OCEANSIDE–Del Mar residents who live near the Coast Blvd. railroad crossing have enjoyed the relative quiet of the wayside horn system which the North County Transit District and the City of Del Mar implemented in September, 2012.
The directionally-angled speakers are fixed at the crossing, greatly reducing the noise level in the area.
The Federal Railroad Administration, which regulates the wayside horn system, recently issued a modification. Currently, the FRA requires the horn sound a minimum of 15 seconds before a train’s arrival at a crossing and while the lead locomotive travels through a crossing. In order to comply with this new FRA regulation, the Del Mar wayside horn will be adjusted to blow an estimated five seconds longer than it is currently sounding. NCTD rail operations officials estimate the change will be implemented by mid-March.
