Salt Lake County aiming for train whistle 'quiet zones'

MURRAY — City leaders in Murray are leading the charge to create a "quiet zone" for light and heavy rail trains in the Salt Lake County area.

The move follows in the footsteps of Davis County cities, which created a 44-mile "quiet zone" with the opening of the FrontRunner commuter passenger system in 2008. At the time, the Davis County zone was the longest quiet section of track in the U.S.

Quiet zones exempt both passenger and freight trains from a federal requirement to blow whistles one-quarter of a mile before each street crossing. Instead, the crossings must be equipped with safety measures such as double crossing bars or concrete medians.

Midvale, South Salt Lake, Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County are joining Murray in its efforts to quiet trains. Elected officials in each municipality are considering interlocal contracts with each other and the Utah Transit Authority. If the contracts are signed, the municipalities will then apply to the Federal Railroad Administration for train whistle exemption.

"This is something that UTA has wanted to do on all of its projects," said UTA spokesman Gerry Carpenter.

Part of the existing light rail line is already operating under "quiet zone" status, though the exemption isn't permanent, due to substandard crossings. When the crossings are upgraded, the zoning will likely be granted, Carpenter said.

Even if UTA and the cities get their way, northern Utah won't be completely missing the haunting din of train bells and whistles. Locomotives will still be required to sound a warning in construction zones and in case of obstructions on the track.

"I'm expecting a lot of citizens to be happy about this as more and more housing gets pushed to the center of the valley and closer to TRAX," said Jan Wells, Murray's chief of staff.

E-mail: rpalmer@desnews.com