Article: How much train noise is too much? ABC 7.30 NSW

[johnnigh]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-20/how-much-train-noise-is-too-much/4972590

I know that many posters to BoT forums are not keen on any criticism of rail, but the two growing external costs of freight rail in the suburbs are Noise and Dust. Growing because of increasing traffic and augmented track, so the old come-back, often read on BoT forums 'they knew what they was gitting inta' doesn't wash, growing because rail track and car maintenance is, these days, no longer on a schedule but on a cost-saving 'fix it when it breaks' basis.

Dust should be easily dealt with, but rail companies are resisting covering the wagons to save a pittance in cash while being happy to trash their reputation in the suburbs be it Gladstone, Newcastle or Toowoomba to the Port of Brisbane.

Noise has been ignored except to some barriers, financed not by the freight companies, who should be doing so directly, but by the track owners (mainly us luckless taxpayers). Noise minimising technology exists, loco and car maintenance would help - but the companies will have to be compelled to do so - and some innovations are available but remain untested because the companies care most about their profit.

The fact that most of the problem is being generated by export of coal rubs salt into the suburban wounds, but has a silver lining in that the coal trade has a limited life - 149 coal-fired generators in the US shut down over the last decade, one new one planned, because coal is too expensive given allowable CO2 levels. Gas, wind and solar are taking over, and China isn't too far behind, so all those wagons  & track will have find something else to do  (Oh, I can hear the foam bubbling already).

[ozbob]

Agree broadly John.  Freight needs to be removed from the suburbs.

There is a pending solution for the west/southern freight paths, but nothing yet from the north.

I expect the freight task will escalate, and I don't mean coal but general freight.  The present road system is not sustainable.

[techblitz]

I would support action but only on the basis of "do it for one do it for all"

Towns like blackwater ,emerald,bluff and many other smaller towns around the bowen basin have to put up with ridiculous amounts of noise & dust from 100 carriage coal  trains.

[ozbob]

It is not only rail but roads as well.  I know people who have already been forced to move out of Darra because of the Ipswich Highway - it is constant.  Noise and emissions.   With the widening of the highway from Darra to Rocklea further impacts.

There really has been lack of real forward planning etc. generally. 

The paradox for a lot of the coal is that the towns now largely owe their existence to the mines.   Many would prefer the mines to be not there though, the whole FIFO is destroying for many local towns.

[Cam]

It is not only rail but roads as well.  I know people who have already been forced to move out of Darra because of the Ipswich Highway - it is constant.  Noise and emissions.   With the widening of the highway from Darra to Rocklea further impacts.

We recently moved from a property in Redbank located between the railway line & the Ipswich Motorway - about 150m from each. The noise from truck exhaust brakes through the night was one of the reasons for the move. We had no issues with the few freight trains that passed through Redbank through the night.

There are monitoring devices with cameras used in NSW to deter truck drivers from using exhaust/compression brakes in residential areas e.g. Pacific Highway in Woolgoolga.

A few years ago I wrote to a minister at the time about the use of exhaust brakes in residential areas in Queensland and received a response that a study/review was being undertaken.