ᐅ Is it possible to have a quiet home despite an uncontrolled railroad crossing (train horns)?
Created on: 24 Feb 2021 21:22
J
JamaikaJoe
Hello,
as a backup option, we were able to reserve a plot of land in a new development area within the Nuremberg metropolitan region.
Everything fits well there except for one issue that concerns me: next to the development area (about 150m (490 feet) from our potential plot), a regional train passes over ungated level crossings and sounds its horn before each one. I am worried that the horn will be audible inside the house and disturb sleep.
The neighbors we spoke to, who have lived there for a long time, said they don’t notice the horn at all. They looked at us incredulously when we asked about it :-) The noise assessment assumes there is no significant noise emission from the railway line. However, I think this refers to the train noise itself, which is actually almost imperceptible, and not the horn.
During the day, I don’t find the horn disturbing. It fits the rural setting. But my wish is to have the house as a retreat, completely quiet from outside noises, including the horn.
Do you have experience whether such train horns can be “blocked out” by appropriate wall construction, a centralized mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery, and soundproof windows? Or is the horn too loud for these measures to effectively reduce the noise?
Thank you very much for your opinions
Jo
as a backup option, we were able to reserve a plot of land in a new development area within the Nuremberg metropolitan region.
Everything fits well there except for one issue that concerns me: next to the development area (about 150m (490 feet) from our potential plot), a regional train passes over ungated level crossings and sounds its horn before each one. I am worried that the horn will be audible inside the house and disturb sleep.
The neighbors we spoke to, who have lived there for a long time, said they don’t notice the horn at all. They looked at us incredulously when we asked about it :-) The noise assessment assumes there is no significant noise emission from the railway line. However, I think this refers to the train noise itself, which is actually almost imperceptible, and not the horn.
During the day, I don’t find the horn disturbing. It fits the rural setting. But my wish is to have the house as a retreat, completely quiet from outside noises, including the horn.
Do you have experience whether such train horns can be “blocked out” by appropriate wall construction, a centralized mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery, and soundproof windows? Or is the horn too loud for these measures to effectively reduce the noise?
Thank you very much for your opinions
Jo
Musketier schrieb:
Our local police officer wantedSensitive one 😉Musketier schrieb:
We live about 1-2 km (0.6-1.2 miles) as the crow flies from the highway, and yes, you can hear the highway as a faint background noise when the wind is right and the surroundings are quiet.We live about 600 meters (650 yards) west of the highway, and you can notice a non-intrusive hum. It’s louder with cold east winds, but you can’t hear it indoors. Freight traffic is about 1.2 km (0.75 miles) away, which can’t be heard. I used to live along that “line” in a neighboring town, and you’d hear the freight train occasionally, but it wasn’t a big deal.Bookstar schrieb:
Nothing is as annoying as children, not even a high-speed train passing through your living room 😀. So I can only advise: if you are sensitive to noise, build accordingly.True. Or the echo of car doors closing next door.But it’s really about the horn blowing... isn’t that comparable to church bells? We have those too – which I like, for example – not everything you hear is disturbing (unlike those annoying little birds outside :cool 🙂
There is also a psychological aspect that should not be underestimated.
If it already bothers you now, it is very likely that it will bother you even more later.
I also lived next to a railway for years and didn’t hear anything.
As a good example, I can mention a colleague who lives right next to a large hospital and its helicopter landing pad. I asked him if it drives him crazy, and his answer was quite the opposite: it actually calms him down because there are few places where you can get help faster in an emergency.
So this applies, as Jack Sparrow put it nicely:
The problem isn’t the problem; your attitude toward the problem is!
If it already bothers you now, it is very likely that it will bother you even more later.
I also lived next to a railway for years and didn’t hear anything.
As a good example, I can mention a colleague who lives right next to a large hospital and its helicopter landing pad. I asked him if it drives him crazy, and his answer was quite the opposite: it actually calms him down because there are few places where you can get help faster in an emergency.
So this applies, as Jack Sparrow put it nicely:
The problem isn’t the problem; your attitude toward the problem is!
Friends of ours live in a settlement about 1.5 km (1 mile) away from the highway. It is clearly audible.
I don’t notice church bells, only the death knell. That sounds different. Last year, during the curfew, it was really very quiet. That was the first time I realized what kind of “soundscape” is usually in the background. The brain can apparently filter out what is important quite well.
A friend of mine lived for many years very close to Augsburg central station. He didn’t notice anything at all—not the vibrations, the honking, or the traffic noise.
What matters is how often and when the trains pass by.
I don’t notice church bells, only the death knell. That sounds different. Last year, during the curfew, it was really very quiet. That was the first time I realized what kind of “soundscape” is usually in the background. The brain can apparently filter out what is important quite well.
A friend of mine lived for many years very close to Augsburg central station. He didn’t notice anything at all—not the vibrations, the honking, or the traffic noise.
What matters is how often and when the trains pass by.
Actually, the discussion is tedious because it has to fit his needs later on. And he should definitely avoid unnecessary risks if he already has concerns now. Soundproof windows are the best investment, really for any new build regardless of location. The small extra cost should always be worth it 🙂
The building envelope can be discussed, as more factors come into play there and the cost can quickly reach five figures.
The building envelope can be discussed, as more factors come into play there and the cost can quickly reach five figures.
A
Alessandro25 Feb 2021 10:39You get used to everything and gradually tune out background noises; otherwise, I would go crazy because of my wife...
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