A city committee has taken the first step toward possibly eliminating most of the loud train whistles in Minot.

The Minot City Council's Public Works and Safety Committee voted Wednesday to recommend the council develop a proposal to assess the railroad crossings in the city for any safety changes needed to establish Railroad Quiet Zones.

The topic generated no discussion at the meeting. However, Al Larson of Minot, an advocate of quiet zones, said he hopes the council goes through with the project.

Larson, who operates a publishing business in Minot, said train whistles are a distraction at his businesses, located near railroad crossings.

"By the time you get to four blasts from the horn, it's very disruptive," he said. "I would certainly hope that something could be done to get that noise level down."

Larson said stationary, directional horns that target the sound toward the affected road are cost-effective options that the city should consider.

The Federal Railroad Administration requires train engineers to sound horns 15 to 20 seconds before reaching a crossing and to continue to sound them until reaching the crossing. The loudness is to be between 96 and 110 decibels. A decibel level of 110 is considered by groups that monitor noise to be extremely loud, comparable to a power saw or rock concert.

Federal rules that provide for quiet zones require that they include flashing lights and gate automatic warning systems. If necessary to ensure safety, the zones also must include other features, such as the stationary horns or media barriers that prevent people from driving around the gates. Even in quiet zones, engineers have the discretionary to use whistles when people or animals are on the tracks.

To designate a quiet zone, the city must first contract with a firm to conduct an assessment that lays out the needed improvements and costs. The cost of the assessment is estimated at $16,000 to $20,000 for each site considered, according to information provided the committee by city staff. Minot has 12 crossings that would require assessments if a quiet zone is to be established throughout the city.

Cities can apply to the North Dakota Transportation Department for up to $225,000 for rail crossing improvements. A 10 percent local match is required, and the grant for any one crossing can't exceed $75,000. These funds aren't available for assessments, however.

Minot previously looked at quiet zones and determined the cost of improvements at that time for 12 crossings was $100,000 to $125,000 per crossing. A more recent assessment performed for Jamestown estimated crossing improvements would average between $95,000 and $195,000, depending on the amount of work done.