324 ALASKA 2020 SECTION 617
617-1.01 DESCRIPTION . Construct railroad grade crossings and foundations for automati c signal
equipment.
617-1.02 Definitions .
1.Railroad . The corporation or agency responsible for managing and operating the railroad.
2.Chief Engineer . The Railroad’s Chief Engineer.
617-2.01 MATERIALS . Use materials that conform to the kind, grade, type, and size specified on
the Plans or as listed below: Anchor Bolts ASTM A307, Galvanize per AASHTO M 232, Class A Rigid Metal Conduit Couplings, and Fittings UL Standard UL -6, NEMA Standard C 80.1, hot -dip galvanized Concrete Section 501 (Class A) Railroad Crossing Pads Rubber, composite, or precast reinforced polymer concrete crossing systems as manufactured by: OMNI Products Inc. 3911 W. Dayton St., McHenry, IL 60050; HiRAIL Corporation 100 Kraiburg Boulevard, Lisbon, IA 52253; LT Resource s, Inc. 15814 Champion Forest Drive, #302, Spring, TX 77379; TRANSPO Industries, Inc. 20 Jones Street, New Rochelle, NY 10801 or an approved equal Repair damage to galvanized coatings according to AASHTO M 36.
617-3.01 Constructio N Requirements.
1.General.
a.Conduct all work on the railroad crossing in strict accordance with the rules and regulations governing the railroad and according to Subsection 107- 1.08.
b.Remove the track from service only at the times authorized by the Chief Engineer. Restore the t rack to service within the time period specified. Should the embankment construction not be completed on time, liquidated damages will be charged at the rate specified in the written authorization allowing the excavation or at the rate specified in Paragra ph 6, Train Delays, Subsection 107- 1.08 of the Special Provisions, whichever is greater. The Department will collect the amount of liquidated damages from the Contractor and pay them to the Railroad.
c.The Railroad will accomplish all track work involving, but not limited to, removing and replacing ties, rails, and appurtenances. The Department will pay for all costs for this work.
d.The Railroad will furnish and install conduit runs from junction boxes to railroad signal bases only, except advance flasher bases. The Railroad will furnish and install all wire, 325 ALASKA 2020 signal equipment, and all other work and materials necessary to obtain a complete and operational system. The Department will pay all costs for this work.
2.Railroad Signal and Relay Case Foundation.
a.Perfor m foundation work for automatic signal equipment, according to the applicable sections of these Specifications.
b.After completing each signal foundation, install a protective cap securely over the foundation to protect the conduit end and anchor bolt threads. Fabricate the protective cap using wood, galvanized sheet metal, or other approved material.
3.Electrical Conduit.
a.Trench Excavation. Excavate trenches to the depth shown on the Plans and the necessary width for proper placement of conduit. Make the side walls of the trenches as vertical as practicable. Grade the bottom of the trenches accurately to provide a uniform bearing and support for the conduit along its entire length. Remove material unsuitable for bedding, to 6 inches below the bedding surface. R eplace with suitable material and compact it according to Subsection 203- 3.04.
b.Placing Conduit.
1.Lay conduit on a firm foundation in the trench without damage to the coating.
2.Ream the ends of all conduits, whether shop or field cut, to remove burrs and rough edges. Make cuts square and true so that the ends will butt or come together for their full circumference. Do not use slip joints or running threads for coupling conduit. When you cannot use a standard coupling, use an approved threaded union coupling. Paint the threads on all conduit with a rust preventative paint before couplings and fittings are made up. Draw all couplings tight until the ends of the conduits are brought together, providing a good electrical connection throughout the entire length of the conduit run.
3.Repair any damage to conduit coating with a rust preventative paint. Cap all conduit ends.
4.Install a No. 12 AWG galvanized pull wire in all conduits. Double back at least 2 feet of pull wire into the conduit at each termination.
5.Install a ll electrical conduit to conform to the installation requirements of the NEC.
c.Backfilling. Do not backfill the trenches until conduit placement is approved. Backfill the trenches carefully with the excavated materials approved for backfilling consisting of earth, loam, sandy clay, sand and gravel, soft shale, or other approved materials. Use materials that are free from large clods of earth, large stones, roots, and sticks. Place the backfill material in 6- inch layers and compact it thoroughly and carefull y for the entire depth of the trench. Use extreme care when backfilling the bottom 12 inches of the trench to prevent injury or damage to the conduit. Compact backfill according to Subsection 203-3.04.
4.Railroad Crossing. Confine work to the construction li mits of each crossing. Railroad crossing construction consists of removing the existing crossing surface, excavating to the depth shown on the Plans, furnishing and installing geotextile material, furnishing and backfilling with railroad ballast to the ori ginal elevation, and furnishing and installing new railroad crossing pads. Furnish and install detours as required. 326 ALASKA 2020 The Railroad is responsible to remove the existing track material before excavation, raise the grade when called for on the Plans, and furni sh and install new track material at their expense. The Railroad will raise the grade in 3- to 4-inch lifts. Provide a front end loader for use by the Railroad to lift out the existing track assembly. Coordinate the crossing construction and the grade rais e through the Chief Engineer. After each lift of the grade raise, furnish and install a wood plank crossing, grade the approaches to the crossing, and temporarily open the roadway to traffic. Remove the wood planks before each lift of the grade raise. The type of planking material required will be specified in the Plans. After completing the grade raise and before final surfacing of the crossing, allow a minimum of 3 days’ rail traffic over the crossing. During this time, furnish and install a wood plank crossing, grade the approaches, and open the crossing to vehicular traffic. The Railroad will huckbolt the rail joints after final surfacing. Install the Railroad crossing pads according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
617-4.01 METHOD OF M EASUREMENT. See Section 109 and as follows:
1.Cantilever Signal Foundations, Railroad Furnished Signal Bases, Type IA and Type II Junction Boxes, and Railroad Signal Load Centers . Per each, complete in place and accepted.
2.Rigid Metal Conduit with pull wire . By the linear foot installed in place and accepted. The measurement will be straight line from the center of one junction box or foundation to the center of another junction box or foundation.
617-5.01 BASIS OF PA YMENT. Lump sum items include all excavation and backfi ll required.
Payment will be made under: PAY ITEM Item Number Item Description Unit 617.0001.____ Railroad Crossing LS 617.0002.____ Railroad Signal and Relay Case Foundations LS 617.0003.____ Cantilever Signal Foundation EACH 617.0004.____ Railroad Furnished Signal Base EACH 617.0005.____ Rigid Metal Conduit with Pull Wire LF 617.0006.____ Type IA Junction Box EACH 617.0007.____ Type II Junction Box EACH 617.0008.____ Railroad Signal Load Center EACH 327 ALASKA 2020 SECTION 618 SEEDING
618-1.01 DESCRIPTION . Establish a perennial stand of grass or other specified living vegetative
cover, by seeding, in the areas indicated on the Plans. Maintain the cover for the term of the Contract.
618-2.01 MATERIALS. Use materials that conform to the Special Provisions and the following:
Seed Section 724 Fertilizer Section 725 Water Subsection 712- 2.01 CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
618-3.01 SOIL PREPAR ATION. Clear all areas to be seeded of stones 4 inches in diameter and
larger and of all weeds, plant growth, sticks, stumps, and other debris or irregularities that might interfere with the seeding operation, growth of grass, or subsequent maintenance of the grass - covered areas. Make areas to be seeded reasonably free of ruts, holes, and humps. When specified, apply topsoil acc ording to Section 620. Roughen the surface to be seeded by grooving the soil in a uniform pattern that is perpendicular to the fall of the slope. Use one or more of the following grooving methods prior to the application of seed:
1.Manual raking with landscaping rakes;
2.Mechanical track walking with track equipment; or
3.Mechanical raking with a scarifying slope board. Form one inch wide grooves spaced no more than six inches apart. You may round the top and bottom of slopes to facilitate tracking or raking and to create a pleasant appearance, but you may not disrupt drainage flow lines.
618-3.02 SEEDING SEA SONS. Seed and fertilize during the local growing season.
Do not seed during windy conditions or when climatic conditions or ground conditions would hinder p lacement or proper growth. Seed disturbed areas that require seeding within fourteen days of the permanent cessation of ground- disturbing activities in that area. Seed between May 15 and August 15, or obtain written approval from the Engineer to seed at a different date.
618-3.03 APPLICATION . Apply seed mix, fertilizer, and mulch (if required) at the rate specified
in the special provisions. If no seed mix, seed mix application rate, or fertilizer rate are specified in the special provisions, use the recom mendations of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Revegetation Manual for Alaska. Do not seed areas of bedrock, plant beds, and areas indicated on the plans as “no seeding”. Water and fertilizer required for application are subsidiary to the Seeding bid item.
Source: Alaska Standard Specifications for Highway Construction, 2020 Edition. Pages 352–354 of 584.