal regulations require that both crossings be set as quiet zones together, Mayor Frank DelCore said.
Norfolk Southern must construct an electronic "power-out" indicator at the Valley Road grade crossing, which would tell the train engineer if the AC power is off. That way, the engineer can sound a train horn as a safety precaution, DelCore said.
The township wants to install a wayside horn at the Valley Road crossing, but Norfolk Southern continues testing the horn at other sites nationally and is not prepared to proceed, DelCore said. A wayside horn is one placed at a train crossing intersection and directed at vehicles.
Committeeman Carl Suraci said the quiet zone issue can be resolved by a new order from the state Transportation Department commissioner allowing for an interim quiet zone at Valley Road -- based upon meeting safety index criteria required in the federal regulations.
Suraci said a link will be added on the township's Web site for residents wanting to comment on the issue. DelCore added that once the new order is adopted, the township will continue working with Norfolk Southern to complete improvements at Valley Road and establish quiet zones at that crossing and the Roycefield Road crossing.