Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Horns will be silent

Quiet! Little Neck LIRR Crossing Getting Gate

1010WINS - A neighborhood in Little Neck, Queens is to get the gift of silence as federal funds for the Long Island Rail Road will improve a crossing gate so trains don't have to blare their horns.

The crossing at Little Neck Parkway sees more than 80 trains a day.

The opening in the crossing gate is wide enough to allow a car to fit through so under federal regulations, trains are required to blast their horns for 15 to 20 seconds as they approach.

U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman, (D-N.Y.) has gotten the LIRR railroad $245,000 to reduce the gap, so the Federal Railroad Administration can classify the Little Neck crossing as a quiet zone.

LIRR spokesman Sam Zambuto said we understand the congressman is seeking funds for a quiet zone and the railroad will work with him and New York city.

There's no timetable for the work, said Zambuto.

Photo from Forgotten-NY

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

it costs $245,000 to reduce the gap?! Come on! Give me a can of paint, some 2x4's, and a half-dozen bolts, and I'll perform this minor repair job within a few hours for a 100 bucks.

(It's great in any event that the community got this accomplished.)

Anonymous said...

$245,000 to add some counter weights and wooded beams LOL what a racket !

BTW The photo shown is the L train in Canarsie.
Little Neck crossing and "The Whistle Stop" deli where I buy my beer here http://www.forgotten-ny.com/SUBWAYS/pwbranch2/little1.jpg

Queens Crapper said...

Ah, I see. It's a cool old train though.

Anonymous said...

Any idea when that photo was taken?

Anonymous said...

...early 60's (?) judging by the cars.

Anonymous said...

The old photo is a mistake. It's in Brooklyn. Follow the link in the article (Forgotten-ny.com) and do a search. It's a photo of a subway grade crossing, but it's on the same page as the Little Neck crossing.

Queens Crapper said...

Yeah, the second poster already said that.