San Francisco Muni working to silence squeaky trains
SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco's Muni says it is working to quiet trains down after this year's rainy winter. Neighbors near Ocean Beach say the trains started making a squealing noise following this year's wet winter weather.
Some neighbors near the N Judah turnaround near ocean beach say the sound the trains make have reached new levels following this year's epic storms.
A nearby hotel says guests have complained about a screeching, squealing sound, and have requested rooms in the back of the hotel. Long time neighbors say the train has always made noise as it rattled and rolled in and out of the Sunset.
"It's one of the noises of the area," said Jeff Sammon. "You hear the squeak, and 'oh, I gotta get to the train on time. There's my wake-up bell.'"
San Francisco's Municipal Transportation Agency says it has heard complaints about the squealing this year loud and clear, especially a the end of judah where the trains have to navigate a tight turnaround. The agency says complaints tend to come after heavy rains.
"The connection is that we are regulatory obligated to use a water based solution and it keeps the environment safe, and we're very committed to it," said Julie Kirschbaum from SFMTA. "But, it also tends to wash away in heavy rainfall."
Muni says it can't use a lot of lubricant all at once because it could impact the stopping capabilities of the trains so the lubricant has to be added carefully.
"In some cases we're adding additional lubricant by hand, and doing everything we can to maintain the safety of the system, the longevity of the track and be responsive and be good neighbors," said Kirschbaum.
MUNI says it relies on its neighbors and rider for input on how the buses and trains are running, so say they welcome feedback so they know where to respond to issues. The agency says the noise situation here at the end of the N-Judah will continue to be addressed on an as needed basis.