Some opponents of a Quiet Zone say trains blowing their whistles is part of the fabric of La Grande, a part of its history and culture, like longtime resident Jo Jensen.
“It’s kind of been part of my life,” she said. “I’m totally for the whistles. I grew up going to sleep with (the trains) humming down the tracks.”
Others simply say they want some peace and quiet.
Linda Joseph, who has lived near the railroad crossings since 1980, is in favor of the Quiet Zone. She said she’d be hard-pressed to discuss the topic on her backyard patio, a favorite spot of hers to enjoy when the weather allows.
“If you’re on my patio and the train whistles, you just have to stop your conversation,” Joseph said. “You can’t sit outside and have a conversation — just wait until (the whistles are) done.”
Implementing a whistle-free zone has been a well-debated issue among residents in La Grande for a long time, and the possibility is closer than ever to becoming a reality. The La Grande City Council recently chose moving forward on a Quiet Zone as one of the city’s top priorities, and a recommendation is being developed for the city council to consider for the 2017-2018 fiscal year.
The topic especially hits a nerve with those who live in close proximity to the tracks and/or longtime residents. Jensen was born and raised in a home near the railroad crossings in La Grande, and still lives near the tracks.
That nostalgia is the main reason she doesn’t want a Quiet Zone in her hometown.
“It’s part of La Grande’s heritage,” Jensen said. “If you were raised here and lived in La Grande proper, you heard the trains and whistles and all that. It’s kind of like breathing to me. What I notice is when (the whistles) are gone. It’s like, ‘Gosh, there’s something missing out of my life.’ ”
She said that’s also true of her five brothers and sisters.
“They said the thing they missed the most when they moved away was they didn’t hear any train whistles,” Jensen said, “so I’m a little protective about it.”
Joseph said she can understand the nostalgia surrounding the whistles.
She and her family moved to La Grande in 1979 and have been in their current house on Hall Street for more than 35 years.
“Amtrak used to go through here, so it was busy with Amtrak trains,” Joseph said. “But the hauling business has picked up considerably since we moved here.”
But for her, the nostalgia isn’t enough.
“To me, it doesn’t override all the things that are bad about it,” Joseph said.
It’s the noise that bothers her as much as anything. Federal regulations require trains to blow their whistles between 95 and 110 decibels. According to the Center for Hearing and Communication, continued exposure to noises above 85 decibels will cause hearing loss. Joseph compared that to U.S. government memos from 2005, regarding the torture of prisoners, which stipulated that any noise or sounds used could not exceed 79 decibels.
“That train goes through here at 95 to 110 decibels — it feels like torture sometimes,” Joseph said. “I don’t think people realize how loud it is.”
Joseph said she feels like visitors have negative impressions of La Grande after passing through.
