CN Rail Taschereau Yard, Montreal, Quebec

Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Owner/Operator: CN (Canadian National Railway Company)

The Taschereau Yard in Montreal, operated by CN Rail serves as a critical hub for freight transportation. Established in 1953, this sprawling rail yard covers approximately 300 acres and features an extensive network of tracks, switches, and storage areas. Its strategic location near major highways and ports facilitates efficient movement of goods across North America. At Taschereau Yard, trains are assembled, disassembled, and sorted, ensuring seamless connections between different rail lines and destinations. The yard handles a diverse range of cargo, including containers, bulk commodities, and automotive shipments.

In order to provide overnight rest for its workers, CN Rail considered converting one of its control towers into a temporary dormitory. Because of concerns about potential disturbance from rail yard activities, HGC was asked to evaluate the suitability of the existing space for conversion to sleeping quarters and, if necessary, recommend appropriate noise and vibration measures for the building.

HGC has conducted an extensive noise and vibration monitoring campaign, both inside and outside the building in question. Using a sophisticated system of noise and vibration monitoring equipment, along with high-definition audio recordings, HGC has developed a statistical summary of all major sound events that could potentially affect the acoustical environment within the spaces. The potential sound and vibration impacts of passing trains, truck traffic, aircraft, numerous construction vehicles, etc. have been determined. A detailed review of the audio recordings also identified significant interference from normal activities inside the building (e.g. cleaning services), which was removed in post-processing to avoid affecting the results attributable to sources outside the building.

In addition to determining the number of sound events from each source and their sound levels, acoustical calculations were used to determine the acoustical performance of the existing facade. On this basis, the final comprehensive report included a list of acoustical recommendations to achieve an optimal acoustic environment within the proposed dormitory.

Acoustical Consulting Services Included:

• Long-term noise and vibration monitoring
• Analysis to identify all sources of noise and vibration
• Assessment of noise and vibration level against industry recognized evaluation criteria