I am responding to those who wish to “quiet the train horns” (whistles). When my husband and I bought our home, we chose a neighborhood close enough to the train tracks to enjoy their sound in the evenings. This town and its residents have survived with the train whistles for 147 years. We don’t need to quiet them now.

Yes, the whistles may be loud, but don’t most of us block them out unless we are driving? If they waken us at night, my husband and I find them comforting and we just go back to sleep.

You keep bringing up “safety for the children.” How would quieting the train horns be safer for the children of Baker City? It sounds as if you are using fear for children’s safety in order to manipulate us to get your way. The train horns alert our children (and others) to stay away from the track because a train is passing.

What’s wrong with letting the residents of Baker City vote on the issue? Let us speak for ourselves.

The train whistles are part of the town’s history. Let’s not allow a vocal group with money to destroy this charming feature of our town.

If you have a problem with the train whistles, get over it. Or relocate to another city without this feature. Not everything is about you.

Lori Shirley

Baker City