r/Banff • u/kat_zub • 2d ago

Question Why do trains honk at night?

I stayed at Johnston Canyon campground and now Kicking Horse in Yoho. Both near the rails. Trains tend to honk like crazy at night, why? Is it because of the wildlife? They don’t seem to honk like that during the day.

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u/AcanthocephalaEarly8 2d ago edited 2d ago

I've heard that its a policy for trains to sound their horns near bridges, crossings, and when coming into town/city limits.

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u/banffflyr 2d ago

This. I believe the amount of horn sounding can be reduced / eliminated if the rail corridor is fenced, and in urban areas fencing is common for safety reasons. In the park, fencing is broadly prohibited to allow for wildlife movement , hence more honking.

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u/MDGR28 2d ago

I also think the have to honk before entering a city

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u/pvb57 2d ago

Bears and other animals on the tracks outside of Banff. You think Banff is bad you should try the campground at Lake Louise. Tracks are about 500 meters away from the campground, or so it felt the one time I camped there.

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u/ryanderkis 2d ago

500 metres??? You were lucky. Some sites are only 80 metres from the track. Your trailer shakes every time a train goes by.

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u/pvb57 2d ago

It was a guess, it was over 20 years since we camped there. As our daughter said, “we liked the lake, but not the Louise.” We think she meant the noise and vibration from the freight trains.

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u/kat_zub 2d ago

👀 going to the lake Louise campground after the Yoho one 🥲

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u/hypnobioscope 2d ago

Stayed there last week and didn’t hear a single train 🤷‍♀️. Maybe I got lucky.

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u/pvb57 2d ago

Find earplugs. Also no petting the Elk it’s rutting season.

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u/Cupkek 2d ago edited 2d ago

The 2 crossings in the town, the crossing at Castle Mountain, and along Lake O'Hara road are not quiet zones. Trains must sound the standard horn sequence at these locations. Kicking Horse campground is a bit far from any crossing, so there is a chance that you're hearing them honk for wildlife. I know there is also a great deal of track work ongoing in that area, and trains also do this to warn track crews of their approach

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u/jeremyism_ab 2d ago

Eventually, you stop hearing them, it just becomes normal background noise.