The Sprinter train crosses West Los Angeles Drive in Vista on Thursday.
HAYNE PALMOUR IV Staff photographer
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Many find Sprinter noise tolerable; Vista withholds judgment
By: PAUL SISSON - North County Times | ∞
The Sprinter train crosses West Los Angeles Drive in Vista on Thursday.
HAYNE PALMOUR IV Staff photographer
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NORTH COUNTY - Though public opinion on the traffic and noise generated by the new Sprinter trains vary, everyone seems to agree on one point: The new trains are a lot quieter than the midnight freights that blast their way through North County about twice a week, shaking windows and waking babies.
For years, critics have predicted that the Sprinter, due to open in mid- to late January, would be a noisy nuisance for those who live near the rail line's 36 crossings. Others worried that the passenger train, which will cross every major north-south road in North County, would snarl traffic and make commuters cry.
However, with the Sprinter now moving regularly through North County on testing runs, the criticism appears to be waning.
Teresa Hansen, whose apartment at North County Solutions for Change in Vista is only a few dozen feet from the rail tracks, said she is not worried about hearing the Sprinter's carlike horn every 15 minutes from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week.
"What's really really loud is the freight train," Hansen said. "The Sprinter (is) a lot quieter and it doesn't bother me."
Hansen's apartment, built in 2004, was designed to resist the noise. Chris Megison, executive director of the agency that provides housing for homeless families, said that his Vista home, situated a few miles down the tracks on Phillips Street, does not enjoy the same modern design.
"We're right on the tracks, and we hear it go by while they're testing," Megison said, adding that recent dinner guests commented on a passing Sprinter, even though his windows were closed.
He said an occasional passing Sprinter is no big deal, but one every 15 or 20 minutes might be different.
"The verdict is out until we experience the full brunt of it. What we have heard so far definitely concerns us, but not enough to mobilize a campaign to force the (North County) Transit District to put up a taller sound wall," Megison said.
A decibel difference
The transit district, the agency that built the $477 million Sprinter line, said the train's horn sounds at 85 decibels, significantly quieter than the 107 decibels blasted by freight trains and by the Coaster commuter trains that regularly run between Oceanside and downtown San Diego.
A decibel is a measurement used to indicate the intensity of sound. According to the Handbook of Acoustic Ecology, a motorcycle generates 88 decibels if heard from 30 feet away.
Tom Kelleher, a spokesman for the transit district, said he always expected the public to find the Sprinter much easier to live with than other passenger trains that traverse North County.
"I think people really thought it was going to be like a Coaster type of engine," he said. "We're glad they're starting to realize that it's not."
In Oceanside, Brett Albright, whose home is near College and Oceanside boulevards, said the Sprinter's warning horn does not make him cringe.
"College (Boulevard) is more noisy than the train. It's not an issue for me. I don't really notice it," Albright said, as a semi-tractor-trailer released its cacophonous brake in the background, filling the neighborhood with a pulsing roar.
Traffic
Traffic and safety worries related to the Sprinter also appear to have eased in some neighborhoods, though certainly not in all, officials said.
Sprinter trains have made regular testing runs in San Marcos for months, even reaching the half-hour service frequency that will soon be seen throughout the rail corridor. Mike Edwards, city engineer for San Marcos, said he is pleased with the way the Sprinter is interacting with busy north-south roads such as San Marcos Boulevard and Las Posas Road.
In mid-2007 Edwards said that automatic signals and Sprinter crossings might not allow enough time for pedestrians and vehicles to move out of the way before the sleek new trains come through as speeds that can reach 55 mph in some locations.
But Edwards said last week that the transit district has done well in ironing out the initial signal problems that he said surfaced when testing started.
"We are pretty happy with the responsiveness they've given us," Edwards said. "I think they've got it running very well right now."
Traffic backups that occur when the Sprinter crosses some main roads have not created big problems, Edwards said. He said he has heard few complaints so far from motorists angry about sitting behind a dropped train gate.
"We've had a few complaints here and there, but nothing major," Edwards said. "That doesn't mean we won't have some more once they start regular operations."
Things are much different in Vista, where regular Sprinter testing started on Dec. 13.
Vista city engineer Larry Pierce said malfunctioning Sprinter crossing gates, which he said sometimes drop for no apparent reason, continue to cause long traffic backups, especially on Escondido Avenue. Pierce, who expressed many of the same concerns that Edwards had last year, said the vote is still out on whether the Sprinter will be a traffic nightmare or simply a regular but momentary inconvenience for drivers.
"We're not going to be able to tell what we've got (right now)," Pierce said.
The transit district and Vista reached a $2.2 million settlement over noise concerns along the Sprinter's path, which cuts very close to homes in some parts of the city. The city planned to install extra protective crossing gates and other safety measures in order to create a "quiet zone" in the city where Sprinters and freight trains would no longer blow their warning horns. Though many in the Sprinter's path are not expressing dismay over its noise, Pierce said it is still too early to tell whether or not the quiet zone is truly necessary.
"Until they're up and operational, we're not making any decisions," Pierce said.
Back in San Marcos, Edwards expressed the opposite opinion. He said the city planned to pursue a quiet zone, and now will likely abandon that idea.
"It's quiet enough that we no longer feel it's necessary," Edwards said.
Contact staff writer Paul Sisson at (760) 901-4087 or psisson@nctimes.com.
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Noise? wrote on Jan 5, 2008 10:59 PM:If there is one thing thats great about the Sprinter so far... you don't even know it's coming, what, with that sissy horn and all. It's great!
Dennis wrote on Jan 6, 2008 12:30 AM:I like the fact the yelling and horn honking is louder that the train.
I would like to ask you all one thing, pay attenction to the no right on red, and the stop here mark's. I see people doing the wrong thing all the time. You are going to be a stat!!
Vista Granny wrote on Jan 6, 2008 7:44 AM:Of course Vista will complain! They're the ones that let people build new homes right on the tracks. Vista seems to cost the most, brag the most and provide the least of all the North County cities. Oh, that I had located some place else. Unfortunately, our real estate also sells for the least! Wonder why?
Nadine wrote on Jan 6, 2008 8:29 AM:The Splinter is so quiet you can hear a pin drop. It does not disturb the environment with noise pollution. I ride it early and often!
Ryland wrote on Jan 6, 2008 8:34 AM:I doubt people will drive to one of the sprinter station and ride the thing. I also can't wait to see how many city councill members in Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos and Escondido will be riding the sprinter on a daily basis.
What? wrote on Jan 6, 2008 8:56 AM:Yep, it is quiet. beepbeep, the horn sounds like a VW bug. Even the crossing bells are kind of soft sounding. But it is to early to tell what the opinions will be when it is passing 4 times an hour. It is also too late to do anything about it.
Shock and Ahhhhh wrote on Jan 6, 2008 9:21 AM:It's amazing that people are finally realizing that they already live with road noise, and red lights regularly stop traffic, causing backups, on north-south roads even without a Sprinter train nearby!
Life as we knew it has failed to cease thusfar. Naysayer's are bummin.
Khalil G. wrote on Jan 6, 2008 9:54 AM:bad traffic on southbound I5 Oside Blvd exit when Sprinter comes by. It delayed our green light three times, backing up exit up the hill onto the I5. Funny thing was the train went by in like 5 seconds but still the crossing lights pretended it was there for 8 minutes.
Ralphs wrote on Jan 6, 2008 11:56 AM:How would anyone know, the Sprinter is not running full time. The noise will be heard, and the traffic back ups will be a nusiance, but the politicians have shoved a half billion dollar train to no where down our throats. None of the politicians will be riding it, they get cars free from their individual cities. It will never have the ridership to even pay its own way. What a joke.
George wrote on Jan 6, 2008 12:01 PM:There is a trend here. In the blogs, we have Khalil G (above) saying the road was blocked for 8 minutes by the Sprinter crossing at Oceanside Boulevard. In another blog, The Roadie observed a delay of 3 minutes every 15 minutes (a road capacity reduction of 20%) at a crossing in Vista. In the letters column, John Kuivinen noted that the Sprinter is delaying traffic by 6 minutes out of every 15 ("almost half the time") at the El Camino Real crossing. Unless NCTD can fix the problem of unnecessary roadblocks, there's going to be a showdown between the District and the taxpayers.
Modernize-we are so last century wrote on Jan 6, 2008 12:59 PM:Americans who complain about mass transit obviously have never been to Europe or Japan where puplic transportation is used by the masses, not just the poor. It's clean, quiet, and inexpensive. And it's faster than private transportation. Why? because in the design stage they didn't take a haphazard approach. They took a holistic approach, considering how people were going to get to their final destination once they arrived at the train station. Buses and trains run like clockwork. Picking people up within minutes of their arrival and dropping them off anywhere they choose to go. People walk only a short distance. A distance that would be beneficial to waistline-challenged Americans.
New paradigm wrote on Jan 6, 2008 1:16 PM:Europeans and Japanese would absolutely scream if you took away their trains and MADE them drive cars! They wouldn't be able to sit, read, chat and socialize, take a nap, etc. They would have to sit in traffic, breathing noxious fumes, watching endlessly at the tail-lights ahead, while clutching and braking endlessly, as we do. And they wouldn't have the opportunity to morph into some anti-social A-hole who flips-off anyone who dares drive in front of them. Yes, we are so much more advanced..haha
Go Sprinter!!! wrote on Jan 6, 2008 1:34 PM:We are so excited about the Sprinter coming to San Marcos and the quiet horn was a pleasant surprise. Whenever we go to San Francisco we ride the Bart everywhere and we ride the Blue Line in Long Beach when we visit family there. Trains are fun for kids and a great way to get out and see stuff without the car!
What? wrote on Jan 6, 2008 2:43 PM:Modernize-we are so last century, New paradigm, your posts are so similar it makes wonder if you are even two people. Ah well all the easier to blast your opinions. Europe built their systems when trains were state of the art. Japan did it when they were rebuilding from WWII. They had to ride the train because their entire industrial complex had been smashed. No cars or any way to make cars. To say nothing about the fact that Japan is a tiny island smaller than California. Holistic approach my foot. The trains were built where the people were and more people then moved to these locations. A lot of that is due to the very high costs of owning and operating a motor vehicle in Europe and Japan. As for your theory about the road and traffic making people antisocial A-Holes I am sorry but there are just as many of those on mass transit as there are on the road. I think both of your posts are full of myths and miss conceptions and frosted with historical errors.
Wait Just a Minute.. wrote on Jan 6, 2008 6:16 PM:I think it's interesting that an article about the Sprinter's whistle noise was published BEFORE the train has actually started running on a real schedule using the REAL horn. The December target for the train to start running had to be moved up because of signal/safety issues arising from problems with the RR Crossings and the trains are still using the low sound test horns. Try again when the real sound impacts are apparent.
The fact is wrote on Jan 6, 2008 6:47 PM:These cars are currently being run empty. When they get up and running each train car will be filled from end to end with passengers. All that weight should hold the cars down heavier on the tracks and thus be much quieter.The key to the problem is the cars need to be full and Sandag assures us that they will be fully utilized.
What? wrote on Jan 6, 2008 8:25 PM:The fact is. WHAT? I don't think the size of the load will have any impact on the noise level. If anything I would think that a full load would put more strain on the engines and that would cause more noise not less. I also don't think the trains will be running "filled from end to end". But in every one of my statements I said I think which implies that it is just my opinion. As opposed to the fact is. Where did you come up with this theory of yours? For fairness I also have to call wait just a minute on his statements. I haven't read anything about the horns they are useing now as being low sound test horns. I had always figured/assumed that those were the real horns but that they also had BIG HORNS like the freight trains have that the conductor could use of they felt it was needed. I think the minimum volume of the horns are set by the NTSB and or federal/state law. Ah well all of this is a moot point because the Sprinter is a done deal.
Reardon wrote on Jan 6, 2008 9:54 PM:To The Fact Is: Is this the same SANDAG that estimated the $60 million cost? (It is now $477 million, and counting!) Is this the same SANDAG that placed five "start dates" on the project -- none of which were met? My confidence level in their "projections" is really low...and getting lower.
Another one wrote on Jan 7, 2008 1:37 AM:Watching the Crouch street crossing- the westbound Sprinter will come - the gates go down, the thing crosses, stops at the platform, leaves. The gates go up. .. and about a minute later, the gates come down again- and they stay down for most of two minutes. The Sprinter is most of the way to Hill street by now. IE, long gone. Past Vons, etc. On the eastbound trip the gates come down long before the Sprinter is even in sight. Wastes about 4 minutes sometimes before any train is in sight. Of course, it stops at the platform- and then leaves- and maybe it's most of the way to El Camino Real before the gates raise up. I bet the sissy rain delays this thing by a month too, with all the sure to be newly flowed mud... remember, this rail line has been here for over 100 years. In the past, before the construction crews came, it would rain - nothing would happen, after they 'upgraded' the stuff, it flows mud everywhere.
To: What? wrote on Jan 7, 2008 11:13 AM:Your wild theories about how transportation was developed in Japan are laughable. The rail system was developed in Japan because they had the forsight and discipline to develop what was in their nation's best interest. Trains, especially "bullet trains," were employed as technology evolved and advanced, and because trains were cheaper and more efficient than driving solo...period. In addition, land is a precious resource that they would not squander. You probably think that driving solo in a Lincoln Navigator to and from Temecula, on an eight lane highway, is the future of transportation. Sorry, but your thinking lies in the past with Detroit and General Motors. If America continues buying into your obsolete thinking, we will be left in the dust-bin of history, bankrupted by more efficient Asian economies.
O'side Res wrote on Jan 7, 2008 2:04 PM:I can't wait. Thank you fellow tax payer's.
Bruce wrote on Jan 10, 2008 5:08 AM:Danger is present at the El Camino crossing. Traveling north bound on El Camino, the steep downgrade combined with wet roads has the potential for loss of life. I pray this never happens.
Sprinter rocks wrote on Jan 10, 2008 7:47 PM:I long for the day when I will be able ride a bullet-train to San Francisco or Las Vegas. I can only imagine being whisked along at 200 MPH while watching a movie or reading "The Progressive" while occasionaly glancing out the window at Interstate 15 and the gridlocked Hummer and Yukon drivers. While I sip my liberal latte, I softly chuckle as I see them vehemently clinging to an obsolete transportation system designed by the Eisenhower-General Motors era of a century ago. Oh, how I long for the day!
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