Holland train crossing to go whistle-free

Lee and Barb Irons have lived near the tracks nearly 45 years. 'You almost have to talk between trains,' Mrs. Irons says. THE BLADE/JETTA FRASER Enlarge | Photo Reprints

When the windows are open in the summer, the train whistles are loud enough that they halt Barb Irons' conversations.

"You almost have to talk in between trains," said Mrs. Irons, who has lived off Holloway Road in Holland for 45 years.

For her son-in-law Gary Devol, who lives nearby, the train whistles occasionally cause lost sleep and spoil the fun of backyard camping with his children.

But starting today, their lives are expected to get a little quieter.

The railroad crossing at Holloway is scheduled to become a whistle-free zone. The village waited several years and spent thousands of dollars to ban the train horns.

"No whistles -- I think it will be heavenly," Mrs. Irons said. "The whole quality of life will improve."

About 95 trains travel daily through the western Lucas County village of fewer than 2,000 residents.

For years, the horns were an annoyance for many on Holloway Road, where houses, businesses, and a senior home are nearby, said Mayor Mike Yunker.

"All of a sudden, you can't hear the TV. You can't hear yourself think. That's a concern for them," the mayor said. "It's a lot of train noise for those who live and work and do business [there]."

Others learned to cope.

"You do somewhat get used to it," said Mr. Devol, principal at Holland Elementary.

What spurred the village's decision to become a whistle-free zone was federal legislation in 2005.

For the first time, communities could outlaw train whistles -- except in emergencies -- if they invested in certain safety upgrades at the intersections.

Since then, the village spent about $76,000 to hire an engineering firm, Peterman Associates Inc., from Findlay, and make safety improvements.

The upgrades involved buying a device that alerts train engineers when the crossing gates at the intersection aren't working and building a raised curb in the middle of the street with pylons on it so cars can't sneak through the crossing barriers.

The mayor said that throughout the years-long process, the village regularly fielded calls from residents who pushed for the whistle-free zone and wanted to know when it would start.

"We still get calls all the time," Mayor Yunker said. "Are you still going through with it?"

Within the next few years, the village potentially will be completely free of train whistles.

As part of a $29 million project with county, state, and federal dollars -- as well as about $267,000 from Holland -- the railroad crossing on McCord Road will be turned into an underpass, eliminating any need for train whistles.

Construction on McCord, from Kipling Drive to Hall Street, is expected to start around 2013 and finish in 2014, the mayor said.

Contact Gabrielle Russon at: grusson@theblade.com or 419-724-6026.