mystery of the rattling windows

[Brainchild]

Last night my wife and I were sitting here,and the windows started shaking.I mean like moving the curtains.I figured it was a train,I live 200 feet from the tracks,but all was quiet.I can hear the engines idling,so I would have heard one moving.The windows have never shook like this before.It only lasted like 10 - 15 seconds and never happened again.
So today I was talking to my wife about it and wondered if it was possible to have felt a slight tremor.There are no major fault lines close by or anything , that I am aware of,and I found nothing in the paper,or anything.We didn't feel anything, but it sure shook the windows.The windows are the old wooden sashes, and are pretty loose,but the wind wasn't blowing either
It was pretty strange.

[vass0922]

Hmm and you're not close to Florida...

I once felt a slight tremor in SW michigan (I was a kid) I wasn't aware of any fault lines either, but it was indeed a slight quake

[nunyadam]

just googling around i found this.

http://www.eas.slu.edu/Earthquake_Center/NM/bbsta.html

http://www.google.com/search?q=geolo...ey+fault+lines

[Brainchild]

Well it turns out htre niegbors had the same thing happen. I guess a tremor isn't out of the question.Just really wierd..lol.

Makes ya wonder how long before a big one comes.

[Centurion]

edit

[MrMikeL]

brainchild,

You're near the New Madrid fault, named after it's proximity to New Madrid, MO. That sucker is more volatile than the famed San Andraes fault in So. Cali.

I remember when I was living in Chicago feeling the condo swaying gently. Thought it was the train, but none were rolling. Heard on the news a few minutes later of the quake in MO!

[desmocat]

Yep, New Madrid was bigger than the san fran quake in 1906.
It actually made the Mississippi river flow backwards for a while. I think it happened in the 1800's here be a link about it:

http://asms.k12.ar.us/armem/richards/

[MD1032]

Maybe some neighbor got a new stereo system and wanted to see how it would take a full sweep?

[Fagin]

Its probably earth tremors brainchild, we have been getting them here in the UK these last twelve months or so, but never before this.
We have also been having an unusual red colour appearing in the in the sky also, the government explanation is that it is ice particles reflecting the sun light. I am 56 years old and have never seen the like of it ibefore in my life, makes you wonder just what is going on.

Originally posted by MrMikeL
brainchild,

You're near the New Madrid fault, named after it's proximity to New Madrid, MO. That sucker is more volatile than the famed San Andraes fault in So. Cali.

Yep that was my first thought too...