Ix. Bridges, Trestles, Box Culverts and Unloading Pits: 9.01 GENERAL

IX.
BRIDGES, TRESTLES, BOX CULVERTS AND

UNLOADING PITS
9.01 GENERAL
All proposed bridges, trestles, box culverts, unloading pits and structures over
which the Company’s equipment will operate shall be designed in accordance
with American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association
(AREMA) Manual for Railway Engineering, Chapters 7 (Timber), 8
(Concrete), and 15 (Steel Structures), for E-80 Live Loading and appropriate
Impact. Prior to the beginning of construction, the proposed design must be
approved by the Company’s Chief Engineer - Bridges and Structures.
Sufficient time should be allowed for proper review and approval.
Drawings covering temporary sheeting and bulkheads to protect railroad

tracks during adjacent structure construction shall be approved by Chief
Engineer - Bridges and Structures.
Clearances and drainage requirements will be furnished upon request to the

Chief Engineer - Bridges and Structures.
9.02 UNLOADING PITS

The following guidelines shall be used when designing all unloading pits.
There shall be no rail joints in the running rail over the pit. Welding or torch
cutting of running rail shall not be permitted.
The top of the pit shall be equipped with a removable cover which will be kept
in place when the pit is not in use and which shall be designed in accordance
with AREMA Chapter 15, Section 8.5.3.2.
Minimum distance from centerline of any adjacent track to nearest edge of pit
walls is to be 15 feet. Closer clearances require special approval and
indemnity if permitted.
Minimum horizontal distance from centerline of pit track to adjacent

obstructions above the top of the pit is to be 9 feet (see Plan 7-1).
Pit cover and top of pit are to extend a minimum of 10 feet from the centerline
of pit track on open side of pit. Embankment side slopes should not be
steeper than 2 to 1.
Applicant is to furnish the distance and direction from centerline of pit to

nearest switchpoint and to the switchpoint at the mainline. Application, plans,
and details of each pit are to be submitted to the Division Superintendent and
are to be approved before construction may begin.
9.03 SINGLE SPAN UNLOADING PITS WITH A SPAN LENGTH OF 15 FEET

OR LESS
Live Load: Cooper’s E-80 with 28 percent impact.
Design specifications and workmanship shall be in accordance with current

AREMA Specification, Chapters 7 (Timber), 8 (Concrete) and 15 (Steel
Structures).
General pit details can be referenced from Figures 8-5, 8-6, and 8-7 in the
AREMA Manual Chapter 15, Section 8. However, Norfolk Southern requires
that the top of pit to extend a minimum of 10 feet from the centerline of the pit
track, not the eight feet shown by AREMA in Figure 8-5.
9.04 SINGLE SPAN UNLOADING PITS WITH A SPAN LENGTH GREATER

THAN 15 FEET OR MULTI-SPAN PITS
9.04.01 General
All portions of the unloading structure that are subjected to train or equipment
loading shall be designed as a bridge in accordance with the AREMA Manual
(current edition). All plan submittals for proposed unloading structures must
include design calculations stamped by a registered professional engineer
certifying that the design is in accordance with AREMA requirements. If
computer programs are utilized in the design, the submittal shall include a
complete summary of the input data used and all design assumptions.
Additional manual calculations may be required to document compliance with
AREMA requirements. Thirty days should be allowed in scheduling for the
Railroad Company’s review of unloading structure plans and calculations.
9.04.02 Steel Superstructure
Span Type: All spans shall be designed as simple spans. The use of side
plates, bolted to beam webs, will be permitted as a means to stabilize or
maintain alignment between adjacent spans. All beam ends shall have
bearing stiffeners and shall bear directly on pit walls, floorbeams or columns.
Attachment of ends of floorbeams to vertical steel plates, embedded in pit
wall, is prohibited.
Loadings: All steel superstructure shall be designed for Cooper’s E-80 live
loading and appropriate impact. All loads outlined in Section 1.3 of AREMA
Chapter 15 must be considered in the design. A reduction in wind load
(Section 1.3.7) may be considered where justified by local conditions. To the
extent possible, hoppers and mechanical features of the unloading structure
should be supported independent of the superstructure carrying train loading.
Fatigue: By AREMA definition, all rail support beams and floorbeams are
fracture critical members and must be so designated on the plans. The steel
superstructure shall be designed to include fatigue consideration for
2,000,000 cycles and allowable stresses reduced, based on the fabrication
and connection details used. All material specifications, including notch
toughness requirements, must be shown on plans. All non-destructive testing
requirements shall be shown on the plans. When requested to do so, the
Industry or its designated representative will furnish the Company with copies
of material certifications and test results, as well as copies of results of testing
required during fabrication.
Erection: The steel superstructure supporting train loading shall be shipped,

handled and erected in such manner as to avoid injurious bends, nicks or
gouges to the steel. Field welding may be used only for minor connections,
not subject to train live load force, as outlined in Section 1.5.10 of AREMA
Chapter 15.
Concrete Substructure: All concrete portions of undertrack unloading

structures that are subjected to train loading shall be designed in accordance
with Chapter 8 of the AREMA Manual. Pit end walls shall be designed for the
effects of vertical load from rail support beams and live load surcharge from
train on ground track adjacent to the pit. Surcharge from adjacent parallel
tracks, roadways and buildings shall be considered in the design of pit side
walls. Calculation and application of train surcharge loadings shall be as
outlined in AREMA Chapter 8.
Foundations: Submittal of unloading structure plans shall include a

geotechnical report defining the characteristics of the soils at the site and
their suitability for supporting the design loads. All foundations for unloading
structures shall be designed in accordance with the requirements in AREMA
Chapter 8.
Approach Walls: If approaches to the main pit span, or spans, are to be

constructed of parallel reinforced concrete walls, with the rails attached
directly to the top of the walls, the approach walls shall be designed in accord
with AREMA Chapter 8, Concrete Structures and Foundations. The two
parallel walls shall have a single footing supporting both walls. Where
necessary to obtain safe bearing capacity, the approach walls shall extend to
the same depth as the pit walls. The rails shall be attached to the walls using
standard Pandrol plates and clips, unless other attachment is approved by
the Chief Engineer - Bridges and Structures. Pandrol plates and clips shall
be spaced at 2’-0” maximum.

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IX.

BRIDGES, TRESTLES, BOX CULVERTS AND

Drawings covering temporary sheeting and bulkheads to protect railroad

Clearances and drainage requirements will be furnished upon request to the

9.02 UNLOADING PITS

Minimum horizontal distance from centerline of pit track to adjacent

Applicant is to furnish the distance and direction from centerline of pit to

9.03 SINGLE SPAN UNLOADING PITS WITH A SPAN LENGTH OF 15 FEET

Live Load: Cooper’s E-80 with 28 percent impact.

Design specifications and workmanship shall be in accordance with current

9.04 SINGLE SPAN UNLOADING PITS WITH A SPAN LENGTH GREATER

9.04.02 Steel Superstructure

Erection: The steel superstructure supporting train loading shall be shipped,

Concrete Substructure: All concrete portions of undertrack unloading

Foundations: Submittal of unloading structure plans shall include a

Approach Walls: If approaches to the main pit span, or spans, are to be

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