I’ve heard it said that Baker City wouldn’t be Baker City without the trains. Our town is wonderful in so many ways. If we really delve into what makes Baker City a special place trains have nothing to do with it. Baker City is known for a lovely downtown, unique local businesses, beautiful geographical setting, historic buildings, and a vibrant arts scene. If the train horns go quiet Baker City will not lose a bit of its small town character and we will gain a lot in quality of life.

I understand that many people are wary of change, especially if they perceive that it’s driven by outsiders or newcomers. That seems to be human nature. A town that resists change, innovation and improvement will lose its resilience. As a community we need to plan carefully, study what other towns are doing, and make decisions based on what is best for everyone today and in the future.

In the years since Baker City citizens voted against silencing train horns, the horns blasts have gotten louder and more shrill in tone. There is no question that staff and students at South Baker School are negatively impacted. Quieting the horns would improve education quality, improve the school’s reputation, and attract teachers and families.

Many people, including children, are chronically sleep deprived from the tremendously loud and numerous nighttime horn blasts. The effects of poor quality, interrupted sleep are devastating to physical, mental and emotional health.

We have an opportunity to make a positive change in our community. We lose nothing by quieting the train horns. We have a group of people willing to raise money to make the change. We have a neighboring town who has done it successfully. We all care about our fellow community members, right? We look out for one another. That’s what living in a small town is all about. Let’s not get political, fearful of change, or pretend that we can’t afford to do this. Instead let’s put our collective energy into making our lovely little town even better.

Cynthia Roberts

Baker City