“ City of Port ‘Coquitlam Re: Train Whistling Legislation

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1984 02 14

File: 09 01 01

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Fhe Section 248 (2) of the Railway Act states that where a’ bylaw Of an urban municipalit » which prohibits the sounding of the whistle, is approved by an Order of the Canadian Transport Commission (CTC), then this relieves the railway company and its employees from the duty imposed by the Railway Act.

Section 932 states:

(c) of the Municipal Act (Nuisances & Disturbences)

"The Counci? may by bylaw...

-+-(c) regulate or prohibit making or causing

of noises or sounds in or on a highway, or” elsewhere in the municipality which disturb or tend to disturb, the quiet, peace, rest, enjoy- ment, comfort or convenience of the neighborhood, or of persons in the vicinity, or which the Council believes are objectionable or liable to disturb the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, com— fort or convenience of individuals or the public, and may make different regulations or prohibitions for different areas of the municipality;"

The approval of a Railway Noise Reduction Bylaw, as discussed in #2, would not prohibit the Tocomotive's bel] ringing or the train whistling required during shunting operations or if in the opinion of a locomotive's engineer a hazard exists on the railway track ahead of the approaching locomotive. However, it should be noted that since 1980 train shunting signals use two-way radios instead of audible signalling by train whistles.

A noise survey conducted by the Simon Fraser Health Unit in early 1982 measured the sound of train whistles at 5 locations in

Coquitlam:

LOCATION MEASURED TRAIN WHISTLE Fleming St. @ Hoy St. 60 dBA Cape Horn Ave. @ Matheson Ave. 80 dBA Como Lake Ave. @ Lougheed Hwy. 60 dBA King Edward St.@ Makin Park 57 dBA Gauthier Ave. @ Lougheed Hwy. 67 dBA

At these locations, rail noises were of

rarely the loudest noises recorded durin noise did not appear to be a significant during evening

during the day. . However, when other noise sources are dormant, whistle can be disturbing to the level railway crossings.

to residential areas in On the railway track crossing

short duration and were g daytime hours. source of aggrevation and early morning hours a short duratton train

Train

close proximity

Westwood St., trains pass this area once every hour and 15 minutes.

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