How far away can you hear a train (in good conditions)?

[Horizon22]

I live close to the GWML to the west of Twyford but on a still warm night I can hear trains on the Reading - Wokingham line which is about 2.5 miles away.

Out of interest how do you know its that and not a freight service on the GWML?

 

[londonmidland]

On a clear and cold morning at Nuneaton I heard a Voyager on full pelt, accelerating to 125mph after it passed through Atherstone. It has a very distinct sound.

Must’ve been around 1.5-2 miles away from where I heard it.

 

[Bikeman78]

Was wondering how far away you can hear a train, in good conditions (i.e. the train is upwind of you, rural location so not much traffic).

Obviously answer will vary dependent on type of train, so might be good to consider some options:
- Classic diesel loco such as 37 or Deltic (which I would imagine would carry a long way)
- The acceleration of a Paxman engine in an HST
- A modern EMU such as a 444 or 450
- A ttypical train horn. This last is of particular interest as I swear I heard a horn from the Elsted area, West Sussex, perhaps 7 miles from the Portsmouth Direct on one occasion in October 2004. (At this time the Portsmouth Direct had a mixture of Desiros and slam-door stock, but I think it was the former). Wind was westerly so the line would have been upwind.

Aside from the horn above, I do recall hearing down trains from a bridge about 2 miles east of Brockenhurst in the New Forest, about 3 mins before they passed in ideal conditions (NE winds), so perhaps about 4 miles away, maybe in the Ashurst area. On the other hand at one time, in the 80s, I lived around 3 miles from the the Portsmouth Direct and don't really recall hearing trains then, though there was some high ground in the way.

Back in the day it was possible to stand at Cowden and hear a Thumper DEMU depart from Ashurst, about 2.5 miles away.

Another example, a colleague of mine lives in Machen. He reckons he could hear the 37s pounding up the Rhymney valley last year, a distance of around four miles.

 

[Beebman]

Out of interest how do you know its that and not a freight service on the GWML?

Because the GWML is only a couple of hundred yards away from me!

 

[33021]

If you are in North Staffordshire you can here the Churnet Valley s160s from miles away

 

[rob w]

Sound propagation, especially at night, can be remarkably different to the day - the presence of a temperature inversion layer can result in sound waves being refracted back towards the earth. This can result in sounds being audible for very large distances. Valleys can also help "channel" the sounds as well as allowing for the "valley inversion" effect where cool air flows to the bottom of the valley.

I used to live in Whyteleafe (just up one of the valley sides). On just the right warm summer nights, I could hear up Oxted trains, esp Thumpers, go through U Warlingham, and both enter and leave Riddlesdown tunnel London side - that's about 1.8 miles as the crow flies to the portal, so probably getting on for 2 before being out of earshot.

agree with you

Many years ago when I was at school in Old Coulsdon I could hear the thumpers and couldn't foghorn out why. Looking at the map its only 1.5-2 miles away

 

[james60059]

I'm just over 2 miles as the crow flies from the Nuneaton - Leicester line, and can always hear the horns of the trains for Burbage Common foot crossings. Sometimes even the droning of the Class 170's can be heard as well.

 

[Trainer2]

To answer the intitial question, depending on our own noise levels (if the wheel lathe is on, you can forget it) you can hear the diesels about a mile or so away.

 

[mpthomson]

Just moved from living right next to the ECML about 5 miles south of York. At night if it's still, anything heritage diesel or a 60 can be heard for a good 2-3 minutes before it arrives if there's a decent load. Light 66s can be almost inaudible as a comparison.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Stayed on Lindisfarne last week, and it was easy to hear (and see) trains on the East Coast Main line two or three miles away across the mudflats, even above the calling of the seals.

 

[w0033944]

I live around 1.4 miles from the GEML, and the Class 86s were quite audible on a still summer's evening. Sadly, my hearing's deteriorated due to my disability (Osteogenesis Imperfecta) and the new units are quieter, but it was a very atmospheric and evocative sound to experience.

 

[Pinus contorta]

I could hear 37s on the passenger trains at Ravenglass when I was stood 5 1/2 or so miles away in Miterdale Forest. Although to be fair there was quite a height difference between sea level and 300M ASL.

 

[Mally66]

When I worked Pway for Network Rail at Tonbridge on a clear morning you could hear the Eurostar leaving the southern portal of Sevenoaks tunnel which was approx 4.5 miles away, they had a distinctive sound running on dc power.

 

[greyman42]

I live in York and have discovered that the 68s are a match for the Deltics back in their hayday.

 

[4F89]

When I was a boy u could hear trains squealing round Firsby curve, approx 3.5m away

 

[Bletchleyite]

I am about 2km from the WCML at the nearest point and can hear it at night when quiet, quite clearly. But not every night - the prevailing wind can make a huge difference.

 

[Galvanize]

At Lewisham Station, you used to be able to hear Class 319s departing Crofton Park on the Catford Loop very clearly among other noises.
Even better if it was an occasional Class 37 hauled Freight Train!

 

[SouthEastBuses]

In Horsham, I live about 200 metres away from the railway, and I can hear very clearly, regardless of road noise, the 377s arriving and departing the station. As well as some class 66s or 67s during the night. Can't hear the 700s because I live south of the station, and 700s don't run south of Horsham.

 

[OuterDistant]

Trains going over Stoke Junction can be heard at Adderley Green, around 2 1/4 miles to the east. I thought I was imagining it, but it's quite a distinctive thumping noise and ties in with movements on Realtime Trains.

 

[route101]

In Horsham, I live about 200 metres away from the railway, and I can hear very clearly, regardless of road noise, the 377s arriving and departing the station. As well as some class 66s or 67s during the night. Can't hear the 700s because I live south of the station, and 700s don't run south of Horsham.

Can you hear the Class 73s? I suppose they can run on diesel or electric. I only found out yesterday Thameslink run to Littlehampton via Worthing and not Horsham.

 

[LiftFan]

Working on the S&T I can certainly tell the difference between trains - 165/166s are quite loud, and the 59s and 66s are very loud and have the distinctive sound of the engines as well as the sound of the ballast wagons. In comparison, the 800s and 802s are scarily silent at speed on diesel! Those things just appear out of nowhere and can be dangerous when they catch you off-guard, even the horns are too quiet.

 

[SouthEastBuses]

Can you hear the Class 73s? I suppose they can run on diesel or electric. I only found out yesterday Thameslink run to Littlehampton via Worthing and not Horsham.

Surprisingly not, because I don't think I ever heard or saw a 73 coming to Horsham!

And yes Thameslink do run to Worthing & Littlehampton indeed (during the peak only tho). What I meant is that Thameslink doesn't serve stations south of Horsham going via Horsham (for example: Billingshurst)

 

[Manclad83]

I remember as a child, you could clearly hear the ‘Clackerty clack’ of DMU’s from Blacker Hill as they passed through Wombwell, a couple of miles away’ between Barnsley and Wombwell.

On a calm morning you can hear class 323’s on the Glossop line around Flowery Field from close to Stalybridge.

 

[AlbertBeale]

When i was a kid in the London suburbs, my mother would predict rain based on whether or not we could hear a local train line from where we lived, since both depended on wind direction.

 

[30909]

Was wondering how far away you can hear a train, in good conditions (i.e. the train is upwind of you, rural location so not much traffic).

Obviously answer will vary dependent on type of train, so might be good to consider some options:
- Classic diesel loco such as 37 or Deltic (which I would imagine would carry a long way)
- The acceleration of a Paxman engine in an HST
- A modern EMU such as a 444 or 450
- A ttypical train horn. This last is of particular interest as I swear I heard a horn from the Elsted area, West Sussex, perhaps 7 miles from the Portsmouth Direct on one occasion in October 2004. (At this time the Portsmouth Direct had a mixture of Desiros and slam-door stock, but I think it was the former). Wind was westerly so the line would have been upwind.

Aside from the horn above, I do recall hearing down trains from a bridge about 2 miles east of Brockenhurst in the New Forest, about 3 mins before they passed in ideal conditions (NE winds), so perhaps about 4 miles away, maybe in the Ashurst area. On the other hand at one time, in the 80s, I lived around 3 miles from the the Portsmouth Direct and don't really recall hearing trains then, though there was some high ground in the way.

I'm late to this thread and I would agree that the 444 and 450 when first introduced had such loud horns that,with the Portsmouth Direct inscribing an arc from south via south west to north east of my location, they could be heard over 4 miles away. Since then there was a public campaign to have them quietened which now means just 3 miles distance. Though when the wind is in the North West both the horns and the track noise can be heard from over 4 miles.

 

[Annetts key]

Was wondering how far away you can hear a train…

Depends on how long you want to risk your life while pressing your ear against the steel rail…

There are far too many variables. Some days you may get very little warning. Especially with slower train movements. Other days, depending on where you are, and the conditions of the track, the type of train you may considerable warning.

Some of the variables include, but are not limited to:
* open line, cutting, embankment, tunnel
* wind speed and direction
* type of track (CWR/LWR/jointed)
* condition of the track (well maintained track is less noisy)
* is the railway lined with vegetation?
* curvature of the line
* Air pressure and humidity
* Type of train
* Speed of train
* line speed
* whistle boards or other reason that the driver may sound the horn
* time of day

But is drummed in to track workers to never even attempt to rely on hearing a train.

 

[M&NEJ]

Hello, I just joined the Forum, so this is my first post.

In the late 1980s, with my late father (who gave me the passion for railways) we heard "Duchess of Hamilton" on the Settle & Carlisle, above Griseburn. On a cold, still autumn afternoon it was magical hearing every beat of the exhaust from departing Appleby 5.5 miles away to passing us at Stockber.

 

[dakta]

I live a couple of miles from both dewsbury and batley. When it's quiet you can frequently pick up the unmistakable drone of a QSK19 even though we're nowhere in the vicinity.

 

[fgwrich]

I live a good 2 miles away from my local station, but I do live in the triangle of an reverse L. On a clear and still night, you can quite often Class 70s on liner's screaming up the bank through Oakley, power down through Basingstoke station, then start screaming up through Chineham and onwards and upwards towards Reading. Equally, Voyagers can often be heard too.

 

[Western Sunset]

Laying in the grass on the cutting side at High Dyke, one could hear Deltics droning out of Grantham, nearly four miles away, on the climb up to Stoke.