Editor, The News:
Re: UPDATED: No more horns from trains running through Maple Ridge.
I grew up in Maple Ridge, near Thomas Haney secondary, and hearing the train whistles – and fog horns on the river – were common, and calming.
It never really stood out because it was normal, infrequent, background noise.
I grew up, moved away, and have recently moved back, now in the Kanaka Creek elementary area.
I was completely thrown by how loud and frequent the horns are now. They were absolutely not this frequent in the ’90s and early 2000s.
Now, laying in bed sleeping, we are woken up multiple times per night when a train goes by, as it honks it’s horn three to eight times in a 10-second period, then 30 seconds later again.
They are really laying on the horns and doing them way, way more than necessary. It’s absurd how different it is.
We spoke with neighbours and were ecstatic to hear the that the city planned to put a stop to it, just like Pitt Meadows did.
But then the new year passed and the horns are still going.
At 6:30 a.m. on a Monday morning, I heard the horns going in multi-blasts at least 10 times.
This is not new – it’s done this all day and night, every day since New Year’s.
Did the trains not get the memo?
Your article mentions that they would still honk for cars and pedestrians.
But unless multiple parades are crossing the tracks at varied intervals in this area, I find it hard to believe that is what is causing the continued honking.
Melanie Blanchard
Maple Ridge
