Ensuring Safe and Efficient Railroad Crossings

Railroad intersections are an essential component of a transportation network as they facilitate the movement of goods and passengers. However, they pose a significant safety risk if not properly designed and maintained. This is where engineering for railroad intersections comes into play.

Engineering services for railroad intersections involve the design, construction, maintenance, and inspection of railroad crossings. The main objective of these services is to ensure the safety of all users, including pedestrians, motorists, and railroad operators.

Sain Associates has enjoyed working with the Tennessee Department of Transportation’s (TDOT) Freight & Logistics Division as one of their on-call consultants. Through this relationship, we have completed numerous railroad Diagnostic Team Reports (DTR) for the railroad program. Since our first DTR assignment in 2006, our team has reviewed 237 locations across the state. We currently have five projects where we are responsible for carrying the recommendations in the DTR forward to a TDOT survey and design project.

Our team was recently reselected for the Freight & Logistics Division’s Railroad On-call Contract. It is a three-year continuing contract where all work orders must be completed within five years. Potential projects could cover railroad crossing safety improvement projects, railroad crossing data collection, railroad track and bridge projects, and railroad track and bridge data collection.

There are many highlights to working on railroad projects. We enjoy the opportunity to interact with TDOT staff and local personnel. In addition, our team may travel to different project locations across the state. Along the way, you may discover hidden gems, such as unique restaurants or tourist attractions, that you may not have otherwise discovered.

Railroad intersections are essential to our transportation infrastructure, and their design and maintenance should be taken seriously. By continually improving the design and implementation of these intersections, we can reduce the risk of accidents and improve the overall traffic flow. We are grateful for the opportunity to work on DTR projects because we can make problematic railroad crossings safer for the public.