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Summary of "How to Establish a Railroad Quiet Zone"

In mid 2006, the Federal Railway Administration designed a simplified process to create quiet zones.

• Determine a minimum 1/2 mile length of rail to "quiet"
• Calculate current risk level using on-line calculator .
• Calculate risk level with "no horns" using on-line calculator (Example screen shot here )
• Determine remediation to reduce risk level to national average using on-line calculator (Example screen shot here )
• Complete notices, work plan and other paperwork in conjunction with FRA and CN Rail, and possibly MDOT.
• For full details see the FRA Quiet zone page.

More information:

• "Quick Facts" from the FRA.
• Flowchart of the process
• Presentation on the process (large, 7 MB file)
• Definitions of term used
• List of Quiet Zone locations in the U.S.
  

Updated May 25, 2008 by jay perkins from http://www.fra.dot.gov sources.