Manual Notice: 2023-1

From:
Jeffrey Davis, Rail Division Director

Manual:
Rail Highway Operations Manual

Effective Date:
November 29, 2023

Purpose

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Rail Highway Operations Manual
has been updated to comply with administrative rule changes and business practices as well as to define both District and Division responsibilities on distinct types of projects and coordination efforts.

This manual is not a railroad operations manual and does not cover items related to train scheduling or railroad worker safety.

Contents

Overall Changes:

Replaced Traffic Safety Division, TRF-RSS with Rail Division RRD

Replaced Federal Signal Program, FSP with Section 130 or Sec 130

Replaced TRF – RSS project manager with RRD Project Manager

Reorganized content with chapters and flowcharts

Added and omitted sections within chapters

Replaced number sign (#) with numbers

Replaced single and double apostrophe with inches and feet

Replaced mathematical symbols to word descriptions

Added various links

Chapter 1 — Introduction

Section 1 — Overview of Railroads in Texas

Redefined description and roles of the RRD four main sections

Removed the quantities of railroad crossings and revised Spur Permit to Permitted track

Section 2 — Rail-Highway Projects

Added description of Maintenance Notice Letter

Added description of outside projects Impacting TxDOT and Railroad Right of Way

Chapter 2 — Construction Project Development

Section 1 — Construction & Maintenance Agreement Timelines

Updated timelines

Updated C&M Agreement Flowchart

Section 2 — Preliminary Activities

Added new subsection on railroad coordination

Updated preliminary information including DES’s Project Development Process Manual reference and documents needed

Updated Design Meeting items to include sidewalk, road closure, traffic signal preemption, drainage and other utilities and sign boards

Updated RRD policy on Preliminary Engineering Agreements, including documents required

Added local government to sign preemption request form

Added note concerning Utility provider shall obtain agreement with railroad to relocate affect utility

Added new Right of Way Division subsection concerning signboard responsibilities

Section 3 — Project Design Phase

Updated underpass plan submittal notes involving shoefly approval

Updated the Required Documents sub section to

Added Area Map sub section

Updated 5% Theoretical Cost Estimate sub section to include district to notify RRD on project completion paragraph

Added DES’s Hydraulic Design Manual reference

Updated preemption documentation needed in agreement

Updated information regarding railroad costs estimates

Section 4 — C&M Agreements

Updated to include utility agreement types

Updated signboard and other agreement types

Updated agreement amendments to include actual costs exceed estimate by 15% or more

Section 5 — Design Build Projects

Added UPRR will only enter agreements with TxDOT

Chapter 3 — Maintenance Projects

Section 1 — Letter Agreements

Updated description of invasive vs. non-invasive work

Added subsection on letter agreement and Maintenance Notice letter including railroad flagging

Chapter 4 — Safety Projects (Section 130)

Section 1 — Overview

Updated funding and eligible type of work

Updated Section 130 work at permitted crossings

Updated partnering with State and Local safety projects

Section 2 — Preliminary Activities

No significant updates

Section 3 — Diagnostic Inspection

Updated RRD staff, items to be evaluated

Section 4 — Crossing Closure Projects

Updated Federal and railroad cost share

Updated closure process

Removed obsolete Federal Signal Program and Basic closure program sections

Section 5 — Design Phase

Added Scope of Work (SOW) subsection and statement

Updated local government coordination requirements

Added District programming of CSJ for Section 130 projects thru TxDOTCONNECT

Section 6 — Project Agreements

Added Construction & Maintenance Agreement and Advance Funding Agreements subchapters

Chapter 5 — Replanking Projects

Section 1 — Program Overview

Updated eligible activities starting with 2022 program

Updated flowchart

Section 2 — Railroad Crossing Surfaces

Updated that timber crossings are no longer reimbursable

Section 3 — Project Selection

Updated program call information

Added District programming of CSJ in TxDOTCONNECT

Section 4 — Design Phase

Added RR SOW and TCP Subchapter and paragraph

Section 5 — Project Agreements

Removed subparagraph on items not covered

Chapter 6 — Railroad Capital Improvement Projects

Section 1 — Overview

Updated items covered by this chapter

Revised flowchart

Section 3 — Common Design Issues

Updated dismantling or modifying active warning devices

Added subchapter on work impacting crossings licensed to State

Section 4 — Project Agreements

Updated Project Agreement Process

Chapter 7 — Exhibit A and PS&E Design

Section 1 — Section 1 - Common Rail-Highway Design Issues

Updated detour, cantilever flashing light usageUpdated use of schematic to start review

Updated guidance on humped crossing mitigation

Section 2 — Crossing Closures & Consolidations

Updated general considerations including trains occupy crossing

Section 3 — Traffic Signal Preemption

Updated general definitions including traffic signal design

Updated Traffic signal preemption priority list

Added Cutover and Annual Testing of Preempted Traffic Signals subchapter

Section 4 — Track Design

Updated general notes and definitions

Section 5 — Exhibit A Design

Updated general layout requirements

Removed item 10, “Stencil DOT on mast”

Updated guidelines on traffic control plans

Updated guidelines on Projects with Overpasses

Updated guidelines on Projects with Underpasses

Updated guidelines on Projects with at-grade crossings

Updated guidelines on Projects with Traffic Signal Preemption

Updated guidelines on Projects with Existing or Proposed Quiet Zones

Updated Guidelines on Projects with Culverts, Drainage Pipes or Conduits

Section 6 — PS&E Design

Updated general notes and requirements

Chapter 8 — Right-of-Entry Process

Section 1 — Overview

Updated general notes and requirements

Revised Flowchart

Section 2 — Process

Added subsection on Union Pacific Templates and CST's Standard Specification Manual reference

Chapter 9 — Construction and Inspection Processes

Section 1 — Overview

Revised Flowchart

Section 2 — After C&M Agreement Execution

Updated conditional release description

Updated Authority to Order Material

Added subsections dealing with railroad flagging and Property Access Training for State employees

Section 3 — Inspections

Updated general notes

Section 4 — Invoices

Added Maintenance Projects

Added Subsection on applicable flagging charges

Updated guidance to use OnBase

Chapter 10 — Other Rail-Highway Programs

Section 3 — Other Programs

Updated Basic Closure Program amount under Section 130

Chapter 11 — Quiet Zones

Section 1 — Overview

Revised new flowchart

Section 4 — Implementing a Quiet Zone

Updated Safety Upgrades on TxDOT Roadways

Chapter 12 — Database

Section 1 — Crossing Database

Updated general information

Section 2 — Texas Railroad Information Management System (TRIMS)

Updated general information

Noted that WebTRIMS was removed

Chapter 13 — Maintenance

Section 1 — Grade Crossing Maintenance

Updated information on maintenance and district inspection

Section 2 — Preempted Traffic Signals

Added reference to Chapter 7

Chapter 14 — Policy

Section 2 — Laws Impacting Rail-Highway Projects

Replaced spur permit with permitted crossings

Revised code from 23USC 409 to 407

Contact

Questions on the manual or its contents may be directed to the Rail Division.