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FAQ
  Rail Safety
Why do trains sound their whistles in the middle of the night?
 
Answer:
Train whistles, horns, and bells are warning devices which enhance railroad safety by giving motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists an audible indication of a train's proximity. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) requires that each lead locomotive in a train have an audible warning device. FRA does not specify when a train's audible warning device should be sounded. However, that agency is currently conducting a rulemaking proceeding to develop nationwide standards for the use of locomotive horns.

There are no Michigan regulations or state statutes pertaining to whistle blowing.


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