If a hyperscale data center were located at a distance comparable to the train tracks from which I currently hear nighttime rumble (around 2 miles), the constant low-frequency hum could be expected to be similarly noticeable — or more so — because it never stops. the 1–2 mile radius around a data center footprint aligns closely with the distance at which train rumble is already perceptible in our quiet rural setting at night.
The difference in character and duration is decisive. A train passing through town, even if loud, eventually leaves. A hyperscale data center’s cooling infrastructure would impose a permanent, unrelenting low-frequency presence on the surrounding rural residential area — including properties with livestock and families who chose this location precisely for its quiet character.
This is not theoretical. It is documented in community after community where large data centers have been built without adequate low-frequency-specific setbacks, operational limits, or advanced cooling technologies (such as liquid cooling) that significantly reduce airborne fan noise.
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