People who live near train tracks have wanted whistlefree “quiet zones” for a long time, and 40 of them filled town hall Tuesday night to ask for immediate enactment.

After three hours of discussion, councilors decided only to further research the issue and report back by Jan. 8.

Residents clamored for “quiet zones” long before the Amtrak Downeaster began daily service here Nov. 1.

Federal law requires a train’s whistle to be blown whenever it crosses an intersection in densely populated areas. Residents claim the blasts are waking kids, bothering visitors, degrading property values and costing them rental income from tenants moving out.

The town can go through an application process with the Federal Railroad Authority or designate the zones on its own and trust its data to withstand scrutiny.

Zones must meet safety standards based on the number of cars crossing the tracks at the intersections intended to be quieted.

Additionally, zones must provide other means of warning motorists, so the town has to decide whether it needs extra safety equipment at the crossings to be quieted. Equipment such as swingdown gates could cost millions of dollars.

Council Chairman Jim Hendricks, a trackside neighbor, said the train does not bother him but is in favor of moving the issue forward.

Councilor Melanie Sachs, also a quiet zone proponent and self-described “data geek,” said she was hesitant to move too quickly.

“There is no reason not to consider quiet zones based on the environmental impact it is having on the town,” she said.

jtleonard@timesrecord.com