By Jennifer Eisenbart
Editor
At around 11:50 p.m. Sunday evening, a train lumbered through the City of Burlington, blasting its horn for all to hear.
After that? Blessed silence … well, for the most part.
Canadian National railroad engineers ceased sounding train horns at 12:01 a.m. Monday morning as the City of Burlington’s quiet zone status was reinstated.
However, as of Monday afternoon, a few train engineers had clearly not gotten the memo. Residents in the area heard a stray horn once or twice during the early-morning hours, and then a train went through Burlington at about 3:25 Monday afternoon with the familiar pattern of horns at each intersection.
Still, as a whole, peace and quiet reigned throughout the city.
“I think it’s very nice,” said Mayor Bob Miller. “I’m glad the train horns are silenced.
“However, we still have work to do at Milwaukee Avenue intersection,” he added.
That includes the city trying to find workarounds for the businesses affected when the medians were placed at that intersection, limiting cross-traffic access.
Monday’s reinstatement, which was granted Sept. 14, puts to rest a summer of discontent for city officials and many of those who live within earshot of the railroad tracks operated by Canadian National.
The city lost the quiet zone status it held for many years in late June after officials missed a deadline to complete safety improvements at local rail crossings.
City Administrator Kevin Lahner has blamed the mistake on an erroneous entry on a planning calendar, which led officials to believe the deadline was not until 2014.
However, since losing the quiet zone, city crews have scrambled to implement safety improvements to meet federal requirements and reapply for quiet zone reinstatement.
On Monday, Lahner was pleased to have the problem at an end.
“I’m pleased that it’s back in place, it being the quiet zone,” Lahner said. “I’m really proud of the work of my staff in working with me to get it reinstated as quickly as we did, in spite of the challenges that were posed to us.”
Area businesses that were affected by the horns also expressed their relief.
“It has been like a lullaby,” said Vivian Brooker, manager at the Boardwalk Apartments. “A quiet lullaby.
“It’s been very nice. Happy residents.”
While Brooker did hear rumors of lone train horns being sounded in the early morning hours from residents, everyone seemed to be ready to move past the occasional whistle.
“Everyone here is very happy to see it’s been resolved,” Brooker said. “And move onto some holiday happiness.”
Hampton Inn General Manager Jeff Van Lysal was also pleased that “it’s finally over.”
Monday was odd, he admitted, in talking with his staff and suddenly realizing a train was going by.
“There’s a train going by, there isn’t a whistle,” Van Lysal recalled. “Oh, wait, there isn’t a whistle.”
Van Lysal said that the hotel will address complaints made on TripAdvisor this week, letting people know that the quiet zone is back in place and offer an apology. That, he hopes, will take care of any lingering issues with unhappy visitors.
“Obviously, people do read it before they travel,” Van Lysal added.
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