One local politician is putting a stop to train noise.
Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr. announced Monday that the MTA will be implementing a new technology on every train car on the N and Q subways lines which will help reduce the noise of the air brakes at the lines’ last stop at the Astoria-Ditmars Boulevard station.
“This deafening noise has been scaring little kids, startling our senior citizens and damaging our ear drums for too long,” said Vallone. “We commend the MTA for working to solve this problem and look forward to shopping, working and commuting near the Ditmars stations without having this constant ‘ear-sore’ above our heads.”
Vallone has been fighting since 2012 against the loud noise, caused at the last stop when the conductor applies the emergency brake to allow him or her to walk to the end of the platform and take the train the opposite direction.
Last year, Vallone sent a letter to MTA President Thomas Prendergast calling for action to be taken against the noise from the above ground trains. In response, the MTA had its Car Equipment Division inspect subway and track equipment on the subway line.
Based on the study, which showed the air brakes caused an increase in the surrounding area’s sound level, the MTA will now be installing “noise dampers” on all cars on the N and Q subway lines. This technology will still allow train crews to hear the brakes being applied.
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