This section contains documents that may assist in understanding the process of creating or continuing a quiet zone. Charts 1A, 1B, 2, 3A, and 3B are flow diagrams illustrating the steps that a public authority should follow in order to create a New Quiet Zone or to continue a Pre-Rule Quiet Zone. The explanatory text describes the information in the flow diagrams and also includes references to appropriate sections of the rule text.

This section also contains documents that may assist the public authority in providing proper notification of the creation of a New Quiet Zone or the continuation of a Pre-Rule Quiet Zone. The New and Pre-Rule Quiet Zone Notification guides and the Notification Sample Packet contain information about the required contents of the notification packet, and to whom it must be sent. The Sample Notification Checklist provides an exemplar checklist to assist in completing the notification process.

Please note that Appendix C of the Interim Final Rule contains detailed information about creating New Quiet Zones and continuing Pre-Rule Quiet Zones. Public authorities are highly encouraged to review Appendix C in order to have a better understanding of the process necessary to silence the routine sounding of train horns at public crossings.

Flow Chart Explanatory Text

Chart 1A -- Pre-Rule Quiet Zones: Qualifying for Automatic Approval

Chart 1B -- Pre-Rule Quiet Zones: Not Qualified for Automatic Approval

Chart 2 -- Creating a New Quiet Zone using Supplementary Safety Measures (SSMs)

Chart 3A -- Creating a Quiet Zone using Alternative Safety Measures (ASMs, modified SSMs)

Chart 3B -- Creating a Quiet Zone using Non-engineering ASMs

Notification Sample Packet

Notification Sample Checklist

New Quiet Zone Notification

Pre-Rule Quiet Zone Notification