Starting today, the train whistles that have characterized downtown Fargo-Moorhead for so long are silent. The downtown whistle-free zone, a long time coming, is finally here. (For some background, read the Forum story.)
Operating a hotel downtown made us acutely aware of the whistles. While we understand that they were there for the purposes of safety, we couldn't wait until the whistle free zone took effect. Many of our return guests agree.
The whistles won't disappear completely; engineers will still use them in times of imminent danger. But, the vast majority of them are gone. That means a better night sleep for our guests, something that definitely pleases them and, in turn, pleases us.
On the sentimental side, not having the whistles will take away a little of the character of downtown Fargo-Moorhead. They've been around for so long that they will be a conspicuous absence to those of us who spend a lot of time downtown. But, progress is progress, and the benefits of the whistle free zone are sure to outweigh any sentimentality. Come see (or hear, rather) for yourself; whether it's lunch, dinner or a night's stay, you're sure to notice the difference.
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