A Jim Thorpe businessman is requesting borough council and the county look at ways to quiet overnight train whistles in the downtown area.

Bob Handwerk, who owns the Harry Packer Mansion, asked council this month to consider establishing a "quiet zone," normally a half-mile stretch of tracks where trains do not sound their horns at railroad crossings."There are trains coming through in the middle of the night, sometimes at 3 a.m., blowing that whistle," he said. "I have a business too and people go online and make comments about it. I'd just like to see if there is something we can do."Under the Federal Railroad Administration Train Horn Rule, locomotive engineers must begin to sound train horns at least 15 seconds, and no more than 20 seconds, in advance of all public grade crossings.If a train is traveling faster than 60 mph, engineers will not sound the horn until it is within a quarter mile of the crossing, even if the advance warning is less than 15 seconds.There is a "good faith" exception for locations where engineers can't precisely estimate their arrival at a crossing and begin to sound the horn no more than 25 seconds before arriving at the crossing.Train horns must be sounded in a standardized pattern of two long, one short and one long blasts. The pattern must be repeated or prolonged until the lead locomotive or lead cab car occupies the grade crossing. The rule does not stipulate the durations of long and short blasts.Council, however, said the cost of putting such a quiet zone in place is likely a long shot."The big thing is the expense," Councilman Jay Miller said.To establish a quiet zone, a number of safety additions have to be in place. They include signs, flashing lights and gates.Lower Makefield Township in Bucks County established a quiet zone last year.Modifications at three railroad crossings cost the municipality just under $500,000, over half of which was paid for with a state grant."I'm not going to get your hopes up, we just don't have that money in the budget," Miller told Handwerk.Council did agree to have conversations with the county and railroad regarding the issue.