How Do People with Tinnitus Cope with Train Horns at Railroad Crossings?

[pinereader]

I've noticed that train horns at at-grade railroad crossings are extremely loud, even from far away. According to NTSB rules, train horns are required to be 96–110 dB from 100 feet away. However, these horns can reach 130–150 dB at the source. That's an entirely different level of loudness on the decibel scale. To make matters worse, the honking is often prolonged, sometimes lasting several seconds. Unfortunately, many US cities have numerous at-grade railroad crossings, and train engineers are required to blow the horn at each crossing.

If I'm unlucky enough to be directly across the street when a train is honking, my tinnitus would likely worsen, even with earplugs. The problem is compounded by the fact that many businesses are located near these crossings. How do you deal with train crossings? Do you avoid visiting businesses near them?

I honestly can't find a good solution to this issue. In my opinion, these train horns pose one of the biggest and most common threats to tinnitus sufferers in modern society. I'm surprised there isn't more discussion about this topic.

Thank you for reading.

 

[object16]

@pinereader, there really is not much of a good answer. If I see a train approaching, I head in the opposite direction in a hurry.

I have been trapped inside a medical hospital when the fire alarm went off. That gave me a tinnitus spike for probably six months. I had to sell my house and move. Not everyone has that option, and even then, you might end up in a new house with the same issues. I was just fortunate that my new house is ideal in that regard.

You never know when you might get a new neighbor with a jacked up pickup truck running straight pipes. Anything can happen. For me, almost anything that could happen has.

The only thing I have never experienced is military service. No military explosions, no shooting ranges. But besides that, anything you can imagine—and then some.

All I can say is at least I am 68, and one day, they will be scattering my ashes somewhere. In the meantime, it is pretty much the worst thing possible.

 

[Joey72]

@pinereader, there really is not much of a good answer. If I see a train approaching, I head in the opposite direction in a hurry.

I have been trapped inside a medical hospital when the fire alarm went off. That gave me a tinnitus spike for probably six months. I had to sell my house and move. Not everyone has that option, and even then, you might end up in a new house with the same issues. I was just fortunate that my new house is ideal in that regard.

You never know when you might get a new neighbor with a jacked up pickup truck running straight pipes. Anything can happen. For me, almost anything that could happen has.

The only thing I have never experienced is military service. No military explosions, no shooting ranges. But besides that, anything you can imagine—and then some.

All I can say is at least I am 68, and one day, they will be scattering my ashes somewhere. In the meantime, it is pretty much the worst thing possible.

Same here. I'm 75. I am glad it'll be over soon.

 

[kingsfan]

I've noticed that train horns at at-grade railroad crossings are extremely loud, even from far away. According to NTSB rules, train horns are required to be 96–110 dB from 100 feet away. However, these horns can reach 130–150 dB at the source. That's an entirely different level of loudness on the decibel scale. To make matters worse, the honking is often prolonged, sometimes lasting several seconds. Unfortunately, many US cities have numerous at-grade railroad crossings, and train engineers are required to blow the horn at each crossing.

If I'm unlucky enough to be directly across the street when a train is honking, my tinnitus would likely worsen, even with earplugs. The problem is compounded by the fact that many businesses are located near these crossings. How do you deal with train crossings? Do you avoid visiting businesses near them?

I honestly can't find a good solution to this issue. In my opinion, these train horns pose one of the biggest and most common threats to tinnitus sufferers in modern society. I'm surprised there isn't more discussion about this topic.

Thank you for reading.

I live in a basement apartment about 1 block from busy freight tracks. The sound is unpleasant but not damaging while inside, but I am always nervous that a train will come by while I'm outside. That coupled with mid-westerners' love for big, loud trucks and motorcycles. I didn't have as much of a problem with that in California, though they were still present here and there. Here, I'd say 8 out of 10 cars are either a diesel truck, Dodge Charger, Harley, or beater with no muffler.

I would honestly avoid any business near a train crossing, or at the very least, double protect. Most of the train horns are automated at crossings and will blow automatically if the engineer does not do it themselves. I've heard it's louder and longer when it's automated. I've also read that some engineers on Reddit get joy from bothering people with the horns.

I have been trapped inside a medical hospital when the fire alarm went off. That gave me a tinnitus spike for probably six months. I had to sell my house and move. Not everyone has that option, and even then, you might end up in a new house with the same issues. I was just fortunate that my new house is ideal in that regard.

I was also stuck in the hospital during a fire alarm. I had to walk out with my fingers in my ears, as I had no opportunity to remove them other than put in earplugs and earmuffs. I had two exposures: once before I got my fingers into my ears and once when I had to remove a finger to grab my backpack before running out of the building.

 

[trevl]

I use silicone 'Sleep Earplugs' that are specifically molded to fit my ear canals. I wear them whenever I go cycling, driving, walking along a main road, on windy days, when using power tools, while washing dishes, during visits to hospitals or certain shops, and in any environment where sound is expected to exceed 70 dB. I also use them near active train lines. These Sleep Earplugs reduce external sounds by 40 dB.

I purchase them from my audiologist. The audiologist takes an impression of my ear canals, which is then sent to a manufacturer in Brisbane, Australia. The finished product is sent back to the audiologist, and I collect it from there. The manufacturer keeps either the physical cast or a digital record of it, which makes reordering simple. There is no need for another impression when I need a replacement.

I usually buy two pairs in case I lose one, since I rely on them daily. If one pair goes missing, I can continue using the spare while I reorder. The cost is $150 AUD per pair. If that seems expensive, consider the cost of hearing loss, developing tinnitus, or possibly hyperacusis. People who wear reading or prescription glasses often pay more, perhaps reluctantly, but accept it because it is essential for their quality of life. The same logic applies here.