S.E. train yard as loud as a rock concert: residents

Residents of a community in southeast Calgary say a nearby rail yard has become too noisy to be neighbourly.

Canadian Pacific Railway's Alyth facility — which dissects 15A Street, stretching from Blackfoot Trail south as far as 42nd Avenue S.E. — has been generating 120-decibel level noise at all hours, said Sonja Bogdanovska.

"I mean, it's getting to the point I'm losing my health," said the Inglewood resident.

Her roomate Jen Bysterveld has lived next door to the Alyth rail yard for 10 years.

"I did choose to live here. I was aware of the rail yard and the fact I would have to endure reasonable noise. And that's not the problem. But within the last eight months it's gone up ten fold," she said.

According to CP Rail spokesman Mike Lovecchio, what residents might have heard lately was diesel engines testing their horns. But that testing was a one-time event, he added.

Ward 9 Ald. Gian-Carlo Carra has heard the rock-concert level noise himself. He plans to meet with CP Rail officials to discuss the issue.

"This is a new unbelievably industrial noise that is something the CP Rail needs to do to continue operations and continue effectively running. That's fine, but we have to find a way to mitigate it so we can all live together in the same place," he said.