HORNBLOWER

Perhaps a more affordable solution than our city’s spending $7 million to completely silence horns would be to evaluate decibel levels generated by Amtrak passenger trains compared to much-louder Union Pacific freight trains.

The location of the horns on a locomotive, the length of the air supply hose to the chimes and the supplied air pressure all contribute to this difference.

Generally, five separately sized and tuned horns play a combined cord of B major 6th. Horns can vary between 90 and 140 decibels. Union Pacific should be asked if their volume can be reduced to that of Amtrak when they pass through town at night.

Seems reasonable.

Glenn Jones

Eugene