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BACKGROUND There are both Federal and State regulations that govern the sounding of train locomotive horns. Federal regulations, called the Final Rule on the Use of Locomotive Horns at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings, 49 CFR 222 ("Horn Rule"), require that trains sound their horns as a warning to highway users at public highway-rail crossings. California Public Utilities Code Section 7604 requires that trains sound their horns at all private and pedestrian crossings, as well. The Horn Rule allows localities to establish "quiet zones," which prohibits the routine sounding of horns at quiet zone designated rail crossings. In order to establish a quiet zone, the crossing must have: • Minimum Length of a new Quite Zone established shall be at least one-half mile. along the railroad track. • Active grade crossing warning devices that include both flashing lights and gates that control traffic over the crossing. In addition, the crossing must be equipped with constant warning time devices (regulating when the gate arms drop), if reasonably practical, and power-out indicators. • Advance Warning Signs that advise the motorist that train horns are not sounded at the crossing. In order to establish a quiet zone, the City must first provide a written Notice of Intent to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), California Public Utilities Commission, and the railroad carrier operating over the impacted right-of-way. The Notice of Intent has a 60-day comment period. If there is a private and/or pedestrian grade crossing in the proposed quiet zone, a diagnostic team (composed of representatives of the impacted railroad carrier, the Federal Railroad Administration and the California Public Utilities Commission) must evaluate whether or not the quiet zone meets the above-stated criteria. After expiration of the 60-day comment period (or after completion of diagnostic team recommendations, if any) the City must provide a Notice of Quiet Zone Establishment with a minimum 21-day notice period. The quiet zone is established upon expiration of the 21-day notice period. Thereafter, the routine sounding of horns at the quiet zone crossing is prohibited. DISCUSSION The four public at-grade crossings in Pleasanton are at Santa Rita Road, St. Mary Street, West Angela Street, and Rose Avenue. In addition, there is a crossing at Castlewood Drive in Alameda County which results in train horn noise impacting Pleasanton residents. This report is focused on the downtown crossings; however, the crossing at Castlewood could be considered either separately, because of the distance between the Downtown crossing and Castlewood, or as a part of a larger project. All of these crossings are currently controlled by two crossing gates. Page 2 of 4