Parkville pushing forward with quieter railroad option
PARKVILLE, Mo. — Elected leaders in Parkville, Missouri this week directed city staff to pursue a Federal Railway Administration grant to install wayside horns at the city’s two downtown railroad crossings.
It’s a project that’s been considered in one way or another for years but this effort is the result of discussions in 2022 that determined a full “quiet zone” wasn’t feasible for the crossings, but that wayside horns would be possible.
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Railway safety regulations require trains to blow their horns for much of their trip through the two crossings near downtown Parkville, rattling pedestrians and businesses just feet away in the community’s commercial district.
The new horns would focus that sound on a much smaller area, alerting pedestrians right next to the tracks but sparing most other people.
“Our children grew up down here and we’d always cover their ears when the trains would come because some of the horns are just so loud they could damage your ear drums,” said Tom Hutsler.
“This is probably as close as we’ve been for, I heard 20 years,” said Parkville Mayor Dean Katerndahl. “20 years ago they had some funds and then something came up and they had to put the funds in that.”
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The project would cost about $540,000 to install the wayside horns at two crossings but a federal grant could cover 80% of that cost. That leaves about $108,000 for the city to cover.
Katerndahl said he’s pretty sure local businesses and organizations might be able to help the city meet that match if Parkville is successful getting the grant.
If not, Parkville will have to find another way to cover the $540,000 price tag before the wayside horns can be installed.
