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Some Great Falls residents sounded off about trains and the noise they make during a neighborhood council meeting on Monday night.

Train conductors are required to sound their horns a minimum of 15 seconds through every crossing and if they see someone on the track; the maximum decibel level they can reach is 110.

Many conductors err on the side of caution, because their horn could be the difference between life and death.

Megan McIntyre of BNSF said, "A lot of these conductors will hit people whether it's a suicide or unintentionally, and they have to live with that their whole life and that's huge."

BNSF stands behind horns as the most preferred line of defense, but that doesn't mean they won't help a city that opts to enact a "quiet zone" - an area where conductors don't need to sound the horn because there are proper barricades in place.

McIntyre noted, "If they're going to do it, we want it done right."

Another of the many options presented at the meeting included a wayward horn; the stationary horn is installed by a private company at a railroad crossing. The noise travels directly into traffic, minimizing the amount of noise that travels through the city.

Carlie Boland, a MT State Representative (D-Great Falls), said, "I'm really looking forward to finding out a little more about that wayward whistle that they have. That sounds like something that might be easily remedied. I hope."

To install proper barricades for a quiet zone at a crossing that has no protection currently could exceed $200,000; a wayward horn could cost more than $75,000.

There are some cost-share programs, and council members also discussed going after grants.

McIntyre also says if the council wants to pursue one or more options, BNSF will be more than willing to help guide the city through the process.

McIntyre says the first step to pursuing these options would be to have a site visit to evaluate each crossing's needs; she also says private companies would be willing to offer the city test demonstrations of a wayward horn if that's the avenue that officials choose to pursue.