clearance criteria for railroads

[fya]

Does anybody know what's the clearance for railroads?. I am planting trees at a distance of approximately 13 feet from the rails but I am not sure whether this is enough space. thanks in advance

 

[francesca]

When I was doing a bridge inspection over a CSX line, they wanted notification if we were doing anything within 25' of the line as they wanted a flagger. Then the flagger showed up and said actually, it's 7'. (The nearest bridge pier was a squeak over 7' from the track and not in very good shape, but then it was over 100 years old...)

I'd imagine that at 13' from the rails you're pretty darn close to, if not inside, the ROW, so just call them up and stumble through their bureaucracy and find out what they require... and remember that trees get bigger and have branches. The FRA may have requirements, but the railroads are all privately owned, so what's okay for CSX may not be okay for someone else.

 

[Ingy]

Last job I bid the UPRR required 25' clearance for storage of materials, and a 12' temporary clearance for vehicles and such. The distance was measured to the centerline of the tracks.

 

[PEinc]

You better call the railroad and ask for their requirements. All railroads may not be the same.

 

[civilperson]

Railroads use herbicides everywhere, constantly and continuously. Find out the tolerance to the specific brands of herbicide used by your railroad of the species under consideration. Over spray and runoff will effect a wider area than the RR right-of way.

 

[54Bravo]

normally they wont want anything on there "right of way"

when I did design of "bells lights & gates" we we required to set them back 15' from the centerline of track.

http://www.engineerboards.com

 

[ACtrafficengr]

IIRC, CSX wants 18' laterally, 23' vertically.

"...students of traffic are beginning to realize the false economy of mechanically controlled traffic, and hand work by trained officers will again prevail." - Wm. Phelps Eno, ca. 1928

"I'm searching for the questions, so my answers will make sense." - Stephen Brust

 

[DRC1]

The other concern is buried cables to control communuications, change signals and power switches. All of these are critical, some are very high voltage. Be sure to discuss exactly what you are doing and call Call Before You Dig. Also rember the tree will grow so in 5 years your clearence will decease.