Fargo-Moorhead Quiet Zone Demonstration Project

The Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Final Rule on quiet zones was issued in April 2005. It will allow many cities an opportunity to end the routine sounding of locomotive horns while maintaining public safety. This case study provides local officials with information about technical aspects of the FRA’s Final Rule and describes practical implementation actions, based on the results of a national quiet zone demonstration project located in the Fargo, ND-Moorhead, MN, metropolitan area. The aims of the Fargo-Moorhead Demonstration Quiet Zone project were the following: (1) improve pubic safety along the tracks and (2) foster downtown redevelopment by eliminating train horns. To complete this pilot project, a citizen task force appointed by each city’s mayor led a six-year effort that required extensive coordination with the FRA, Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway, two state departments of transportation, the metropolitan planning organization (MPO), and downtown interest groups. A detailed planning and design process was completed after substantial agency and public input. Additionally, state legislative action was required and the FRA rule-making process was monitored. Further negotiations on multiple issues were necessary to identify safety measures acceptable to various stakeholders. Finally, the application to gain FRA/BNSF approval was completed, and grantsmanship efforts were undertaken to secure the funding necessary to implement the project. In September 2003, the FRA approved the quiet zone for the Fargo-Moorhead area as a demonstration project. Implementation is currently underway.

• Record URL:
  http://www.ctre.iastate.edu/pubs/midcon2005/index.htm
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/9780965231084
• Corporate Authors:

  Iowa State University, Ames

  Center for Transportation Research and Education
  2711 South Loop Drive, Suite 4700
  Ames, IA  United States  50010-8664
• Authors:
  • Shorten, Brian
• Conference:
  • The 2005 Mid-Continent Transportation Research Symposium
  • Location: Ames Iowa, United States
  • Date: 2005-8-18 to 2005-8-19
• Publication Date: 2005

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures;
• Pagination: 6p
• Monograph Title: Proceedings of the 2005 Mid-Continent Transportation Research Symposium

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Horns; Implementation; Locomotives; Metropolitan planning organizations; Noise control; Public policy; Railroad facilities; Safety; Train operations
• Geographic Terms: Fargo (North Dakota)
• Subject Areas: Environment; Policy; Railroads; Research; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01004305
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 9780965231084
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 28 2005 9:49AM