The City of Oceanside has been working through the lengthy process of establishing a Rail Quiet Zone. The routine sounding of a train horn is eliminated by a Quiet Zone , but the horn may still be sounded by the train engineer for safety. This long-sought project aims to improve the quality of life for Oceanside residents. After much work, the Quiet Zone was originally scheduled for establishment in June 2019. In July 2019, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) inspected the improvements and requested additional work. That additional work was completed early April 2020 and Quiet Zone establishment was scheduled for end of April. But a change in risk at each of the five crossings in the proposed Quiet Zone has required a re-assessment of the work. This is due to changes over the life of the project, such as traffic volumes, train speeds, train volumes, suicides and accidents. City staff continue to work with FRA, CPUC, and NCTD toward an efficient, long lasting Quiet Zone. The estimated time frame to establish the Quiet Zone is by year’s end.
