Hello District 2,

In the last few weeks community members have reached out to me with their concerns about loud train horns in the Old Town neighborhood. These sounds come at all hours of the day and night, and I want to acknowledge how this impacts residents quality of life as well as surrounding businesses. I also want to express my appreciation for our Public Works staff's efforts to mitigate the issue. Below is the latest update from the City on this topic that covers the City's efforts to proactively address the concern and the estimated timeline for resolution. 

Sincerely,

Sarah Rumbaugh
Tacoma City Council Member, District 2

Update on wayside horn system at the McCarver Street intersection

The automated wayside horn system at the McCarver Street intersection has reached the end of its operational life and is currently offline. Wayside horns are specialized, pole-mounted systems that direct a concentrated warning sound straight down the intersection. This setup effectively alerts intersection traffic while minimizing noise for the surrounding neighborhood.

Because the wayside system is temporarily offline, the crossing no longer meets the federal safety requirements necessary to maintain this localized noise reduction. In accordance with Federal Railroad Administration regulations, train engineers are now required to sound their locomotive horns as they approach the intersection. While we understand the disruption this causes, this federal mandate is strictly enforced to help keep drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians safe.

Recognizing the aging infrastructure at this crossing, the City proactively initiated the process of ordering a brand-new, modernized wayside horn system several months ago. Unfortunately, the legacy system went offline before the replacement equipment could be delivered and installed.

We are in close communication with our vendor as the new system is being assembled and rigorously tested. Factoring in supply chain timelines for a few key components, we expect the new equipment to be delivered in approximately 8 to 10 weeks.

Once the equipment arrives, City crews will immediately begin installation. The City is already coordinating with BNSF Railway to see to it that as soon as our trackside work is complete, their electricians can seamlessly tie the system into their network and verify that everything is functioning as it should.

We share the community’s frustration with the temporary return of the locomotive horns. The Ruston Way waterfront is one of Tacoma’s most beautiful and heavily trafficked areas, and restoring a quieter, noise-mitigated environment is a top priority for the City.

Until the new system is delivered, installed, and certified, the locomotive horns will unfortunately be the temporary standard to help keep everyone crossing the tracks safe. We deeply appreciate the community’s patience as we work through the manufacturing timelines to replace this vital piece of neighborhood infrastructure.