After reading "Residents Fed Up With Air Traffic, Noise," published in the July 20 issue of the Floral Park Dispatch, a Bellerose resident said the influx of aircraft coming in and out of nearby airports like Kennedy and LaGuardia isn't the only source of noise pollution. Trains also contribute to the problem.

A seven-year Bellerose resident who lives one block away from the tracks said, "When I'm watching TV and start hearing the train approach, I pray to the thunder and the rain that it is not one of those diesel noisemaker machines ... And when it is, I deeply hope that it doesn't blow its horn."

The resident, who wished to remain anonymous, believes it's plagued the area for generations, "so long that some people have learned to live with it, don't say anything about it or it's just at the subconscious level."

"Don't get me wrong," he said, "I love the LIRR [Long Island Rail Road] and I'm a good client, but I'm also a Long Island resident. I know that today there are things that can be done, like acoustic walls, and I'm sure that everyone would appreciate it. This is the new millennium. The LIRR should build walls to contain the sound away from residents, as they are built along the LIE [Long Island Expressway] for residential sites."

Scott Kushing, chief of staff for Assemblyman Thomas Alfano, said it's always been the perspective of safety engineers that a lot of times when conductors blow their horns is when there's open spaces near or around the tracks.

"Obviously, people, even animals, are given a fair warning that a train is coming. It's not the LIRR's perspective that they blow their horn just because the conductors like to do it. Sometimes, especially near bridges, people try to cross the bridges and basically the horn is a signal that a train is coming at them," Kushing said.

Alfano's office hasn't had very many problems with the LIRR and Kushing said there are several reasons why. "Because of the close proximity between stations like New Hyde Park, Stewart Manor, Floral Park and Bellerose, trains aren't picking up much speed to go through those areas and reek havoc," he said.

"There's only one track so you only have one train going through there at one time. Having said that, a casual observer of the LIRR could ask, 'Well, what about the lines that run out to Suffolk?' Yes, they do run on these tracks but I hasten to point out they're the newer trains and aren't as loud and boisterous as the trains currently on that line. Understand that those cars are ancient, from the '50s and '60s and the newer ones are a lot more sufficient on many levels as well as noise.

With regard to noise barriers or "acoustic walls," Kushing said not only do they attract graffiti, they are not aesthetically pleasing to the eye. "I'm not so sure residents would be totally thrilled about having these barriers in their backyards, especially when they look out their windows and see a concrete wall. The amount of expenditure that would have to be made for that is mind numbing," he said.

"I think there probably would be a question about access. For example, what happens if a deer gets caught in there or a train derails? How does the Bellerose Village Fire Department get in there? What happens if there's an incident, God forbid, like the one that happened at the Merillon Avenue station? The amount of people that use this item of transportation is enormous and it's a vibrant and vital part of the west-end economy."

Last year, during a forum Kushing attended with the Assemblyman, the Floral Park West End Civic Association, who was also in attendance, noted the LIRR is so vital to their economic and financial well-being that completely opposing the LIRR would be ridiculous. "One thing they did think would be aesthetically helpful was the introduction of greenery in the area. Shrubbery would make it aesthetically pleasing and, more importantly, help out with natural noise pollution abatement. This is something we strongly support. I know the LIRR has been aggressive in trying to introduce those types of things in different areas," he said.

According to a spokesperson from Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy's office, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has strict rules regarding the use of whistles. Understandably, she said, there has been considerable congressional opposition to those regulations by members in areas with rail lines, usually freight trains, running through residential areas.

"Although airplane noise is the first and foremost concern of many residents, over the past several years, my office has been contacted by a number of constituents irritated about loud train whistles and the resulting sleepless nights," McCarthy said.

"I don't underestimate the impact these whistles have had on those living within earshot of the railroad. I think everyone understands that the rules regarding train whistles were put in place by the Federal Railroad Administration to prevent tragic and needless accidents at railroad crossings, but if there are ways to improve the rules, then action should be taken immediately," she said. "I am confident the Railroad Administration, working with local communities, can find sensible ways to better control whistle blowing without compromising safety."

Floral Park Mayor Ann Corbett said the bulk of residential concerns are regarding air traffic noise, including low-flying helicopters. "I haven't received very many calls regarding the trains passing by," she said.

Some Garden City residents are dealing with a similar situation in their village. Alongside two tracks of an old freight line in Garden City earlier this month, Governor George Pataki announced the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and the New York & Atlantic Railway (NYA) finally reached an agreement ensuring the Hempstead branch be permanently closed off to freight traffic and be used only for passenger commuters.

The agreement is intended to streamline the movement of rail freight on Long Island by taking more trucks off the road. It will also bring East Side Access to Grand Central Terminal, an issue Pataki considers top priority because it will enable commuters to have direct rail service into Grand Central Station.

However, residents living along the tracks that run parallel to Merillon Avenue are particularly upset about this new agreement. One resident, who moved to the village three years ago and lives just houses away from the Merillon Avenue station, which stops in Hicksville, said, "What about residents who only live a few houses away from the Hicksville line? Besides the present noise factor of commuter trains rolling at night and blowing their horns, we have to worry about our property values dropping. I don't know how they can arbitrarily move freight from one line to another without consulting the residents it directly affects," he said.

Another resident said she's very "uptight" and "disappointed" because "once again the politicians have kept affected residents in the dark. They're so proud no more freight will run on the Hempstead line but now it'll run on the Hicksville line, which goes through Garden City as well," she said. "There's enough traffic, noise and pollution on this line already. Now we'll have to deal with freight running on it as well?"

State Senator Kemp Hannon said that there will be rail freight but there really won't be more trains. "What they can do, and it makes economic sense in terms of getting freight off the roads and onto the cars, is to just add more cars to the existing trains. In other words, there are 10 freight trains a day but there's only right now an average of 8-10 cars. You can double that and make the rail operation profitable ... It's really a commuter line and the first precedence goes to the commuter line."

The original agreement to privatize the LIRR's freight operation was part of Pataki's plan to have a robust rail freight operation in the downstate area and reduce the region's dependence on trucks. As part of the larger effort, New York State invested significant dollars in rail freight infrastructure improvements throughout New York. Current plans in the region also include improving height clearances to allow rail flatbed cars to carry loaded trucks and a new intermodel facility east of Mineola.