NWR: Buying house near train tracks

Do you know how active the railroad is? I would see if I could look it up some how. If its really active for me it would be a hard No. Trains are loud and annoying to me lol. But I could ldeal with it if it was not frequent. I use to live near some in the middle of the night hearing those noises was horrible. But it was not frequent.

I live near train tracks. I don't think it's that bad but I am not that close there is a little separation between my house and the tracks. Also the schedule of the trains isn't too bad so they aren't waking us up at all hours of the night or really disturbing us. Maybe if you knew how often and what times the trains run on that track that would help.

I live a block away from the train and I didn't notice it until FH said he hears it all the time. Even though he hears it and I don't it doesn't really bother us. We never wake up in the middle of the night because of it. It doesn't interrupt movie night for us. I think you kind of block it.

But I would camp out late at night (anywhere from 8-11pm) and see if it bothers you. My parents did this before buying their house to see how busy the street would be.

I would check to see how active the trains are. My FILs live in a house near train tracks and it wakes me up in the middle of the night every time I stay there. FH grew up there though and barely notices it anymore.

Right I agree @Shauna they may luck up and the tracks may be inactive

I literally live right next to train tracks. No separation at all, they are right under my window. If you have the right windows and the right kind of insulation (our home is an industrial loft, so it's got solid brick/concrete exterior walls), you'll have at most a low rumble. Be sure to schedule a showing while a train goes by - most train schedules are public so you can look that stuff online.

Make sure that the trains go by, and don't linger. They don't shut them off if they have to stop somewhere because it's cheaper to keep them running, and the brakes are the REALLY loud and obnoxious screech.

I grew up in a house that was half a block from the train tracks. The tracks were very active as they were used by Metra and freight lines. Then my first apartment was the same distance from those tracks, but in a different town. You get used to the noise. At least in my childhood home (built in the 1940s) the paintings and pictures on the wall would rattle if a big freight train came through. The biggest annoyance I had with it was if I needed to get to somewhere on the other side of the tracks. If you hit it at the wrong time, you could be sitting through multiple trains.

I've been searching for the last hour and nothing. Apparently there is not a real schedule. The only thing I can do now is ask the neighbors and try to call/email the company and see if they can give me something :-(

I once lived in an apt by train tracks. Other than the obvious noise issue, it often backed up traffic during my morning and evening commute. Also think about reselling. You may be able to deal with it, but a lot of people will not be a fan. If you don't plan on making this your forever home, I would really think hard on it.

I wouldn't do it! We live somewhat close to train tracks- close enough to hear the fucking whistle loud and clear when it comes through. It isn't that often, but occasionally it comes through in the middle of the night. Wakes me up and pisses me off!

But if the RR isn't too active, then maybe it won't be so bad. Staying nearby one night like RAG suggested might help, but if it comes by once a week, you might not hear it the particular day you test it out.

ETA: Also, it looks like the house you're looking at is pretty damn close to where the train goes by, so your house (and its contents) will definitely shake whenever the train does go through.

@Jenny is there a site to go on? I couldn't find anything.

I live across town from a train station and I can hear the whistle even up here at night, so I can't imagine what it's like to live right next to it.

I have an active rail yard behind me. You do get used to the noise. However, you have to be careful because it has caused damage to our house from the shaking. Just cracks and fissures in the plaster and foundation, so you have to be careful of that.

I grew up in a house about a half a block away from the long island railroad and it just became part of our usual. But now, whenever I go back and visit my parents and hear the trains, it feels like home.

Some people get used to it and don't even "hear" it after a while. Some people are bothered by it perpetually. If you aren't sure which you are, I'd be wary.

I do not personally live by train tracks, but growing when I was growing up my grandmother did. She was quite a bit further away then you would be and when I stayed the night over there I would wake up to the bed shaking and could hear the whistle. I guess you would get used to it just like you do anything after awhile.

Also keep in mind if you did purchase the home, it would probably be hard to sell in the future.

If you're a light sleeper, don't do it. My mom's house is near tracks and my sister woke up all the time because of passing trains when we were growing up.

It will hurt your property value.

I live about half a mile from tracks (fortunately tracks without crossings so blowing the whistle is rare). If a heavy train goes through, I may hear it.

The thing that I was be wary of, in your situation with that house being so close to the tracks, is your future re-sale value. The next buyer will have the same hesitation that you are having. You will get less money for the property than you would if that exact home did not have tracks near it.

Do NOT ask the current buyer about the trains....they want to sell, so they will not be as motivated to tell you how they really feel about the train.

By the way, someone mentioned hearing trains far away....that is due to how the sound bounces off of the landscape. At my mothers old house, the train that was six blocks away was never heard. The one two miles down the hill, on the other hand, could be heard all the time as the sound traveled up the hill.

@Annakay-Not necessarily. It depends on the overall neighbourhood. I live in a neighbourhood that is surrounded by train tracks and has a rail yard. The houses regularly go for $100K above asking and are rarely on the market for more than a week.