AMSTERDAM — For some, the loud horn that sounds every time a train passes through Amsterdam is a nuisance. For others, the horns are an added safety measure that could save lives.

The debate over creating a quiet zone in the city of Amsterdam will get a boost this week with a special meeting Thursday at City Hall. According to a notice from the city, resident Phil Lyford has arranged for an engineer to provide an overview for residents on funding, liability issues, benefits and the process involved in establishing a quiet zone.

Lyford could not be reached Monday, and Mayor Ann Thane did not return calls on Monday.

Quiet zones are established following a process that involves a study of all grade crossings in the focus area, according to Federal Railroad Administration spokesman Warren Flatau.

There are currently three such zones in New York, all of which predate a federal rule providing a process by which communities can establish them. Flatau said engineers, representatives of the railroad company and the Department of Transportation evaluate the accident history at affected crossings and decide on the most feasible and cost-effective way to reduce the safety risks that come with a ban on the sounding of train horns.

The federal government started considering a new rule for establishing quiet zones after the state of Florida banned train horn soundings in the mid-1980s, Flatau said. When the horns stopped, collisions increased, Flatau said.

Since a modified federal rule went into effect in 2006, Flatau said, several communities have started exploring the possibility of establishing a quiet zone.

The difficulty some communities face is how to pay for upgrades at crossings that are required to compensate for the safety risks involved in prohibiting the trains from sounding their horns, Flatau said.

“Financing . . . is something that can be challenging, but we’ve seen communities exhibit a lot of creativity,” Flatau said.

Some communities have issued bonds to pay for upgrades at crossings, while others have established a one-time special assessment on property owners near the crossings to pay for improvements.

In some cases, private funding from residential developers or establishments such as hotels or resorts paid for the upgrades, Flatau said.

CSX Transportation owns the tracks that pass through Amsterdam. CSX spokesman Robert Sullivan said there are some communities exploring quiet zones in different places, and if they meet the federal government’s criteria, the company cooperates.

“Our general feeling is train horns are a very effective deterrent,” Sullivan said.

Amsterdam business owners in the past have voiced concern about the trains’ horns and their impact on customers.

A 2006 survey by the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce asked members if they were in favor or against quiet zones in the county, with 30 in favor of the idea, 40 against and nine unsure, the chamber reported then.

Safety was the main reason for support, according to the survey, and the bulk of those in favor of quiet zones sought peace and quiet during concerts at Amsterdam’s Riverlink Park alongside the railroad tracks.

The public is invited to the meeting set for 6 p.m. on Thursday at City Hall.