How can I estimate how much noise nearby trains will make?
When choosing hotels or other temporary accommodation (e.g., Airbnb) in the United States, I'm sometimes concerned regarding the noise that nearby trains may make. E.g., some train tracks are unused, barely used, heavily used. Trains may never, rarely, often, systematically horn at some location. Etc.
How can I estimate how much noise nearby trains will make, assuming that the reviews of the place don't mention it and that I don't trust the hosts to disclose the information accurately? E.g., is there any train noise map?
Assume I can't drive to the location of interest and observe the noise level throughout the day.
Best Answer
There are other noise sources besides trains: traffic, party zone, construction, etc. So a train map alone won't guarantee you a quiet room.
Your best shot for this type of thing is to read customer reviews on Tripadvisor, Google, etc. If there is excessive train (or other noise), it will show up there.
The trick is to focus on the low-rating reviews, ignore the entitled complainers, and look for recurring themes. This will not only reveal noise issues but any other downside of the hotel, like room size, value, design, service etc. (which may or may not matter to you).
Pictures about "How can I estimate how much noise nearby trains will make?"
How much noise do trains make?
Most U.S. freight trains are only allowed to go 60 mph max. In suburban areas they often go slower. Test suggest that they create an average of about 85 db of noise (at close proximity).How many decibels is a moving train?
Based on our measurements at 140 feet from the track for a train travelling at around 15-25 mph, we found that the locomotive engine reaches a maximum, A-weighted, sound level of 78 dB. But the longest and most significant noise is the rolling noise from the railcars. The time-averaged level of this noise was 69 dB.How do you calculate noise level?
How to Make Noise Calculations with DecibelsHow many decibels is a train horn?
At 130 to 150 decibels (average), that's when train horns for trucks come into play. A train horn is basically a very powerful air horn that is used as a warning device on a massive locomotive. Depending on conditions (other ambient noise), a train horn's sound can carry for several miles.Why Do Trains Make so Much Noise
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