HARRINGTON, DE- Neighbors in Harrington are raising concerns over what they describe as relentless train horn noise that disrupts their lives at all hours of the day and night—and they've had enough.
Many around and near the train tracks say the horns, which blast as trains pass through their community, have grown increasingly louder and harder to ignore.
Kelvin Matthews, who has lived near the tracks for about two years, said the constant noise has made it nearly impossible to get a good night's sleep.
"It's very annoying for us. We have experienced that late at night and early morning. I work extremely early in the morning. So when it comes in at 12:00 midnight, 1:00 in the morning, it can wake us up."
Trains have rumbled through the heart of Harrington since the 1800s, but neighbors say the horns have become longer and more frequent in recent months.
Bella Ruiz, who has lived in Harrington for around eight years, said the horns are especially jarring when they pass directly behind her home.
"They do lay on the horn, and they play it right as they go behind our houses and stuff. So that's the worst part for me."
Delmarva Central Railroad, headquartered in Harrington, declined an on-camera interview but said the trains comply with federal regulations.
Federal law requires train horns to sound at all public crossings unless the area is designated as a "quiet zone."
That quiet zone is exactly what neighbors are now fighting for. A petition is circulating in Harrington to propose a quiet zone, hoping to silence the blaring horns during late-night and early-morning hours.
Matthews believes this change is long overdue.
"If we can do like quiet hours from 10 to 6, that'd be perfect."
While Matthews acknowledges the importance of train horns for safety, he argues that the prolonged honking, especially during nighttime hours, is excessive.
"It shakes our home. We can feel the vibrations of the train, so that's bad enough with it just going by. But with the horn, it adds to the vibration. And that's no fun because you think you have an earthquake."
For now, the horns continue, but many in the community are determined to reduce the noise—one signature at a time.