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The cost of setting up railroad quiet zones was the subject of an article in the Bee (April 14, 2016). The railroad wants the danger of the horn not being blown to be mitigated. Install motion detectors to detect any activity in the track area after the lights are on and the arms are down. If these warning signals are activated and motion is detected, a horn can be blown automatically. The horn doesn’t have to be on the train, but it could be. When the horn is blown, a camera could take pictures of what caused the activation. If a car is identified as the activation problem, the driver could be penalized for breaking a law that should be in place to stop drivers from going around the warning signals that mean a train is coming. This law should also state that anyone that breaks this law does so at their own risk. Any damage or hurt caused by a breaking of the law, should not be the responsibility of the railroad.

The system should be planned so that it is self-tested frequently.

A train, should it have to stop after the warning signals have been activated, should shut them off until it is ready to proceed.

Since the railroad is still blowing a warning horn, now for reason, but any harm coming from illegal activity would not be charged to them … there is no reason for them not to be happy with the new, inexpensive, quiet zone regulations.

KARL FUCHS

Sandpoint