• Matt05/14 10:02 AM

  I wonder if the people that are bitching about the train noise are the same ones that defend all of the other free perks (circulator, wifi, etc) that downtown gets on the basis of “you chose to live OTB suckas, deal with it”.

• T-Plain05/14 10:40 AM

  Kinda like the people who move in across the street from NCSU and then complain to the City about all the students.

• tc05/14 11:54 AM

  “Kinda like the people who move in across the street from NCSU and then complain to the City about all the students.”

  And then complain about how Hillsborough street isn’t as good as Franklin Street.

• Phil05/14 12:57 PM

  ““Kinda like the people who move in across the street from NCSU and then complain to the City about all the students.“
  And then complain about how Hillsborough street isn’t as good as Franklin Street.”
  And then complain about the people who complain.

• this is your wonderland05/14 01:10 PM

  the train rumbles by our shop Ornamentea a few times a day, and it’s quite nice to hear the sounds! it reverberates off of our tin roof and makes any phone calls static-y - but i must say, i love it!

• ct05/14 01:32 PM

  What a crock. The volume of trains through downtown Raleigh is a small fraction of what it was in the 1960s or 1970s. What did these condo residents think, when they saw the shiny RR tracks? Of course, our downtown-centric mayor is willing to throw large sums of money at the problem, even though his development philosophy will actually drive train volume back to what it was in the 1960s (if not higher).

  Welcome to the downside of high-density living, folks. It’s why suburbs were populated.

• r05/14 02:10 PM

  ok, so this condo guy is an effective activist, getting his local cause on wral and in front of city officials, and THIS is the issue he’s worked up about? if he thinks he lives in sub-standard conditions and deserves pity, he needs to take a look around and think about someone besides himself!

• ben05/14 02:24 PM

  The fact that it costs $300-400k is absurd, it kind of makes me want to drive by West and honk my horn at night.

• Aaron05/14 04:12 PM

  This really grinds my gears. No offense to all the condo owners, and I hate to generalize and stereotype, but if you bought a damn condominium a quarter of a block away from a railroad crossing, then you should have known that one day a train might come through and blow its horn. Jesus. You, sir, are a complete idiot and I hope you are reading these comments.

• WiseOne05/14 04:51 PM

  I wonder if the train smokes cigarettes too.

• Seann05/14 05:34 PM

  ““Kinda like the people who move in across the street from NCSU and then complain to the City about all the students.“
  And then complain about how Hillsborough street isn’t as good as Franklin Street.“

  ...and then we realize that Franklin st. IS better than Hillsborough St.

• JRD05/14 06:20 PM

  Why dont they just build a tunnel in that spot and make it go underground all the way south to the Morgan St. bridge.  Or further for that matter, It would definitely cut the noise, and make for a broad pedestrian route on top.  It could be like a new little Fayetteville St. Mall and we wouldnt even have to block off existing high traffic areas.  It would definitely give some well needed open public space in that area, and who knows what kinds of businesses and things will grow up around it where there is currently no significant growth at all.

• salley05/14 07:03 PM

  jrd, because tunneling is extremely expensive. now if you used the growth it produced to pay for the tunnel….

• JrD05/14 09:01 PM

  Its not really necessarily “tunneling”.  It would be basically building a platform over the tracks.  They have done it in Atlanta.

• Tc05/15 10:07 AM

  “...and then we realize that Franklin st. IS better than Hillsborough St.”

  I know, that’s my point, because it’s largely due to complaints (well, and the presence) of those living directly behind Hillsborough St. 

  Also, related to the train noise.  I lived with a tracks about 50 feet behind my house, directly beside an intersection where they blew their horn every time, very close to downtown.  It was loud, but I began to ignore very quickly, it wasn’t hard.  It didn’t even wake me up as it came through at night. 

  Some people just like to complain, and they WILL find something to complain about, regardless.

• arthurb305/18 12:59 PM

  The point of the story—research the neighborhood before you purchase!!

  Arthur!
  Downtown Raleigh, NC

• Kevin06/06 04:10 PM

  I used to live closer to the train than I am now, Morgan Street at the time. Its one thing to talk to about working beside train tracks and hearing the occasional train go through, its another when you are living there 24-7 and the train horn wakes you up at 2am. The train horn is bad and anyone who says otherwise doesn’t know what the heck they are talking about. TC, congratulations on being one of the few who does know what they are talking about and who can stand it.

  These people who bought these condos bought into the sound proofing story etc. I know because I was interested in buying one of those condos and having lived downtown or close to downtown since I moved here, I knew better. But man, did the pretty sales girl throw me a sales pitch. We can all say afterwards caveat emptor, but the fact is that sales people are sales people because they are good at their job.

  The city of Raleigh are partly at fault in this mess because they allowed these developments to occur in an area where they knew there were going to be problems with sound. This issue should have been addressed as part of the agreement which permitted these condominiums to be built.

  Fair play to the guy for getting the city to listen and knowing how to do it. He is not looking for pity or claiming to live in sub standard conditions. He has an issue he believes is valid and is looking for the issue to be addressed and has managed to convinced 100s of others that he is right.

  I like downtown raleigh, I hate the urban sprawl and I would like to see more people living down town. I’d like to see more business down town. This is one of those issues that can help make that happen. It is at least a more useful use of funds than the Drunk bus.

• Shannon09/13 09:10 AM

  In the four years I’ve lived in Raleigh I’ve always lived close to the tracks. One place was only about 150 feet away from one of the intersections in question. and I promise you it was not as well insulated as the fancy condos. After a couple of weeks both my cat and I really stopped noticing it. I feel like my experience grants me the right to say I know what I’m talking about and if my cat can ignore it (her hearing is better than yours) than you can too.
  I agree that you should check out your neighborhood before you buy something. Did you not see the railroad tracks? Why don’t the condo people band together and pay for the quiet zone upgrades? Everyone else that lives downtown isn’t complaining.

• lurker10/09 11:57 AM

  http://www.raleighdla.com/home/2009/9/29/dla-takes-leading-role-to-quiet-downtown-train-noise.html

  Apparently they have joined forces to help spend our money.  Why do the rich feel they can spent the money of the rest of us without our asking?

• mR10/12 01:26 PM

  DLA WTF?  Sounds like the residents at 222 and West found someone to actually listen to their BS and take sides.  Not sure why the DLA would take on this issue.  Not a good move in trying to find new members when you are going to
  “take a leading roll” in wasting our money on a bunch of cry babies!

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