Edmontonians call for city to silence 'nails on a chalkboard' noise from Valley Line trains

Some Edmonton residents living near the city's Valley Line Southeast LRT say they're losing sleep due to noise from passing trains squealing through their neighbourhood.

"It's a constant screech of fingernails on a chalkboard — very long fingernails on a very long chalkboard," said Vladimir Ahmad, who has lived on Donnell Road in Strathearn for seven years.

"We love the train. We hate the noise."

Ahmad said the screech from trains rounding the bend at the top of Connors Hill at 95th Avenue has become louder and more sustained since the line began operating last year. 

He is among a group of Strathearn residents calling on the City of Edmonton and Valley Line operator TransEd to stifle the sound.

The din rattles through the neighbourhood every few minutes, 18 hours a day, and wakes him nightly, he said.

Ahmad said he misses the peace and quiet he once enjoyed at home. 

"You become frustrated all the time," he said.

"You cannot escape it." 

Residents who spoke with CBC fear their concerns have been drowned out by other operational concerns on the line, which have included prolonged construction delays and a string of collisions.

City transit officials say residents' complaints have been heard and that they're working with TransEd to reduce rail noise in the area by applying extra grease to the tracks.

City officials say two other locations have been identified to receive additional train lubrication.

One is north of the Millbourne-Woodvale stop near 40th Avenue; the issue was identified after a citizen complaint.

The other, identified by city staff, is the southbound track that heads downhill, including the curve for the Davies elevated guideway, near 69th Avenue and Argyll Road.