Wayside horns activated along part of Hartford Line
A project to install wayside horns at grade crossings along the CTRail Hartford Line corridor marked a milestone Jan. 21 when the first automated horn system was put into service in Meriden, Conn. The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) says that the wayside horns will be installed in the coming weeks in Wallingford and plans to utilize the system will progress in an effort to reduce noise.
CTDOT explains that wayside horns are designed to limit loud warning sounds to a 250-foot perimeter. The system, which is mounted on poles at grade crossings and takes the place of train-mounted horns, is designed to direct a consistent audible warning toward the roadway, alerting motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists to an approaching train. Outside the 250-foot perimeter, the noise produced by wayside horns is substantially reduced, mitigating noise pollution to nearby residences and businesses.
“The installation of wayside horns is part of CTDOT’s obligation to reduce noise associated with the Hartford Line rail service and to improve the quality of life for communities along the corridor,” said Richard Andreski, CTDOT’s Public Transportation Bureau Chief. “We recognize the benefits the new system brings and look forward to installing additional systems in the near future.”
The 2012 Environmental Assessment prepared for the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Rail Program requires noise associated with the enhanced Hartford Line rail service to be mitigated near “sensitive noise receptors” such as residential neighborhoods, educational institutions and recreational areas.
Mischa Wanek-Libman | Group Editorial Director
Mischa Wanek-Libman is director of communications with Transdev North America. She has more than 20 years of experience working in the transportation industry covering construction projects, engineering challenges, transit and rail operations and best practices.
Wanek-Libman has held top editorial positions at freight rail and public transportation business-to-business publications including as editor-in-chief and editorial director of Mass Transit from 2018-2024. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content.
She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and served 14 years as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.
She is a graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication.
