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April 16, 2001Trains will run during daytime-Residents' complaints cause freight train runs to switch schedulesBy BILL O'BRIENRecord-Eagle staff writer TRAVERSE CITY - Those late-night, piercing railroad whistles that left some city residents with red eyes in the morning - and seeing red at night - have become another piece of local railroad history. Starting this week, Tuscola & Saginaw Bay Railway Co. freight train runs into Traverse City and Petoskey will be switched from overnight to daytime hours, railway officials said. The company made the change hoping to quell persistent complaints from city residents about noisy train whistles going off at all hours of the early morning while freight trains rumble through town. But they also hope it won't create traffic and safety problems around the city as the trains encounter more vehicles at railroad street and road crossings during the day. "We haven't been there in the daytime in Traverse City in 10 years," said James Shepard, railway president. "You have a bunch of people up there who don't think there is a train that runs through the city." But some residents say they'll gladly trade some potential traffic tie-ups in exchange for peace and quiet at night. "Isn't that wonderful," city resident Gloria Chesbrough said upon learning that the trains will shift to daytime runs through the city. The 72-year-old Kelly Street resident said she's been complaining about the overnight train whistles for so long that she disguises her voice when she calls the railroad company because they're getting tired of hearing from her. "If I were in charge, I'd get those damn tracks out of the city and out into the country where they belong. I'll bet they got a lot of (complaints)," she said. "Nobody should be making that kind of noise from 1 o'clock to 4 o'clock in the morning." Operationally, Shepard said the overnight runs worked well for the railroad because rail customers could work on their scheduling during the day and the railroad could make pick-ups or deliveries at night. It also allowed the railroad to keep rail cars on a consistent three-day cycle running from Ann Arbor to Owosso to Cadillac and into northwest Michigan with few periods where the cars were idled - a significant factor since freight cars are paid for on an hourly basis. "It's pretty light density up there - you've got to watch your pennies," Shepard said. "It was nice and easy running at night." Local law enforcement officials are hopeful that daytime trains won't mean more accidents at street and road railroad crossings. There are 58 rail crossings across paved roads in the county, and another 48 over private roads and driveways. "I think the impact will be very small," said Scott Fewins, Grand Traverse County's sheriff. He does think there could be some increase in car-train accidents - at least in the short-term - as motorists adjust. "We live in a town that doesn't see a lot of train traffic anyway. But I think the people still stop, look and listen," the sheriff said. "Our trains run relatively slowly, and they're fairly short. So it shouldn't be too much of a problem." Petoskey officials said they don't receive many complaints about the train whistles because the train ventures less than a mile into the city limits. "They don't come into town very far," Petoskey Police Chief Mike Vargo said. "They don't really get into the residential area." Because of the limited number of rail crossings within the city, the chief doesn't expect the schedule change to create a significant public safety hazard. Shepard characterized the change as "sort of an experiment" but said that if it works out operationally and safety-wise it could become a permanent switch. "If we're smart enough to make it work, we'll keep it that way," Shepard said. Bill O'Brien is the reporter for Grand Traverse County and townships. He can be reached at (231) 933-1477 or bobrien@record-eagle.com |