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  1. #1
    Robert Payne
    Guest
    I recently moved into a town that has two train tracks that run
    through it. At various times in the day and night you can hear
    commuter and freight trains come by (I live about 1,500 feet from
    the tracks.) and the engineers always blows the horn!

    At first I was surprised that nobody complained, but after about a
    week or so, I got used to the noise, and I kind of enjoy it now!

    I asked a neighbor just yesterday, “If there was a 24-hour period
    that NO trains would come through do you think you would
    notice?” She replied “Yes” but does anyone really know?

    Does anyone else live in a town, near the tracks? Any interesting
    train and/or noise related comments or stories? I am only asking
    because I have never lived anywhere near trains prior to this move.

    Now with the cost of gasoline I might look into what the train
    fares are! Can you use cell phones on a train?

    Bob Payne



    See More: Can you use cell phones on trains?




  2. #2
    Earl F. Parrish
    Guest

    Re: Can you use cell phones on trains?


    "Robert Payne" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    >I recently moved into a town that has two train tracks that run
    > through it. At various times in the day and night you can hear
    > commuter and freight trains come by (I live about 1,500 feet from
    > the tracks.) and the engineers always blows the horn!
    >
    > At first I was surprised that nobody complained, but after about a
    > week or so, I got used to the noise, and I kind of enjoy it now!
    >
    > I asked a neighbor just yesterday, "If there was a 24-hour period
    > that NO trains would come through do you think you would
    > notice?" She replied "Yes" but does anyone really know?
    >
    > Does anyone else live in a town, near the tracks? Any interesting
    > train and/or noise related comments or stories? I am only asking
    > because I have never lived anywhere near trains prior to this
    > move.
    >
    > Now with the cost of gasoline I might look into what the train
    > fares are! Can you use cell phones on a train?
    >
    > Bob Payne


    If the wireless carriers have towers near the tracks, it is like
    being outdoors. Amtrak has an in-house system but others should
    work under the preceding conditions. Here is a link:
    http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/Conten...54513&ssid=350


    --
    Earl F. Parrish





  3. #3
    jeaniesing
    jeaniesing is offline
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    I lived my childhood life by those whistles... I waited for the first train after my alarm clock to get out of bed ...I was gonna be late for school if I heard another train before I was ready to go out the door... if I heard whistles while reading after going to bed I was in BIG trouble (sleep deprivation) the next day... PA Main line 2 blocks away... bottom of a big hill so brakes and warning whistles going West, extra engines going East


    Thanks for the fond memory



    Quote Originally Posted by Robert Payne
    I recently moved into a town that has two train tracks that run
    through it. At various times in the day and night you can hear
    commuter and freight trains come by (I live about 1,500 feet from
    the tracks.) and the engineers always blows the horn!

    At first I was surprised that nobody complained, but after about a
    week or so, I got used to the noise, and I kind of enjoy it now!

    I asked a neighbor just yesterday, “If there was a 24-hour period
    that NO trains would come through do you think you would
    notice?” She replied “Yes” but does anyone really know?

    Does anyone else live in a town, near the tracks? Any interesting
    train and/or noise related comments or stories? I am only asking
    because I have never lived anywhere near trains prior to this move.

    Now with the cost of gasoline I might look into what the train
    fares are! Can you use cell phones on a train?

    Bob Payne



  4. #4
    Quick
    Guest

    Re: Can you use cell phones on trains?

    Earl F. Parrish wrote:
    >>
    >> I asked a neighbor just yesterday, "If there was a
    >> 24-hour period that NO trains would come through do you
    >> think you would
    >> notice?" She replied "Yes" but does anyone really know?
    >>
    >> Does anyone else live in a town, near the tracks? Any
    >> interesting train and/or noise related comments or
    >> stories? I am only asking because I have never lived
    >> anywhere near trains prior to this move.
    >>
    >> Now with the cost of gasoline I might look into what the
    >> train fares are! Can you use cell phones on a train?
    >>
    >> Bob Payne

    >
    > If the wireless carriers have towers near the tracks, it
    > is like being outdoors. Amtrak has an in-house system
    > but others should work under the preceding conditions.
    > Here is a link:
    >

    http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/Conten...2Copy/Title_Im
    age_Copy_Page&c=am2Copy&cid=1080080554513&ssid=350

    and yes, you will notice if the trains stop. You will
    feel like something is very much missing until you
    put your finger on it.





  5. #5
    Dan
    Guest

    Re: Can you use cell phones on trains?


    "Robert Payne" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    >I recently moved into a town that has two train tracks that run
    > through it. At various times in the day and night you can hear
    > commuter and freight trains come by (I live about 1,500 feet from
    > the tracks.) and the engineers always blows the horn!
    >
    > At first I was surprised that nobody complained, but after about a
    > week or so, I got used to the noise, and I kind of enjoy it now!
    >
    > I asked a neighbor just yesterday, "If there was a 24-hour period
    > that NO trains would come through do you think you would
    > notice?" She replied "Yes" but does anyone really know?
    >
    > Does anyone else live in a town, near the tracks? Any interesting
    > train and/or noise related comments or stories? I am only asking
    > because I have never lived anywhere near trains prior to this move.
    >
    > Now with the cost of gasoline I might look into what the train
    > fares are! Can you use cell phones on a train?
    >
    > Bob Payne


    Hello, I use my phone on the train all the time. Out my way, we have Metra
    Commuter trains. (Chicagoland thing) For the most part, we have signal in
    most if not all areas served by metra by our local carriers. (some minor
    dead spots occasionally.) Just have to be nice about it though. You don't
    start screaming into the phone. They even have signs inside the train
    telling you about how to be nice about using your phone.

    Ioccasionally use Amtrak to go from Chicago to either Milwaukee or
    Galesburg. To Milwaukee, i have no problem making calls. Ive actually made a
    call from milwaukee and end the call half way there. I usually browse the
    web the entire time.

    Galesburg is another story. T-Mobile and cingular end about 50 minutes
    before galesburg and resume about 15 minutes before you get there. Little
    gap in coverage. No gsm coverage. An occasional drift of Iowa Wireless and
    that's about it. I can't speak for Verizon W/U.S. Cellular/sprint or nextel
    though. Ive never had them.





  6. #6
    Jeffrey Kaplan
    Guest

    Re: Can you use cell phones on trains?

    It is alleged that Robert Payne claimed:

    > I recently moved into a town that has two train tracks that run
    > through it. At various times in the day and night you can hear
    > commuter and freight trains come by (I live about 1,500 feet from
    > the tracks.) and the engineers always blows the horn!


    I live about 50 feet from the tracks and 200 feet from a crossing.
    Additionally, Ford Motor Cars, Inc, has their regional distribution
    center about a thousand feet or so down the line (vehicles are brought
    in by train and then put onto the road-going car carriers). It's a
    pair of tracks, one is the regional commuter train line and the other
    is an active freight line used by everybody.

    The crossing is posted as "no horn" for the overnight, but there are
    two other crossings within a half-mile in either direction and at night
    those horns carry. And I do complain to the police dispatcher, as per
    the proper procedures, when the train jockeys ignore the "no horn"
    edict for this crossing.

    The noise is worse in the warmer months when I leave windows open.

    > Now with the cost of gasoline I might look into what the train
    > fares are! Can you use cell phones on a train?


    Service availability dependant, why wouldn't you? It would be roughly
    equivalent to using a cellphone as a passenger in a car.

    --
    Jeffrey Kaplan www.gordol.org
    The from userid is killfiled Send personal mail to gordol

    "We finally broke the language barrier and introduced ourselves. And I
    was invited aboard their ship. It was incredible. I'd never seen so
    much space on a starship, and the T'Kar themselves. So unlike any other
    species we'd encountered." (Capt. Sheridan, B5 "A Spider In The Web")



  7. #7
    Donald Newcomb
    Guest

    Re: Can you use cell phones on trains?


    "Robert Payne" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    > I recently moved into a town that has two train tracks that run
    > through it. At various times in the day and night you can hear
    > commuter and freight trains come by (I live about 1,500 feet from
    > the tracks.) and the engineers always blows the horn!


    Some years back we rented a house with a densely wooded back yard. At two AM
    we were just about rolled out of bed when the freight train rolled through
    blowing it's horn. Turned out that the CSX main line was about 150 feet back
    through the woods. Oddly enough we got used to it but at the end of they
    year's lease we moved farther from the tracks.

    >
    > Now with the cost of gasoline I might look into what the train
    > fares are! Can you use cell phones on a train?


    Of course you can. Just go to Europe and see. In Japan they make you go to
    the end of the car to talk on the phone. It just depends on if the carrier
    has towers within range of the tracks. Tunnels are a bit of a bother. I once
    saw an article about how much RF energy can be reflected around the 90% of
    the train car walls that don't transmit radio waves (they only pass in &
    out the windows) and the possible health effects of many people talking on
    their cell phones in a train.

    --
    Donald Newcomb
    DRNewcomb (at) attglobal (dot) net





  8. #8
    Craven Morehead
    Guest

    Re: Can you use cell phones on trains?

    For a short, but complete tutorial on living near train tracks, rent the
    classic movie "The Blues Brothers". Listen to what Elwood proclaims.

    "Robert Payne" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    > I recently moved into a town that has two train tracks that run
    > through it. At various times in the day and night you can hear
    > commuter and freight trains come by (I live about 1,500 feet from
    > the tracks.) and the engineers always blows the horn!
    >
    > At first I was surprised that nobody complained, but after about a
    > week or so, I got used to the noise, and I kind of enjoy it now!
    >
    > I asked a neighbor just yesterday, "If there was a 24-hour period
    > that NO trains would come through do you think you would
    > notice?" She replied "Yes" but does anyone really know?
    >
    > Does anyone else live in a town, near the tracks? Any interesting
    > train and/or noise related comments or stories? I am only asking
    > because I have never lived anywhere near trains prior to this move.
    >
    > Now with the cost of gasoline I might look into what the train
    > fares are! Can you use cell phones on a train?
    >
    > Bob Payne






  9. #9
    George
    Guest

    Re: Can you use cell phones on trains?

    Jeffrey Kaplan wrote:
    > It is alleged that Robert Payne claimed:
    >
    >
    >>I recently moved into a town that has two train tracks that run
    >>through it. At various times in the day and night you can hear
    >>commuter and freight trains come by (I live about 1,500 feet from
    >>the tracks.) and the engineers always blows the horn!

    >
    >
    > I live about 50 feet from the tracks and 200 feet from a crossing.
    > Additionally, Ford Motor Cars, Inc, has their regional distribution
    > center about a thousand feet or so down the line (vehicles are brought
    > in by train and then put onto the road-going car carriers). It's a
    > pair of tracks, one is the regional commuter train line and the other
    > is an active freight line used by everybody.
    >
    > The crossing is posted as "no horn" for the overnight, but there are
    > two other crossings within a half-mile in either direction and at night
    > those horns carry. And I do complain to the police dispatcher, as per
    > the proper procedures, when the train jockeys ignore the "no horn"
    > edict for this crossing.



    Unfortunately sounding the horn is a federal requirement that cannot be
    superceded by local regulations. We are about 1/2 mile from 2 grade
    crossings on a line that was inactive for at least 25 years that all of
    a sudden became a new freight mainline. Sometimes there are a dozen
    trains at night. Some of the towns tried to pass ordinances but were
    informed they were trumped because of ICC. You would think that in the
    year 2005 they could deploy a scanning system to determine if anybody or
    anything were in the "box" surrounding the crossing and then inform the
    train operator of the need to blow the 130 db horn.


    >
    > The noise is worse in the warmer months when I leave windows open.
    >
    >
    >>Now with the cost of gasoline I might look into what the train
    >>fares are! Can you use cell phones on a train?

    >
    >
    > Service availability dependant, why wouldn't you? It would be roughly
    > equivalent to using a cellphone as a passenger in a car.
    >




  10. #10
    Rick
    Guest

    Re: Can you use cell phones on trains?


    "Robert Payne" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    >I recently moved into a town that has two train tracks that run
    > through it. At various times in the day and night you can hear
    > commuter and freight trains come by (I live about 1,500 feet from
    > the tracks.) and the engineers always blows the horn!
    >
    > At first I was surprised that nobody complained, but after about a
    > week or so, I got used to the noise, and I kind of enjoy it now!
    >
    > I asked a neighbor just yesterday, "If there was a 24-hour period
    > that NO trains would come through do you think you would
    > notice?" She replied "Yes" but does anyone really know?
    >
    > Does anyone else live in a town, near the tracks? Any interesting
    > train and/or noise related comments or stories? I am only asking
    > because I have never lived anywhere near trains prior to this move.
    >
    > Now with the cost of gasoline I might look into what the train
    > fares are! Can you use cell phones on a train?
    >
    > Bob Payne



    I grew up near train tracks and the sound of the trains becomes such a part
    of your routine that you won't think twice about it. It's like the whirring
    of your refrigerator. Once it stops, you immediately notice the quiet and
    you realize there's something wrong.





  11. #11
    Jeffrey Kaplan
    Guest

    Re: Can you use cell phones on trains?

    It is alleged that George claimed:

    > > The crossing is posted as "no horn" for the overnight, but there are
    > > two other crossings within a half-mile in either direction and at night
    > > those horns carry. And I do complain to the police dispatcher, as per
    > > the proper procedures, when the train jockeys ignore the "no horn"
    > > edict for this crossing.

    >
    > Unfortunately sounding the horn is a federal requirement that cannot be
    > superceded by local regulations. We are about 1/2 mile from 2 grade


    My town isn't the only community in Massachusetts that has a "no horn"
    rule for the overnight. Last I heard, there is one town that has the
    "no horn rule" in effect for the entire town, not just one or two
    specific crossings.

    --
    Jeffrey Kaplan www.gordol.org
    The from userid is killfiled Send personal mail to gordol

    "He mentioned something about evening the score... I wasn't able to
    find out what he was planning cause he stopped talking to me after
    that, at your urging." (Mr. Morden, B5 "Interludes and Examinations")



  12. #12
    Jeffrey Kaplan
    Guest

    Re: Can you use cell phones on trains?

    It is alleged that Craven Morehead claimed:

    > For a short, but complete tutorial on living near train tracks, rent the
    > classic movie "The Blues Brothers". Listen to what Elwood proclaims.


    I own a copy of the that movie.

    --
    Jeffrey Kaplan www.gordol.org
    The from userid is killfiled Send personal mail to gordol

    "He mentioned something about evening the score... I wasn't able to
    find out what he was planning cause he stopped talking to me after
    that, at your urging." (Mr. Morden, B5 "Interludes and Examinations")



  13. #13
    George
    Guest

    Re: Can you use cell phones on trains?

    Jeffrey Kaplan wrote:
    > It is alleged that George claimed:
    >
    >
    >>>The crossing is posted as "no horn" for the overnight, but there are
    >>>two other crossings within a half-mile in either direction and at night
    >>>those horns carry. And I do complain to the police dispatcher, as per
    >>>the proper procedures, when the train jockeys ignore the "no horn"
    >>>edict for this crossing.

    >>
    >>Unfortunately sounding the horn is a federal requirement that cannot be
    >>superceded by local regulations. We are about 1/2 mile from 2 grade

    >
    >
    > My town isn't the only community in Massachusetts that has a "no horn"
    > rule for the overnight. Last I heard, there is one town that has the
    > "no horn rule" in effect for the entire town, not just one or two
    > specific crossings.
    >


    To followup on my own comment I just did a litle Googling and found that
    even though the FRA was mandated by Congress in 1994 to produce a plan
    concerning "quiet zones" they didn't finalize it until June 24, 2005.
    This now allows towns to designate "quiet zones" but the town has to pay
    for the extra gates, medians etc before they can designate the zone(s).



  14. #14
    Isaiah Beard
    Guest

    Re: Can you use cell phones on trains?

    George wrote:

    > You would think that in the
    > year 2005 they could deploy a scanning system to determine if anybody or
    > anything were in the "box" surrounding the crossing and then inform the
    > train operator of the need to blow the 130 db horn.


    Not every railroad crossing in the US has so much as a lighted warning
    system. If the railroad companies can't manage that much, why would you
    expect anything more high tech?



    --
    E-mail fudged to thwart spammers.
    Transpose the c's and a's in my e-mail address to reply.



  15. #15
    Flatulant Dingo
    Guest

    Re: Can you use cell phones on trains?

    On Mon, 26 Sep 2005, at 18:48:51 [GMT -0400] (08:48:51 Tuesday, 27 September
    2005 where I live) "Robert Payne" wrote:

    > Can you use cell phones on a train?


    On the Hong Kong underground, sometimes you don't hear the train for all the
    noise coming from people speaking on their mobile phones, or the phones
    ringing.




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