Re: Train comes and goes about 50 times a day - I wouldn't even consider this place!

I take it you're not used to city living or utilize the train? I wouldn't suggest spending that much money to upend your family if you are going to a completely different lifestyle, you may regret it, and not just for the train noise. It sounds like you love the amenities, you can have those with your suburban house as well, just make sure it's not located under a flight path.

@3onthetree I am currently in the city and love city life, just a much smaller house. I don't/wouldn't use the train

I don't value off-unit amenities particularly highly, but we really like the unit itself and the fact it has its own terrace / pool.

My 2 cents...

For most people, living near train tracks is simply something they get used to and then don't notice. I am a light sleeper and lived near train tracks for years and it maybe bothered me the first month, after that I didn't even hear it. Your brain does a fantastic job of filtering out distractions and noises that it expects.

I would go hang out there a bit after work, just go sit near the site and read a book in the car for a few hours and see if the noise bothers me..

Good luck

@bry911 That's a really good idea, we'll do that!

Of course, everyone is different, but most people wouldn't be disturbed by trains passing through. The things that are much more likely to bother you are train horns, and dinging bells at crossings, etc.

I will note, that if my experiences are any indication, you are likely to be bothered by construction noise that you hope might block out the train noise more than the train noise itself. I believe construction workers must be genetically predisposed to jumping on heavy equipment at 7:05am on Saturday morning and backing it around the job site with the reverse alarm beeping away.

Is there good soundproofing in the building? That can make all the difference. In pr-pandemic days, commuters valued locations close to train stations. Is that still true with so many more people working from home and large office buildings almost empty?

@sushipup1 By default there's going to be double plane glass, but since it's a new project I can basically pick and choose upgrades as I see fit. I'd go with whatever is the best to reduce noise, not looking to save money on soundproofing

I would be asking how it was to be constructed as some materials will transmit not only the sound but the vibrations from the passing trains. If you have ever stood next to the tracks as a train passes unless it is going at a very slow rate the ground shakes. Sound proofing will do nothing for this.

There is also that soon not to be cottonwood tree which do not stay slim. Those fibers when the seed balls are released go everywhere and can be a major cause of allergies.

@maifleur03 You're right, I'll drill into the construction considerations to dampen the vibration effects from passing trains

I grew up in a typical 1960's tract house. Train tracks were raised behind the back yard. I'd guess, as it's been decades since I've been there, the dual set of train tracks were no more than 100 feet from the back of the house.

Even in that quality of house and train proximity we didn't feel vibrations from passing trains. Obviously we did hear the trains going by, but it wasn't as frequent as a passenger train. I've also worked in buildings and stayed in hotels near the El in Chicago. I never noticed the train noise. In this instance I wouldn't worry too much about interior noise.

I'd be more concerned with the frequency of the trains and the noise while enjoying the terrace or private pool.

The freight train tracks are about 5 houses away from mine. I have to start by saying that I moved here from out of state, before the internet, and the real estate agent did not point out the tracks (never took me down to the street where I would notice them either). Once I was in the house and realized, I did not have the resources to move again.

They start blowing the horn for the crossing that is 1/2 mile south of me, a good 1/4 mile at least north of me before they pass my house. The largest and fastest trains do shake the ground - I rebuilt the family room addition floor to reduce the vibration. I have been in this house for nearly 30 years, and for several reasons I have stayed here that long but I really haven't fully gotten used to or able to filter out the train noise despite new windows and wall insulation.

I am of the opinion that even when we "learn to filter it out" the noise pollution is a stressor that has an effect on us, just like light pollution does.

I could hear the trains at my grandparent's house as a kid. Now when I hear them at night, it feels like home.

50 trains a day is either one every 1/2 hour or, much more frequently during the daytime hours if it is a commuter line. As mentioned, you can get used to the rail sound, but the horns and brakes are much worse. Are the trains braking to slow down for the crossing? And check to see if the tracks curve in your area. Curves increase noise.

The unit sounds wonderful, but, boy, 90 yards is awfully close. You can mitigate the sound inside the unit, but the patio could be useless. Tough decision.

"I would go hang out there a bit after work, just go sit near the site and read a book in the car for a few hours and see if the noise bothers me."

I would suggest the same thing, only I would suggest going there at different times of the day (and weekends as well as weekdays), if at all possible with your own work schedule. Not only would you get a good idea of the noise of the neighborhood and trains at various times/days, you will also be able to tell how much the ground vibrates when a train goes by. I would think that if you don't feel any vibration while sitting in your car, you won't feel it when (ultimately) you are in the apartment.

Based on your description of the property, it appears that you are prepared to spend a very significant amount of money on a property that you are worried that you are aren't going to be happy with because of a potentially non-fixable situation.

You are worried enough about this purchase that you have chosen to ask opinions from strangers on a website on what you should do. And while there are some very knowledgeable people on this site, and while you have received some very sound advice, perhaps asking for advice about this purchase seems to indicate that you are really hesitant and I would ask are you really looking for reassurance that it's worth the risk, or do you really want reasons to be convinced that it's a bad idea?

Ultimately if you do decide to buy the property, and it turns out bad, what are you planning for the next step?

@oberon476 thanks for the input! It's mostly looking for reassurance and making sure I've covered my bases. I wouldn't say I'm hesitant, maybe overly cautious because as you mention, it's a non-trivial investment. To be honest I expected more folks to be like "you're insane for even considering this", so I'm already encouraged to see where it goes. Like in mentioned in the OP, I haven't liked any other developments nearly as much as this one, so I'll probably go visit the area one more time to make sure about vibrations/noise and whatnot are acceptable, and then I think I'm likely to put in an offer

I honestly think this is one of those things only you can answer. Everyone is bothered by different things....differently. (Yeah, I know - I'm brilliant. ha ha..)

I live near a municipal airport. Not a huge international JFK-type place, but a smallish airport which has smaller jets flying. There have been so many threads posted about people swearing they won't ever live near any airport, and if they lived around here that would be their loss. I'm in a really nice little development, tucked away from all the main roads...and the plane noise is a total non-issue. We're talking 2 or so jets every hour, and I no longer even hear them.

So I suggest you do as Bry advised - go and sit there and read a book or play on the internet and see how loud it is for yourself. Then be honest with yourself. No one else can really know if this will bother you, or not.

Freight trains are much more intrusive than commuter trains. Even express commuter trains (ones not stopping at the station by you) are less intrusive than freight trains. It's all part of the fabric of noises in the city and is to be expected.

Being near a train station (which it sounds like you are) actually raises value around here (urban area), so that's different from just being by tracks. In the 80's, I lived in a college dorm right on tracks that had freight trains going by (in the mid-west). The first week I woke up at night each time they went by, but after that I didn't even notice them. When would remark about the train going by, I'd have to stop and focus to even realize that it was there. You really do grow used to it and it becomes background noise. Fast forward 25 years, we're now in another part of the country, we were renovating a house near commuter rail tracks, which had trains going by at least every 30 minutes. Same experience, after a short time we didn't even realize they were there.

If. you love the place, for sure buy it. Personally I think it sounds wonderful. Just don't expect guests to come and stay with you twice. Maybe that's another reason to buy it, though.

Go for it. 4,504 sq ft living space sounds wonderful. It's probably a very rare deal. You should thank the train track for this opportunity.

Another issue to scope out when you are visiting the site is how long the trains are and how quickly they go by. A small train that is gone in less than a minute or two while you are hanging out on the deck is a lot less intrusive than a big train that takes 15 minutes to pass by. Obviously this could change based on time of day and could also change over time. You might also look into the availability of sound survey info to get an idea of how train sound carries to the 8th floor in an area similar to what you are looking at and what the significant variables are. You might even consult a sound expert and see what they have to say. A simple sound survey may not be very expensive compared to what you are proposing to spend on the apartment. Even though I live in the country, I agree with the folks taking the position that noise is a fact of city life and proximity to a train station is desirable. Even though after COVID more people will work from home a lot of the time, I think proximity to a train station will always be desirable. If I had to move to the city that is what I would be looking for.

Does the unit have its own elevator? That was my first thought when you talked about a triplex as your forever home.

@lisette it does!!

The developer has made a big fat bet that the train issue is offset by the location and other factors. They're usually right about this kinda thing. The marketplace will arbitrate as it always does.

My son had a 19th floor apartment in Chicago about 200 ft from train tracks with his living room windows facing the tracks. The trains ran several times an hour from 5:30 am to midnight. He broke his lease to move. Interestingly, the sound of the trains on the nearby sidewalks was not bad. That is because the sounds of the city muffled the sound of the trains. But with nothing but open air and a glass winDow (and shades and heavy drapes) between him and the trains the noise was very noticeable. Especially at 5:30 am when there was no other ambient noise. Sitting in your car at the site of the building will NOT be a true test. With only a potential park between you and the tracks there will be nothing to absorb the noise. You said you live in a house now. If you mean single family house, you will also be surprised at the noise that will come from being in a multi-family building . Other people will be out on their terraces and balconies and, unless you have an entire floor to yourself, there will be next door units. While you have a private elevator, if there are other units on the same floors, there has to be a hall and other elevators for maintenance, cleaning personnel. All these generate noise.

@Martha Edwards yeah, we already live in an apartment in the city and are well aware it's noisy as hell when compared with the suburbs!

To add to Nico's post, the higher up in a building you are, the more you may feel ground vibration - the upper floors in a building where I worked would feel small earthquakes when the bottom 2 floors would not.

Good luck!

Nico, do one last thing - go to the area late at night, when there is no other ambient noise (like traffic) to mask the train noise. Maybe even take a nap in your car - see if the train disturbs you then. If you are still good with it, then enjoy!

Re: "There aren't any new developments that even come close in terms of architectural quality in our city, and neither in terms of pricing."

That tells me that the proximity to trains has been already figured in to the price, which means that if its a nuisance a buyer can put up with it can be a great way of getting an otherwise great place in an otherwise unaffordable neighborhood. Sounds like you did your due diligence and decided to go for it - pls report back once you are moved in and tell us how it's working!

I bought a house immediately adjacent to tracks after thoroughly checking it out, incl calling them and asking if they used herbicides. They didnt - they mowed. For about 5 yrs anyway, then they started doing massive amts of herbicide spray which killed off entire trees and half my yard, - needed to file complaints w/ state environmental regulatory agency which got them to reduce but not eliminate the applications. Im planning my exit strategy, moving as soon as I can. Too bad, cos I otherwise liked it and the noise didnt bother. In my price range, I cant get the perfect house so the question becomes what I can put up with, and what I cant.

If the trains are accelerating/decelerating that obviously adds to the noise. Can the passengers of the train see you on your balcony? That would be another deterrent for me.

It would be a deal breaker for me. I live in a rural area. I have lived there for most of my life. The train tracks are 2+ miles away. The freight train's rumbling and whistle wakes me up every night.

It was a deal breaker for us to NOT be close to the train when we moved from city to suburb years ago - we needed walking access to the train to commute to work. In my area (Chicago western suburbs) living near the train has helped keep prices higher than areas where people either drive into the city or have to drive to the train station. When we first moved, there was a several year waiting list for a parking permit near the tracks.

The pandemic changed things of course, but many people still take the train and prefer to walk to the station. There's a new townhome building in our little town going up right next to the tracks. I thought the proximity to the train would make them a hard sell but units ($850-925k+, 2750-2850 sq ft) are mostly sold with only a few still available, with the building still under construction.

Y’all, this was nearly 8 months ago. I’m pretty sure he’s either bought it, or moved on by now.

In fact, the original poster said they put in an offer 7 months ago.

Say aloha to aloha20!!

I'd be more concerned that I don't have the largest unit in the building because you never want to be the most expensive unit.

As for the tracks, I lived in a very desirable neighborhood where the commuter tracks and station were 1 1/2 blocks from our house. It actually was a positive and as others have said, after a while, you never even noticed it. In fact, when 9/11 happened and they stopped running the trains to the city, we noticed the quiet more.

The deal should be done by now. They are probably enjoying the 4,504 sq ft.

FYI, there really is a qualitative difference between a block or 2 away, and literally in your own back yard (as was case w/OP). Train horns that sound pleasantly romantic in the distance can be horrendously loud and evoke an involuntary startle response close up. Prop values will be lower consequently - but this can be a good trade off for those who can live with the noise.