The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) received a petition from the City of San Clemente and Metrolink on December 11, 2020, requesting a waiver from certain railroad safety regulations about the use of locomotive horns at seven rail crossings. They seek to use a Pedestrian Audible Warning System (PAWS) instead, which emits a sound similar to a wayside horn. While similar relief was granted in 2015 for five years, a subsequent extension request was denied due to procedural issues and safety concerns. The current petition includes maintenance and communication plans, and the FRA invites public comments until March 19, 2021, with details available online.
Simple Explanation
The Federal Railroad Administration is thinking about letting trains in San Clemente use a quieter horn system so people nearby aren't disturbed, but they want to hear what everyone thinks before saying yes. They tried this before, but it didn't work out, so they are being very careful this time.