Chapter 7: Construction and Implementation
Section 1: Roles and Responsibilities
The project development of an interconnected crossing shall follow the flow chart shown in Chapter 2, Section 1 of the
with the Railroad Division (RRD) being involved throughout the process. RRD shall ultimately be responsible for drafting the Construction and Maintenance (C&M) Agreement as defined in Chapter 2, Section 4 of the TxDOT Rail-Highway Operations Manual. As it relates specifically to interconnected crossings, the C&M agreement defines the terms of construction and maintenance of the crossing and provides a Force Account for TxDOT to reimburse the railroad for the appropriate project expenses. For interconnected crossings, some railroads may hire Railroad traffic consultants to provide preemption project review and Railroad cutover support. Consultant costs should be accounted for in the railroad Force Account.
Once the C&M Agreement is finalized and a contractor is selected, the TxDOT District Railroad Coordinator shall schedule a railroad coordination meeting as defined in Chapter 9, Section 2 of the TxDOT Rail-Highway Operations Manual providing appropriate notice to all parties. The individuals presented in Table 7-1 should be present at the meeting and are referred to as the Cutover Team.
Title | Role/Responsibility |
|---|---|
TxDOT District Railroad Coordinator | Coordinates railroad construction activities, controller testing and cutover. |
TxDOT Railroad Division Representative | Provides guidance related to railroad interconnection implementation process. This individual should be invited to any maintenance meetings but is not required to attend. |
TxDOT Railroad Investigator | Notified of proposed changes to interconnected crossings and upcoming cutovers. May participate in cutovers and diagnostic reviews, if necessary. |
TxDOT Area Engineer | Monitors and coordinates inspection of contractor and railroad work. |
TxDOT Project Manager | Monitors overall project activities related to scope, schedule, and budget. |
Prime Contractor | Performs project construction activities. |
Subcontractors | Supports the Prime Contractor in specialized activities, often including traffic signal work. |
TxDOT or Local Government Traffic Signal Representative | Provides support for signal timing and programming. Approves shop drawings for the traffic signal cabinet and railroad interface. Supports final traffic signal interconnection and cutover with the railroad. Completes Form 2625 to document completion of the cutover. |
Railroad Project Manager | Monitors railroad project activities. Coordinates the status of railroad construction work with the TxDOT District Railroad Coordinator. |
Railroad Traffic Consultant (if applicable) | Supports the Railroad Project Manager. Responsibilities may include reviewing traffic signal timing, railroad interconnect wiring, traffic signal cabinet wiring, and railroad interface wiring; coordinating with the Railroad Signal Construction Manager; and facilitating cutover with TxDOT and the railroad. |
Railroad Signal Construction Representative | Responsible for railroad signal construction activities. |
Having the appropriate representation early on defines roles and responsibilities for project construction and ultimately leads to a smoother cutover process. Refer to Chapter 9, Section 2 of the TxDOT Rail-Highway Operations Manual for general information related to coordinating construction work with a railroad component.
As construction at the grade crossing nears completion, the TxDOT District Railroad Coordinator shall coordinate with Cutover Team to schedule the controller testing and cutover dates. Sections 2 and 3 within this chapter describe the controller testing and cutover processes. The process to prepare for cutover should start four months prior to the anticipated cutover date with TxDOT providing the following to the railroad for review:
- Current Design Plans
- Traffic Signal Controller Timing
- Traffic Signal Cabinet Wiring Diagrams
- Railroad Interface Wiring Diagrams
- Define Responsibilities and Roles for actual conduit and preemption cable installation.
On the day of the cutover or once the cutover is completed, the TxDOT District Railroad Coordinator shall coordinate final inspection with the railroad to verify all equipment was installed per the design plans and that the interconnection is functioning as designed. Any issues that may arise should be noted and resolved prior to closing the project and submitting invoices.