Unforeseen Side Effects

My current route to work involves me crossing train tracks 2-3 times (circled in red) on my way to & from work. The reason I take this route is that I can avoid downtown and it is a fairly low traffic level route. The main downside to this route: I get stuck behind the bloody train sometimes 2-3 times. Each time I find myself waiting for the train to pass, I find myself debating the merits of this route.

Now a new unforeseen side effect has appeared. No matter where I am or what I'm doing, the moment I hear the train whistle I start to tense up. The past two night I've had trouble falling asleep because I could hear the train from my open windows. Luckily its hasn't been too hot in my room, but soon I will need to be able to leave my windows open at night. However once I hear the train, my brain jerks awake from sleepy mode. Snapping me into this tense and agitated state.

I've already made some improvements to my route. Recently I started to join the on ramp (from the east side waterfront) for the Hawthorne bridge on my way home. This has proven useful to avoid the train tracks on Clay and not to mention I don't have to climb that bloody hill. But unless I start heading through downtown, I'm doomed to be stuck behind a train once in a while. Sometimes this hasn't been so bad. Twice I've had very pleasant chats with fellow cyclists waiting for the train to past. Both times I had a moment of happy warm feeling for the bike community in Portland. However, most of the time I'm just there standing on my bike, impatient for the damn train to move.

Having to wait for the damn train is one thing. But this Pavlovian effect affecting my sleep is just not cool. Am I doomed to the sound of trains always making me feel tense & pissed off?