How close to the train/railroad is TOO close?

I never wanted to live near the railroad but it seems like for much of the south shore, especially out east, that it's really hard to avoid being TOO close to the railroad. I'm wondering at what point (in terms of blocks) the noise becomes noticeable. I know that I can go stake out homes when the railroad is passing by, but in general am trying to figure out where our cutoff should be and welcome any input

Re: How close to the train/railroad is TOO close?

I live one block south of Sunrise Highway. The train is noticable usually at night sometimes. I'm used to it by now, so I don't really notice it. We have so many trees that act as a buffer.

Otherwise, I would say that if your house is one block down the road, that might be a little much. 3 blocks was usually my preferred distance.

Re: How close to the train/railroad is TOO close?

i am one block in and to be completely honest, it's not horrible at all! I was very worried about that when i looked at the house and even my first night in the house. but, i don't hear it in my house, just a little rumble. of course, outside, i hear it. the worst is rush hour, after that there are only a few trains, once an hour.

i wouldn't rule out houses near the train. the good thing is any trip i need to make to the city, i walk. i don't have to pay for parking or nothing. it's actually quite convenient. when dh and i go to my mom's in levittown, we will take the train with the kids to wantagh and they'll meet us there. the kids LOVE it and it only costs $2.00. cheaper than what it would cost me in gas.

Re: How close to the train/railroad is TOO close?

I wouldnt live with the railroad tracks behind my house (or in front) but a block or 2 away wouldnt be bad

Re: How close to the train/railroad is TOO close?

We're a little less than a mile away from the RR station and I never hear it. Maybe at night I might hear the whistle, but I grew up hearing that since I lived about the same distance from a RR station. I find it comforting, to be quite honest.

Re: How close to the train/railroad is TOO close?

about a half mile is my criteria. I lived in Mineola and it was 6 blocks away. That bothered me. In Bellmore I was 1/2 mile. I heard it but nothing that bothered me.

Now in Bethpage I am about 1.5 miles and that seems to be the best. I can barely hear it. I like being close enough so my am commute is not crazy, but not that close.

Re: How close to the train/railroad is TOO close?

We live about a block away. We hardly heard it. It's also not a path that is traveled a lot on the south shore, so the trains don't come by too often and when they do it's just a rumble in the distance. But right in my backyard....No way.

Re: How close to the train/railroad is TOO close?

I used to live about 5 blocks from the train. Never heard it growing up and I miss not having mass transit around me now.

Re: How close to the train/railroad is TOO close?

We're about a block and a half, two blocks away from not just the tracks but the actual station.

My husband commutes and we have 1 car so we wanted to be this close.

I was concerned at first, until I got a look at the areas closest to the tracks. Sometimes there are commercial properties like auto body shops, trucking/bus companies etc. there because no one wants them on a major road. There is none of that in my area so I didn't worry about that, or resale value.

I'd take a look at the satellite images of the properties bordering the tracks to see what you're dealing with.

There aren't many express trains that go barelling through my area so it's not bad at all. I actually like the sound of the train, I listen for it. It marks the time for me on weeknights. And I always know when my husband will be home, because I know when his train pulls in.

In the winter when there are no leaves on the trees, it's louder. But it's a nice sound, when it's so quiet in my neighborhood.

Re: How close to the train/railroad is TOO close?

I grew up across the street from the train tracks. The house across from us had it in their backyards. Honestly, I didn't mind it at all and never even noticed the sound. Now, when I go back to visit my parents, I notice it but living there, never.

The actually station was about 2 blocks away and it was so conveinent. I loved it. Parking there is a nightmare so it was always so nice to walk there and back. I miss that.

Re: How close to the train/railroad is TOO close?

my SIL just bought a house literally next to the train station in greenlawn and I have to be honest, you never even notice it's there. I think if it's a major train station I would avoid it but if it's a smaller one it might not be bad, I guess it just depends.

Re: How close to the train/railroad is TOO close?

Posted by MrsD06

I never wanted to live near the railroad but it seems like for much of the south shore, especially out east, that it's really hard to avoid being TOO close to the railroad. I'm wondering at what point (in terms of blocks) the noise becomes noticeable. I know that I can go stake out homes when the railroad is passing by, but in general am trying to figure out where our cutoff should be and welcome any input

Re: How close to the train/railroad is TOO close?

having use to live very close to the train years ago (they were in my backyard) it depends if you are near a crossing where they will bliow their horn prior. My DH use to live in Lynbrook in a co-op where he walked everyday across 2 major roads (I think) to the train but you never heard the train because everything was raised so they never blew the horns.

Re: How close to the train/railroad is TOO close?

I grew up with elevated LIRR tracks about 2 blocks away (actually it was at the end of our street, past a park - but the distance was probably equivalent to 2 blocks) - never really noticed it. Now we live a 7 minute walk from the station (also elevated) and I never ever hear the train.

Message edited 7/29/2008 12:28:33 PM.

Re: How close to the train/railroad is TOO close?

Re: How close to the train/railroad is TOO close?

Re: How close to the train/railroad is TOO close?

I live 1.2 miles from the train station
I do not even hear the train at all. but its still close enough for an easy drive

Re: How close to the train/railroad is TOO close?

My office is about 12 inches from the tracks It's a 'whistlestop', which means they have to blow the whistle here, too, because the tracks cross an intersection. Honestly, I don't even hear it anymore. Of course, I’m here during the day, I am not sure if I was sleeping if I would sleep through it or anything!

Re: How close to the train/railroad is TOO close?

i recently moved from massapequa, just off merrick road. i could hear the train coming in and out of the amityville train station (maybe about 3/4 to one mile away) ALL the time it never bothered me one bit.

Re: How close to the train/railroad is TOO close?

I say about 3 blocks from my experience is a good distance. But it's all about what you can tolerate.

Re: How close to the train/railroad is TOO close?

I think it depends on a lot of factors:
I wouldn't want the tracks running through my backyard/frontyard. - ESPECIALLY if they were not elevated.
I also wouldn't like it if the surrounding area was more 'industrial'

I live in Massapequa 3 blocks N of the actual train station. I love it b/c DH and I both commute to NYC and it's literally a 4 minute walk to the station. - It's also saved us from having to buy a second car for now (We moved from NYC) The tracks are elevated, so the most I hear, if it's quiet, is the 'ding dong' of the doors opening and closing .......It never bothered me at all ........but we also came from Manhattan where the noise level is constant so that may be a factot.

Re: How close to the train/railroad is TOO close?

My mom is about 4 blocks from the station and you can hear it. I'd try to stick with 6 or more blocks away.

Re: How close to the train/railroad is TOO close?

I live near the tracks in Blue Point. Almost everyone south of Montauk Highway in the Bayport-Blue Point area is in hearing distance of the tracks. It's still a desirable area. I don't even hear it anymore.

Message edited 7/29/2008 3:27:39 PM.

Re: How close to the train/railroad is TOO close?

For me, the big question is if it's near the tracks between stations (just noise passing through) or near the tracks and near a station and/or a grade crossing (announcements, people, horns, grade crossing bells, etc.).

We're about a block away from the station. At night, with the windows open and the TV off, I can hear the automated announcements. It's not a bother and totally worth the trade off of how fast it takes me to get to the station. Generally, they don't blow the horn at my station, so that's not an issue for me.

Re: How close to the train/railroad is TOO close?

I think it depends on what is between your house and the tracks. I grew up about 3-4 blocks from the tracks and the station. We could hear the trains but had to listen for them. There were a lot of houses around. It never woke anyone in my house. I had a friend whose parents' house was a much farther distance from the train than ours was but there was just a big open field between the house and the train. They could see and hear the train.