By Alex Davidson
A 20-year Richmond Hill resident who lives almost adjacent to a Long Island Rail Road maintenance yard said recent alterations at the site are resulting in loud, booming noises that prevent him and his neighbors from sleeping.
Robert Miller, a former 40-year employee with the Queens Borough Public Library system, said his house at 87-78 124th St. is bombarded during the night by noise emanating from a service facility at 125th Street and 89th Avenue. He said the noise started one year ago. Miller has contacted LIRR officials, and in August he spoke with Chief Engineer Charles Kalkhof about the noise issue, but nothing has changed, he said.
Miller also had a meeting about the noise with LIRR President James Dermity, he said.
“There is no real peace. You don't know why you are getting tense or edgy,” he said. “I am the only one fighting loud enough to make a stink. I am really stuck.”
Miller, 59, said the noise comes from diesel trains that until last year were serviced at an alternate site. He said LIRR officials are mostly following regulations that call for diesel trains requiring more than three hours of service to be plugged into a central, electric system that allows conductors to turn off noisy diesel engines.
The problem, however, is with the large number of engine locomotive trains that only need one or two hours of maintenance work and, thus, are not required to be plugged into the electric system, he said. There can be, at one time, up to nine trains running their diesel engines only 70 feet from his house throughout the course of a night, Miller said.
Sam Zambuto, spokesman for the LIRR, said at the time of publication that he was researching Miller's complaints and looking into operations at the site.
Miller, who said his neighbors are mostly immigrants and unable to speak English, is spearheading a call for an end to the noise. He said walls put up by the LIRR have failed to keep the noise from affecting local residents.
“When they decided to put the shop up here, I'm sure they did not consider the neighborhoods,” Miller said. “I can only just do so much.”
Miller said he grew up in Richmond Hill and used to watch steam engines being repaired at similar maintenance facilities in the borough. He said the facility servicing both electric locomotives, which are used for commuting purposes, and now diesel engines, which extend outside of the normal commuting range, has the attention of the entire surrounding neighborhood.
“They (the LIRR) never really wanted to listen to me,” Miller said. “It is extremely depressing.”
Miller said he is not opposed to the older LIRR operations and has made recommendations on how the LIRR can incorporate the new servicing techniques and keep noise levels down.
Reach reporter Alex Davidson by e-mail at TimesLedger@aol.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 156.
