Train Horns

Many circumstances require the use of train horns for safety purposes and to follow based on federal regulations, including:

• Work crews working on or near the tracks
• An animal, pedestrian, or vehicle may be impacting travel through a crossing
• An emergency is believed to exist or could exist
• A train is backing up or resuming operations after having stopped along the alignment (commuter and freight trains)
• Routine software maintenance or repairs are occurring
• Issues exist with gate arm timing, freight train operations, Train Management Dispatch Systems (TMDS) or Positive Train Control (PTC)

Train horns will continue sounding until all underlying issues have been resolved or mitigated. RTD will always attempt to resolve issues as quickly as possible to minimize public impact.

RTD is committed to notifying communities about the expected timeframe for the use of train horns before planned maintenance work that requires horns to blow. When unforeseen circumstances occur, RTD will notify communities about why horns are in use and when we expect them stop as soon as we are alerted of an ongoing issue. If you would like to receive email updates about train horns, please fill out the form below.

Customers are also invited to sign up for RTD’s email and text updates about service disruptions and impacts across the entire system.

In addition to providing updates on this webpage, RTD also sends news releases and media advisories if the situation warrants a larger communication response.

If there are questions or concerns about train horn usage, residents may contact RTD Customer Care online or at 303.299.6000. Information may not be available for every instance of train horn usage. Our Customer Care staff will make every best effort to respond to questions with the information available at the time. Staff may report certain incidents to the commuter rail operations for review and action as appropriate.

The FRA Train Horn Rule (49 CFR 222) requires a train engineer to sound the horn under various circumstances including when a train is approaching and passing through a grade crossing. According to FRA rules, train horns must:

• Be within 96 and 110 decibels, a sound level equivalent to that of a lawnmower
• Be sounded at least 15 seconds but no more than 20 seconds before reaching a crossing
• Be sounded no more than a quarter of a mile from a crossing if the train is traveling faster than 60 mph
• Be sounded approaching persons on or near the track
• Be sounded in a standardized pattern of 2 long, 1 short and 1 long blasts, which must be repeated or be prolonged until the lead cab car occupies the grade crossing

The following safety measures alert motorists and pedestrians to the presence of railroad tracks and help guide and regulate traffic when a train is approaching:

• Audible and visual warnings, like bells and flashing red lights
• Safety signage indicates where vehicles and pedestrians should stop
• Gate arms and/or medians block lanes in both directions to prevent vehicles from driving around the lowered gates to cross the tracks
• Pedestrian gate arms or pull swing gates at each intersection alert pedestrians that a train is approaching
• Chain link fencing along the sidewalk channel pedestrians to the correct crossing area
• All crossings are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Be our partner in safety when traveling through quiet zones by doing the following:

Motorists

• Be prepared to stop at rail crossings
• Understand and follow the crossing signs and warning devices
• Do not proceed until the gate arms have fully risen
• Pedestrian gate arms or pull swing gates at each intersection alert pedestrians that a train is approaching
• Never race a train or stop on the tracks

Pedestrians

• Stay alert, don’t be distracted
• Stop, look and listen for approaching trains
• Follow all rail crossing signs and instructions
• Cross only at designated pedestrian or roadway crossings
• Never try to go around a gate that is down

Positive Train Control (PTC) is a safety protection system that monitors and controls train movements to prevent train-to-train collisions, overspeed derailments, incursions into established work zone limits and movement of a trains through a misaligned switch. PTC will signal the engineer to slow or stop the train if a hazard exists. If there is no response after eight seconds, the train will automatically slow or stop. RTD is the first transit agency in the nation to have wireless crossings joined to PTC.