With light rail scheduled to open to the public next month, those who live near the line may count themselves fortunate that they will soon be able to commute by train. And property values along the route are going up, The Seattle Times tells us. But there’s one thing South Seattleites may not have expected: the noise. The trains–which are already running sans passengers–make a high-pitched clanging sound as they pass intersections. It’s distinct from the sonorous and melancholy whistle of heavy rail. When a light rail train passes by, it sounds at first as if someone were ringing a dinner bell–really loudly–throughout the neighborhood. Then there’s the whoosh of the train, followed by more clanging. It’s not an unpleasant sound, but it is frequent; the trains pass by every five to 10 minutes. This is a recording.
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