The Utah Transit Authority’s FrontRunner commuter train approaches the Ogden station in March 2020.

From Ogden to Provo and all points in between, trains will now be sounding their horns more often.

A Union Pacific train approaches a crossing at 1300 S. 1200 West in Marriott-Slaterville on Thursday, March 5, 2020. The railroad is fighting removal of a state fuel tax exemption that would help fund construction of overpasses for roads that are frequently blocked by UP trains.

According to a joint statement sent out by the Union Pacific Railroad and the Utah Transit Authority (UTA), trains will be required to sound their horns at all railroad crossings along the corridor for the time being.

“As an identified safety measure by the Federal Railroad Administration, freight and commuter rail train horns will be sounding multiple times a day through all grade crossings from Ogden to Provo,” the release said. “The crossings have previously been designated quiet zones through city applications, but these are currently out of FRA compliance, pending maintenance. According to a letter from the FRA to sponsor cities Woods Cross and Lehi City, who applied for the applications on behalf of multiple cities, cities must complete these repairs before the quiet zones — which have been in place since 2008 — can resume.”

The statement adds that both UTA and Union Pacific are willing to lend a hand to cities to get back into compliance.

“While cities are responsible for filing quiet zone applications and maintaining crossings to keep compliant with the FRA, UTA and Union Pacific are here to help,” the statement said. “We know this necessary safety measure will be a disruption to communities, and UTA and Union Pacific are offering support to cities to restore their FRA compliance at these quiet zone crossings. As cities determine how they respond to the FRA findings, UTA and Union Pacific must instruct our operators to sound horns every time we cross these areas. When the cities receive compliance approval again from the FRA, freight and commuter trains will resume quiet zone protocols. ”

The statement does not include how many crossings are involved, whether any are already quiet-zone compliant, the extent of repairs needed or what specific policy change led to the FRA’s decision. Representatives from UTA and Union Pacific directed the Standard-Examiner to the individual cities.