Does anyone live South of Marine Drive and Knight Street, is it loud? ie. Train noise

[PeanutButter]

Hey RS.

Does anyone live South of Marine Drive and Victoria drive or close to that area? We are possibly looking at properties in that area and noticed there is a train track in that area.

I heard that trains sometimes go by at night time and because there's no train controlled crossing, they have to blow their horn, a lot.

Does anyone live in that area, and if you do, can you shed some information regards to that?

The wife is rather sensitive to noise, so I would like to know if that's a deal breaker or not.

Thanks

[saiko]

I live by Kinross and Riverwalk Avenue (Public Storage) with the railroad right behind my building.

Yes, it is very loud when the train passes by because of the uncontrolled crossings and they blast their horn.

However, the train comes by 1-2 times a week on Sundays in the afternoon and consists of 2-3 cars. It has come in the late evening 9pm but I've only seen this once in the 6 months that I have lived here.

Hope this helps. I really like it down here where I can easily walk my dog.

[welfare]

Actually my dad lives right at duff street (one block east of Victoria) and marine. Never felt like the trains were excessively noisy. Don't recall the horns going off much.
He's not right down on Kent tho, but pretty close to it.
Mind you, I'm not too sensitive to noise tho.

Not a bad area. The walk along the Fraser there is nice.
Got a decent park with volleyball, basketball, bbq and a big gazebo.

[nns]

I've lived in the area for about 4 years. The train tracks are right behind me. It used to be that the train would occasionally roll by in the middle of the night, maybe once or twice a month. Even then they wouldn't always blow their horn. During the days maybe 1-3 time a week.

Things have gotten quieter as the years have gone by. For the last 2 weeks I've worked from home during the day and I think the train has gone by maybe twice. Again, the horn doesn't always get blown.

I'm a light sleeper so I'd definitely hear the horn blast at night if it was still happening, but it just doesn't occur much at all these days.

If you're worried about being stopped at the train crossing waiting while the train passes with 72370593 train cars - don't, that's never happened to me.

Even when the horn does get blown I think the train operator is more respectful with it. It's usually short 1-2 secs bursts in succession, maybe 4 in a row? Sometimes it's just once for 2-3s. It's very, very rare to have to hear the horn blast more for long periods. It's definitely the exception if that does happen.

[EmperorIS]

I have a couple of friends who lives in River District who didn't even a train crosses there

[SpeedStars]

I live right on Marine by Knight, so it's a bit further away from the tracks. Lived here pretty much all my life. It used to be worse and you could definitely hear the horns. Never notice them anymore. If anything, im more bothered by semis shaking my entire house at times.

[PeanutButter]

Thanks for all the information everyone. We really like the area because of the river walk and the new river district has some nice restaurants and a really good walking area.

I guess if it's only a couple times per week, we could live with that. I think we'll visit the area a little bit more and see if the locals will talk to us about their experiences.

We appreciate your input thus far!

[!Aznboi128]

My Parents live at the River District and as said above it really only comes by on Sundays.

They love it there but the only thing that bothers them is the mosquitos in the summer.

[subordinate]

All I gotta say is, the people who lived along the railroads beside Venables and near main st. Enjoyed years and year's with only a train with a handful of cars a week.



Since last year, multiple long trains a day and I read the waterfront port is expanding for more.

Now I would look into the line up near Victoria drive and see where that goes? If those industries shut down, you likely just increased your property values alot. If you foresee possible more traffic, Ie, to Fraser River,. Etc. I'd stay away.

Active rail tracks are just that, depends on businesses those tracks service. Could be one a week, or none, or 4x a day.

P.s nns,

Definitely being respectful. Transport Canada States 2 long bursts, one short, one long. Equalling about 20 seconds of warning

[winson604]

Originally Posted by subordinate

All I gotta say is, the people who lived along the railroads beside Venables and near main st. Enjoyed years and year's with only a train with a handful of cars a week.



Since last year, multiple long trains a day and I read the waterfront port is expanding for more.

Now I would look into the line up near Victoria drive and see where that goes? If those industries shut down, you likely just increased your property values alot. If you foresee possible more traffic, Ie, to Fraser River,. Etc. I'd stay away.

Active rail tracks are just that, depends on businesses those tracks service. Could be one a week, or none, or 4x a day.

P.s nns,

Definitely being respectful. Transport Canada States 2 long bursts, one short, one long. Equalling about 20 seconds of warning

Venebles is brutal now. I lived by PNE for from 2006-early 2019 and worked in Olympic Village while the wife worked in DT so taking Venebles/Viaduct or at least just being in the area is common and often and while it was typically pretty quite I have noticed in the past 1-2 years that the train comes frequent and at all times of day and these are not like 2-3 cars but they are there for a while.

[Traum]

In addition to just noise, I would also be concerned about vibrations from the train / tracks. I used to have a property near the WCE / Evergreen Line Port Moody station, and the noise of the trains passing through never bothered me. However, the vibrations from the trains on the track definitely took me by surprise when I first lived there. Some of my guests have thought it was an earthquake as well.

You get used to it quite quickly. At the same time, I also have some concerns about long term structural integrity of the building given the recurring vibrations. The building is still relatively new, but according to the strata last year, a (horizontal) crack on the exterior wall has appeared across multiple units. The developer had a look and said it was cosmetic and non-structural, but I don't know how much of their word I can take.

[melloman]

I live in New West just up from the quay.
I'd say that living next to a rail track isn't bad, it's living near the rail yards.

Trains constantly coming and going, shifting and moving the rail cars around. Banging and crashing by starting and stopping trains of 50+ cars.

subordinate has a good point in regards to the businesses using the rail tracks, yet as far as I know, most of the business down on Kent closer to Granville & Oak St. are slowly phasing out as the properties are trying to rezone for residential/commercial rather than their original industrial uses.

I can tell you that I have a buddy who lives just West of River District between the river & Marine Drive and he has never complained about hearing a single train whenever I bring it up.

[CivicBlues]

Originally Posted by winson604

Venebles is brutal now. I lived by PNE for from 2006-early 2019 and worked in Olympic Village while the wife worked in DT so taking Venebles/Viaduct or at least just being in the area is common and often and while it was typically pretty quite I have noticed in the past 1-2 years that the train comes frequent and at all times of day and these are not like 2-3 cars but they are there for a while.

YES I noticed this too! Been driving Downtown to Burnaby via Georgia Viaduct > Prior Street to visit gf/now in-laws for over 15 years now. Only this year I've been stopped twice at the tracks for what seems like 20 minutes while a 40 car freight train rolls by. Any idea if this is the new normal? Should I just take Hastings or Terminal from now on?

[subordinate]

Originally Posted by CivicBlues

YES I noticed this too! Been driving Downtown to Burnaby via Georgia Viaduct > Prior Street to visit gf/now in-laws for over 15 years now. Only this year I've been stopped twice at the tracks for what seems like 20 minutes while a 40 car freight train rolls by. Any idea if this is the new normal? Should I just take Hastings or Terminal from now on?

New Norm. And Waterfront Docks is expanding. Expect more....
Yeah, the city will have to do something about it. Maybe build an overpass. Edit, Looks like a overpass is in the works at Centennial. near Clark.

https://www.portvancouver.com/develo...nsion-project/

900k to 1.8Mill Containers. Almost double..

[snowball]

Originally Posted by CivicBlues

YES I noticed this too! Been driving Downtown to Burnaby via Georgia Viaduct > Prior Street to visit gf/now in-laws for over 15 years now. Only this year I've been stopped twice at the tracks for what seems like 20 minutes while a 40 car freight train rolls by. Any idea if this is the new normal? Should I just take Hastings or Terminal from now on?

Every day they send a train along Grandview highway during peak rush times at 730AM and 330PM... They must be purposely trying to piss off all the motorists or something...

[nns]

Originally Posted by Traum

In addition to just noise, I would also be concerned about vibrations from the train / tracks. I used to have a property near the WCE / Evergreen Line Port Moody station, and the noise of the trains passing through never bothered me. However, the vibrations from the trains on the track definitely took me by surprise when I first lived there. Some of my guests have thought it was an earthquake as well.

You get used to it quite quickly. At the same time, I also have some concerns about long term structural integrity of the building given the recurring vibrations. The building is still relatively new, but according to the strata last year, a (horizontal) crack on the exterior wall has appeared across multiple units. The developer had a look and said it was cosmetic and non-structural, but I don't know how much of their word I can take.

Traum raises an excellent point about the integrity of the structure you live in *possibly* being compromised by the train.

Up til this point I just figured it was either a) poor workmanship or b) the piledriving they've been doing when constructing the new neighboring apartments. The building I live in is maybe 5ish years old, yet some nails are starting to appear through the ceiling, or cracks up along the corner of my bathroom wall. Even my various doorways, including my bedroom door, washroom door, and front door have or continue to rub up against the door frame. I've had to sand the washroom door down at the top so that it would stop rubbing up against the frame. The front door has gone through periods where it'll rub (like right now), or it'll suddenly stop.

It could be the train vibrations, the reasons I mentioned above, or something completely different. I'd wager the train causing the above structural issues being last on the list because it just doesn't come by often enough.

[Presto]

Originally Posted by nns

The building I live in is maybe 5ish years old, yet some nails are starting to appear through the ceiling, or cracks up along the corner of my bathroom wall. Even my various doorways, including my bedroom door, washroom door, and front door have or continue to rub up against the door frame. I've had to sand the washroom door down at the top so that it would stop rubbing up against the frame. The front door has gone through periods where it'll rub (like right now), or it'll suddenly stop.

It could be the train vibrations, the reasons I mentioned above, or something completely different. I'd wager the train causing the above structural issues being last on the list because it just doesn't come by often enough.

I think that's normal. The condo I live in has the cracks you refer to. They appeared in my first year of ownership (first/only owner). No new ones have appeared. I will plaster it when it's time to sell, otherwise, I don't really notice it. It's a wood frame building, so I expect some shifting when the season changes. Also related, the door to the 2nd bedroom doesn't 'latch' in the winter time. None of this has affected my quality of living here for the past 13 years.

[CivicBlues]

Originally Posted by subordinate

New Norm. And Waterfront Docks is expanding. Expect more....
Yeah, the city will have to do something about it. Maybe build an overpass. Edit, Looks like a overpass is in the works at Centennial. near Clark.

https://www.portvancouver.com/develo...nsion-project/

900k to 1.8Mill Containers. Almost double..

ah fuck that does shit all for people who take Prior/Venables. Perhaps they're counting on the viaducts coming down and traffic redirecting to the new Malkin Connector since they want to turn Prior/Venables into a "neighborhood" street - with freight trains rolling through it .

[6thGear.]

Lived in River District for the past 5 years and I swear I notice the train like once a month if that. I also have never had to stop at the tracks for a train crossing. As for the train compromising structure I'd be pretty worried if a passing by train rumble will topple a building. That would be third world country shoddy build quality there lol.

Originally Posted by Traum

In addition to just noise, I would also be concerned about vibrations from the train / tracks. I used to have a property near the WCE / Evergreen Line Port Moody station, and the noise of the trains passing through never bothered me. However, the vibrations from the trains on the track definitely took me by surprise when I first lived there. Some of my guests have thought it was an earthquake as well.

You get used to it quite quickly. At the same time, I also have some concerns about long term structural integrity of the building given the recurring vibrations. The building is still relatively new, but according to the strata last year, a (horizontal) crack on the exterior wall has appeared across multiple units. The developer had a look and said it was cosmetic and non-structural, but I don't know how much of their word I can take.

Exterior wall isn't structural. Structural is foundation, beams, roof truss, etc. Basically the "bones" of the building everything else is technically cosmetics

[chipmunk604]

I'm right by Romer's Burger River District and I rarely notice the train. I also have never stopped at the tracks for a train crossing and never witnessed any trains go by. You get a lot of spiders and very tiny flying bugs during the summer time if you leave the window open, even if you have a screen. The fraser river attracts mosquitos and flying bugs which in turn attracts spiders to feast on them :/

[twitchyzero]

Originally Posted by snowball

Every day they send a train along Grandview highway during peak rush times at 730AM and 330PM... They must be purposely trying to piss off all the motorists or something...

when you think you're minutes from home to pee/take a shit and you hear the bells and down comes the guard

in a few years i wouldn't put it past the traffic backing up closer to 1st ave

[winson604]

Originally Posted by snowball

Every day they send a train along Grandview highway during peak rush times at 730AM and 330PM... They must be purposely trying to piss off all the motorists or something...

Whenever I hit this and see that it isn't a West Coast Express I'm like fuuuuck. Luckily though after taking Renfrew to and from home for 12 years I've in the last 1-2 years taken it way less frequently now and instead take Nanaimo instead because there are no tracks there.

[m4k4v4li]

while we're at it does anyone live in gastown?

sometimes hear extremely large explosion sounds, like a fucking grenade going off

have googled this and seems no consensus on what it is

like literally middle of the night 4am a giant explosion will go off

[gilly]

On another note, I have two friends that live at River District. Their windows and outdoor decks are covered with spiders. They say its because its near a swamp area? You guys have a lot of spiders too?

[HonestTea]

Originally Posted by chipmunk604

I'm right by Romer's Burger River District and I rarely notice the train. I also have never stopped at the tracks for a train crossing and never witnessed any trains go by. You get a lot of spiders and very tiny flying bugs during the summer time if you leave the window open, even if you have a screen. The fraser river attracts mosquitos and flying bugs which in turn attracts spiders to feast on them :/

Originally Posted by gilly

On another note, I have two friends that live at River District. Their windows and outdoor decks are covered with spiders. They say its because its near a swamp area? You guys have a lot of spiders too?