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In the past when steam trains let off excess steam at a station the noise could be extremely loud. The city of Boston looked into this problem as the complaints mounted up. Ashton Valve came up with a solution that proved very popular with the Train companies. A muffler! Same idea as on automobiles. And the blow back valves actually saved steam that used to be wasted.
In 1879, the State of Massachusetts was asked to look into the problem of excessive noise due to safety valves and vacuum breaks on locomotive engines.
