BART to develop quieter trains by 2021

Why are they so loud?

If you’re a Bay Area resident, you’re probably familiar with BART, or Bay Area Rapid Transit. A public transportation system stretching from Richmond to Fremont and across the San Francisco Bay, BART is often the most efficient way to get from point A to point B. In fact, BART trains are much faster than the trains in most cities, averaging 35mph compared to New York’s subway at 17mph.

But there is one question that plagues every BART passenger on the average ride: Why are the trains so loud?

KQED reported that there are several different noises one may hear from the trains. One is created from wheels running on rails that are corrugated, or worn and uneven. BART addresses this issue by maintaining the rails with a large machine that smooths them out to dampen the noise.

However, the other characteristic high-pitched wailing noise heard on the average BART ride is created when the trains are going around turns, especially in tunnels. This is because the cars’ wheels all rotate at the same time, so while they are quieter on the straightaways, they drag noisily against the curves on the track.

To combat this problem, BART engineers are in the process of developing new train cars to decrease the earsplitting noise by two to three times. First, they plan to taper the wheels slightly so as to decrease drag on the rails when going around turns. But their main plan is to modify the design of the BART cars themselves by making a more secure seal around the doors. This will reduce the noise pollution into the cars, creating a more comfortable and quiet BART ride for all.

But there’s a catch: these modifications won’t be enacted for several more years. In fact, the old cars won’t all be replaced until 2021.

Until then, we’ll all continue to tolerate that earsplitting wail together.

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UC Berkeley