Residents discuss possible solutions for late-night train whistl - WQOW TV: Eau Claire, WI NEWS18 News, Weather, and Sports

Chippewa Falls (WQOW) - Some Chippewa Falls residents, tired of late-night train whistles, met Monday night to discuss possible solutions. 

"I don't know why they have to run so many at night. When I moved down to the Flats there was probably one train a day, maybe. There's an awful lot more than that now," says Roger Kressin, a

Chippewa County Board Member.

Train traffic has increased with the booming frac sand industry.  The creation of a quiet zone was among the suggestions heard at Monday night's city council meeting.  All trains are required to blow their whistles for safety purposes. In a quiet zone, cross arms would be needed. The city says that could cost $500,000 per intersection and could take nearly two years to implement.

"We have ten crossings in the city, so we can invest three to four million dollars, that within whatever, we have no control over them and at some future place and time, the railroad can request that all those quiet zones be taken out," says Mayor Greg Hoffman

Mayor Hoffman says he would like to work with the railroad industry to create a less formal quiet zone. The goal would be to cut down on the number of trains that run at night.