The City of Mesquite has received approval from the Federal Railroad Administration for a new quiet zone through Mesquite’s historic downtown area. Click here to watch video PSA.
Union Pacific and AMTRAK trains traveling through five different railroad crossings (Gross Rd., Ebrite St., Galloway Ave., Florence St., and City Service Center Drive) will no longer be required to sound locomotive horns. This quiet zone allows Mesquite to mitigate the effects of train horn noise on local merchants and residents in the downtown area. The quiet zones became effective on August 1.
In a quiet zone, locomotive engineers have been directed to cease the routine sounding of their horns when approaching public and private highway-rail grade crossings. Train horns may still be used in emergency situations or to comply with other federal regulations or railroad operating rules. To support the new quiet zone, the City has installed vertical barriers and additional signage at the five crossings to inform drivers and pedestrians that train horns will no longer be used.
Questions on the quiet zone can be addressed to the City Manager’s Office at 972-216-6403.