Section 3: Diagnostic Inspection

Diagnostic Preparation Work

Prior to the diagnostic inspection, the following activities are recommended:
  • Crash reports analyzed and brought to the diagnostic by the
    RRD
     Project Manager.
  • Broken gate, vehicle on track, or near miss reports may also be analyzed and brought to the diagnostic by the railroad company; these reports are produced by the railroad company.
  • District railroad coordinator arranges to have traffic signal preemption forms (TxDOT Form 2304)
    completed
    , if needed.
  • District railroad coordinator contacts
    and invites
     the local government to discuss current issues at the crossing or pending projects.
Diagnostic inspections are coordinated by the
RRD
 project manager.

Diagnostic Inspection Team Composition

The diagnostic inspection team typically includes:
  • District railroad coordinator.
  • RRD
     project manager.
  • Railroad company project manager.
  • Railroad company signal maintainer (as needed).
  • Local government representative (as needed).
  • FHWA or FRA representative (as needed).
Diagnostic Inspection Activities
The diagnostic inspection is conducted on site at the crossing to discuss and note:
  • Existing and future traffic counts.
  • Future roadway projects.
  • Train operations and future plans.
  • Quiet Zone considerations (existing or proposed).
  • Safety upgrades such as lights and gates, signing,
    pavement markings
     and striping, and traffic signal preemption.
  • Upgrades to a corridor to be considered.
  • Adjustments to civil features such as curb and gutter, culverts, guardrail or retaining walls.
  • Tree trimming or other measures to increase sight distance.
  • Median installation,
    sidewalks, and road approach work.
  • Traffic signal work
    .
  • Required utility adjustments.
  • Power
    accessibility
     to the crossing.
  • Possibility of
     closing the crossing.
  • Design responsibilities for the improvements.
  • Materials and labor
    responsibilities
     for the proposed improvements.
  • Identification of
     items eligible for federal and state reimbursement.
  • Cost participation from both the railroad company and local government.
  • Inspection process
     during construction.
  • Invoice review and approval
    process
    .
A
detailed
 sketch of the proposed crossing with safety enhancements along with applicable notes
will be provided by the responsible RRD project manager
.
The sketch typically includes:
  • Any existing gates, cantilevers, or mast flashers labeled
    for removal, relocation
     or to remain.
  • Any proposed gates, cantilevers, or mast flashers.
  • Any proposed or existing front, side, or back lights.
  • Distances to any relocated or proposed gates, cantilevers, or mast flashers from edge of roadway.
  • Distances to any relocated or proposed gates, cantilevers, or mast flashers from edge of nearest rail (to the tip of the gate) or center of tracks (to the center of signal mast).
  • Any proposed or existing railroad cabins (in proximity to railroad crossing).
  • Distances from edge of roadway and edge of nearest rail to near edge of cabin (both distances measured perpendicularly).
  • Distance between adjacent gate and cantilever.
  • Distance between near edge of sidewalk and center of gate, cantilever, or mast flasher.
  • Proposed or existing medians,
    curbs, and sidewalks
    .
  • Drainage features, metal beam guard fence, or retaining wall needed for installing railroad active devices.
  • Any utilities that might impact the railroad signals.
  • All roadway lanes, lane widths and shoulder widths.
  • Number of tracks and distance between tracks (track centers), as well as any tracks to be removed.
  • Estimated length of gates (optional).
  • Estimated length of cantilevers.
  • Existing or proposed sidewalks or shared use pathways.
  • Locations of bores, ground boxes and traffic signal cabinet for preemption projects.
  • Documentation of responsible party for installing conduit for preemption.
  • Name of roadway crossing the tracks and any parallel roads.
  • Distance to parallel roads.
  • North arrow.
  • If applicable, show lane assignments (through only, right turn only, etc.).
A diagnostic inspection form is also completed on site.
Refer to RRD Crossroads website for more information.
The sketch and diagnostic inspection form are uploaded into the TRIMS Project Management Module by the
RRD
 project manager.

After the Diagnostic Inspection

Typically, there are three separate paths
Section 130
 projects will follow after the diagnostic inspection:
  • Pursue safety enhancements.
  • No further action letter.
  • Pursue crossing closure.

Project Engineering Authorization Letter

The diagnostic team may recommend safety upgrades with any railroad force account work including:
  • Adjusting railroad signal circuitry.
  • Providing or changing active warning devices.
  • Providing traffic signal preemption.
  • Replanking the crossing surface.
In these scenarios, the
RRD
 project manager will issue a Project Engineering Letter
of Authority (PELOA)
 to authorize the railroad company to begin developing cost estimates for work by the railroad company and develop any necessary wireline diagrams.
The PELOA is
 uploaded into the TRIMS
Project Management Module by the RRD project manager.
RRD requests the district enter the Section 130 project in the TxConnect management system. The district will then provide the project's CSJ to the RRD.

No Further Action Letters

In some cases, the diagnostic team may determine that railroad company force account work is not recommended. Some reasons may include:
  • Inaccurate crossing
     train counts or AADT.
  • TxDOT or the local government plans for a future construction project impacting crossing.
  • Local opposition to the project.
  • Crossing already gated with signals up to current standards (
    including preemption if the crossing is near an
     intersection.
The
RRD
 project manager will issue a letter to the railroad company with a copy to the local government and district railroad coordinator informing them of the decision. In some cases, minor upgrades may still be recommended to the local government or district via a separate letter or memo. These may include:
  • Signing and striping upgrades.
  • Roadway surface improvements.
  • Tree trimming or removal of sight obstructions.
No Further Action Letters are uploaded into the TRIMS Project Management Module by the
RRD
 project manager.