Leavenworth ? Leavenworth city leaders are considering asking train operators not to blow their horns while they go through town.

The commissioners voted Tuesday to pay a Dallas-based consulting firm $15,860 to study whether to end a city requirement that train operators blow their horns as they approach railroad crossings.

Paul Kramer, assistant to the city manager, says establishing a quiet zone can take up to three years. He says it involves coordinating with the Federal Railroad Administration, railroad companies and the Kansas Department of Transportation.

The Leavenworth Times reports that the city is also considering restricting horn sounds only during certain hours of the day. He says the issue was raised by potential developers for a downtown Leavenworth hotel.