Noise is the main nuisance associated with railways and is no doubt one of the main challenges for integrating the rail network in its environment.
protection from noise
Rail noise has several sources of which the importance varies according to the speed of the train:
Rolling noise resulting from the wheel/rail contact which is most important at normal speeds
Traction noise from the engines and fans which is most important at low speeds
Aerodynamic noise linked to the air penetration which is most important at speeds greater than 320km/h
Réseau Ferré de France is therefore investing in the network and housing close to the tracks to reduce noise pollution.
Our actions
More highly performing infrastructures
Réseau Ferré de France places emphasis on protection from noise at the source, which enables noise pollution inside and outside sensitive buildings to be reduced.
The most used solution currently consists of building a screen or hillocks (barricades) close to the tracks.
For isolated buildings, and those for which the installation of a screen or hillocks is not sufficient or not possible, façade protections are put in place. They mainly consist of installing windows with double glazing.
It is also by improving the quality of tracks that sound pollution may be reduced: installation of long welded rails, installation of concrete sleepers, etc.
Furthermore, research on rolling equipment has enabled significant savings to be made in terms of noise emissions, in particular for TGV’s, TER’s and trains in the Ile-de-France region: reduction in the number of axles, aerodynamic improvement. Efforts are currently concentrated on the braking system in order to improve the state of wheel surfaces.
 Screen  Hillock |
Noisy railway ranking
The noise ranking of tracks enables the noise pollution area along existing rail tracks to be represented according to changes in traffic that can be forecast, equipment and long-term infrastructure.
Any new building along an existing track must be protected from the source of the noise accordingly.
11,000 km of railway lines are thus ranked.
In 2009, the inventory of ’noise black points’ (PNB) along railway tracks ranked as noisy was finished for 20 regions, then sent to the departmental and regional terrestrial transport noise observatories. The number of PNB buildings to be treated is estimated at 50,000.
The dampening of rail ’noise black points’ is subject to an action plan within the performance contract between the State and Réseau Ferré de France as well as within a framework agreement between ADEME and Réseau Ferré de France signed on December 1, 2009. The first is a commitment to treat 2,500 PNB between 2008 and 2012.
 PNB treatment in Aix-les-Bains |
