(The following story by Brandon Loomis appeared on The Salt Lake Tribune website on November 2.)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — Freight trains start rolling through Salt Lake City at 40 mph today, thanks to track and crossing upgrades that city and railroad officials say will make the rails safer.
The bump up from 10 mph coincides with the long-awaited removal of trains from west-side residential areas along 900 South and soon will be accompanied by a silencing of annoying horns, city officials say.
The “quiet zone” – stretching all the way from South Salt Lake to Ogden once federal officials sign off – is possible because of new crossing gates and curb islands that prevent automobiles from driving onto the tracks to outrun trains.
The Union Pacific Railroad resumed using the western 900 South line to alleviate a downtown bottleneck in 2001, over the protests of residents and city officials.
Mainline track improvements, including curve straightening and new ties and ballast beds, will enable the higher speeds. And with the bottleneck unclogged, the 900 South line will return to its previously dormant state.
“All the way around it should be a safer situation,” said Tim Harpst, the city’s transportation director. “It eliminates trains in the 9th South area, and it reduces congestion and the noise pollution we’ve been experiencing.”
Maybe so, but standing by the tracks as a slow train rumbles by, it’s hard for some to see the safety improvement in such an acceleration.
Gateway condominium resident Naima Carter said she doesn’t mind waiting on the trains.
“This is a lot safer than 40 mph,” she said Thursday while waiting to cross the tracks on 600 West to return some rented videos on North Temple.
“This is a residential area,” she said, pointing to the Citifront apartments beyond the train. “It’s a safety hazard.”
Waiting in a car at the same crossing, though, Marcus Serawop of Fort Duchesne was getting impatient.
“It would probably be better, because this is pretty slow,” he said after waiting about 10 minutes.
Moments later he turned his car back from the crossing and drove away.
Union Pacific doesn’t publicize its schedule, but assistant city engineer John Naser estimated 25 to 30 freight trains run through the city daily. When they slow down and stop, they sometimes present a dangerous temptation to nearby West High students, he said.
“Kids crawl underneath it, and you never know when the trains are going to start,” he said.
Before the horns cease, the Federal Railroad Administration has to approve the quiet zone, Naser said. That could take until mid-2008.
It will cover both freight trains and the Utah Transit Authority commuter trains that will begin delivering passengers from Ogden next spring.
West-siders have pressed for the improvements and now look forward to quieter nights and better traffic flow. The city announced the 900 South rail closure Thursday, but Poplar Grove Community Council chairman Mike Harman said the trains stopped running there a week ago.
“The neighbors are reporting that life is much better,” he said. Children no longer cross active rails to get to school, and trains aren’t backing up street traffic.
Speeding up trains on the remaining rails will further improve street access in the neighborhoods, he said. “We’re very excited.”
Mayor Rocky Anderson issued a written statement thanking state, federal, city, railroad and transit officials for working together.
“The removal of trains from 900 South is a historic event in Salt Lake City,” he said, “and a cause for great celebration.”