Costly upgrades needed to silence train whistles in South Walkerville
For months, residents in South Walkerville have complained about the blaring train whistles that are increasing in frequency.
The process to silence the trains will cost millions of dollars and will be a lengthy process.
“You're dealing with federal regulations here. It could take three or four years before we finally get an answer,” said Ward 4 Coun. Mark McKenzie.
“The noise has affected our health,” said John West, South Walkerville resident. “It has caused sleep problems.”
West is among a number of residents in the neighbourhood calling on the Essex Terminal Railway (ETR) to stop running trains between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m.
ETR has told the city, whistling cessation is not feasible in the area.
“The Canadian operating rules require all trains to whistle whenever they approach a public grade crossing. It's to protect the public as well as provide safe operation of our railway,” said, Tony De Thomasis, president and CEO of ETR.
Transport Canada says requirements for warning systems at public crossings must be met before whistling can be stopped.
“The requirements may include flashing lights, bells and gates. Once this is met, the municipality can work with the railway on whistle cessation,” a Transport Canada spokesperson said in a statement.
Upgrading two level crossings at Benjamin Avenue and Hall Avenue would cost around $3 million, according to Windsor’s transportation planning senior engineer Jeff Hagan.
McKenzie was shocked at the high price tag for the updates.
“They were saying it's because there is no infrastructure here, there has never been infrastructure,” he said.
He plans to reach out to Transport Canada to see if there are any grants available that could fund warning system upgrades in Walkerville.
In the meantime, McKenzie wants ETR to reduce the volume of train horns to the federally regulated minimum levels. The lowest level allowed is 96 decibels, which is equivalent to the sound of a gas lawn mower.
“We regularly test our train whistles and they do not exceed the 96 decibels,” said De Thomasis.
Those who live nearby the tracks, including Mckenzie, disagree.
“That is inaccurate. I think it’s way higher than 96 decibels,” he said. “People that are 1.5 km away are hearing the train whistle noise.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Louis Gossett Jr., 1st Black man to win supporting actor Oscar, dies at 87
Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries 'Roots,' has died. He was 87.
Weather alerts issued for 7 provinces, 1 territory
Warnings of up to 60 millimetres of rain and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces and one territory ahead of the Easter weekend.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Luxury cruise line selling world cruise suite for US$1.7 million
Luxury operator Regent Seven Seas Cruises is raising their price tag to eye-watering levels, with a suite on an upcoming 140-day world voyage costing US$1.7 million.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
A Filipino villager is nailed to a cross for the 35th time on Good Friday to pray for world peace
A Filipino villager has been nailed to a wooden cross for the 35th time to reenact Jesus Christ’s suffering in a brutal Good Friday tradition he said he would devote to pray for peace in Ukraine, Gaza and the disputed South China Sea.
Ontario homeowner on the hook for $27,000 when contractor severed power line
An Ontario man who built a garage on his property has been locked in a battle with his electricity provider for a year and half over a severed power line.
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.