l am interested in purchasing a home that is right next to a railroad track.It is an old B&O track, l think, that runs through Mount Sterling, Grove City, and Columbus Ohio among other places. Does anyone know how often trains run through here? Also any thoughts from people about living close to a railroad track. Is it annoying, or do you get used to it pretty easily? Does the whole house shake? Can you sleep through it? And how often would you say a train comes by where you live/lived? Thanks to all!

You can call the railroad and ask for the schedule. You do get
use to it but some people never do. These house is are a tough sell later on. l would advise against it unless its really cheap. ( Yes the house can shake) Plus if there is a crossing near by you also get the whistle noise.

Good Luck

Yes, whole house shakes. The UP I-5 Corridor main line runs right by my property, but there r two acres between my house & the main.

You do get used to the trains. The only real imposition is during the summer when out on the back patio. They're loud, & there is a grade crossing right at the end of my property, so there is the whistle to contend with as well. Conversation is briefly interrupted.

How much does it shake the house? After the Loma Prieta earthquake, some friends displaced from Santa Cruz were staying with us, 350 miles to the north. A train came by, unexpectedly to our guests, & the rumbling sent both into panic, until l told them it was a train. Scared 'em ta death.

When l was a kid, l lived in a house with railroad tracks just behind it.

You sure do know when they go through. the house does not shake or anything, but if you're close enough, sometimes u can hear all the wheels rolling & clanking just like at a railroad stop. It is actually kind of relaxing once u get used to it. l always hope to hear some clinking when l hear the train whistles now.

A good cinderblock wall with some ivy or something & a few bushed around the house will cut most of that noise down rather well. Good interior design can do the rest.

quite a few factors involved
is it a low density line that only sees a few low speed small locals a week?
or a high speed mainline?
is it near a yard where there will be a lot of switching?
any crossings nearby, trains r required to blow the whistle for between 15 & 20 seconds before almost all crossings, very few exceptions there.

If it is a branch line with smaller trains mostly in the daytime it wont be much of an intrusion & in a week or so u wont hardly notice. l have a line not far from me, l hear the whistle at the crossing but hardly notice.

l live in the woods about 400 feet from a heavy main line with light traffic. l have always loved railroading, & the sound of trains does not bother me. In fact we often have trains through at midnight to 4:00 am, & l do not even wake up. The typical traffic is one or two trains per 24 hours.

You can contact the nearest CSX freight agent for detailed information about usage & schedules. The local number will be in the yellow pages.

l am part of a small village that is close to the tracks. In fact about half a mile from my house is the site where there once was a station for our little town. There is a grade crossing with flashers & bells about half a mile in each direction, & the locomotives blow grade crossing signals, even at 2:00 am. Most of us do not even stir in our beds after a couple of weeks.

l lived close to the train tracks in brampton ontario canada it was noisey but l got used to it there were 2 lines that were in constant use at least hourly and a comuter line useing the same tracks.funny b.s you put up with when your poor.

My bedroom window is about 150 feet from the NJ Transit is Main Line. Passing trains never bother me except for the fact that there is no virtually no freight traffic.

(never mind my opinions, as l like Railroads)

:)

I've lived within 1/2 mile of a main line track for over 50 years. l am used to it. l will NOT move away. All above have stated the highs and lows of living near the tracks.

If you like the house, buy it; just make sure you have a very strong fence track side.

l live about a block from a class 1 mainline and most of the time l do not even realize there is a train going by when l am in the house. Now if l am in the front yard you can not help but hear it. You will get used to it and it will be just like every day life.

I_______I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I
OOO I_______________IOOO

l live within 500ft of a mainline, l am used to it and no my house does not shake, l can sleep through the night with no problem, they only blow the horn at crossings and that is further down the road from me. and by the way it is a heavily travelled UP main in texas