Norfolk Southern Responds to Recent Noise Complaints from Residents of Cameron Station
This refers to your respective emails complaining about railroad noise next to Cameron Station.
Because [name redacted] raised the issue of brake noise, the trainmaster and the assistant trainmaster monitored the night time switching operations on several evenings and have observed that our employees are complying with NSRC's [Norfolk Southern Railway Company] policy to release the brakes before pulling the cars. To make sure this continues to be done, employees on the extra board as well as regular employees who perform switch service at this location have been informed by Transportation of the need to follow these instructions--not only due to company policy but also to minimize railroad noise for those who live near our yard and line of road. These operations have been tested and found to be in compliance with federal noise standards.
Objections were also made to night time switching operations, basically asking why these operations cannot occur during the day. We assure you that the engine movements that you might see are not aimless movements as the [name redacted] apparently perceive.
The road trains from Lynchburg that transport the ethanol tanks cars and other shipments such as coal for the local power plant (which provides electricity to City citizens) and paper for a distribution facility (on which paper the Washington Post is printed) arrive in the late afternoon. We have three local switch crews that work in the evening during the week. One local switch crew on duty at 7 PM serves certain local customers in Alexandria, Manassas and Springfield. One local switch crew on duty at 8 PM works the transloading facility as well as moves traffic to Springfield. Another switch crew which comes on duty at 11 PM builds and then moves the road train returning to Lynchburg, performing set off and pick up along the route. All three switch crews originate their work at the yard, and at times they have to wait on each others’ movements before they can proceed. The multiple switching moves associated with positioning and re-positioning the empties and loads at the transloading facility alone can take five to six hours, and before that crew has finished its work the late night crew has begun its work to build the next day's train in the yard.
As you can see, not all of the railroad noise stems from switching our transloading facility, but also stems from the other two crews, including the one that makes up the departing road train. From the perspective of a non-railroad third party, the railroad’s various switching operations may blend together over time and may seem only associated with what is apparently right at the yard (in this case, with the focus on the transloading facility). But that is not the case, as all are operated as part of the interstate rail network operation that spans well beyond the confines of the yard.
Unfortunately, during all these very necessary moves, the locomotives will be adjacent to the town houses. The switching complained of must take place at night, because there are several rail operations–including switching–taking place at the yard during the day, and because the local rail operations must fit into the interstate rail network operations as well.
We know that there has been a complaint concerning unnecessary engine idling behind the community, but that is not the case. Any engine idling would have taken place while the conductor was performing any one of his many duties. Our observations show the crews are performing their duties safely and efficiently in accordance with railroad instructions.
We regret that what we have explained above does not create a solution for creating a quiet atmosphere for individuals who have chosen to live near a railroad mainline and yard. Although NSRC does understand and sympathizes with your inconvenience, the railroad operations are reasonable and necessary as we continue to serve our customers as a common carrier in interstate commerce.
A. Gayle Jordan
General Solicitor - Environmental
Norfolk Southern Corporation
Three Commercial Place
Norfolk, VA 23510
Ph: 757-629-2814
Fax: 57-629-2607
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