Probably should consider an oil /water separator for any drainage system in the pit. Environmental issues are becoming and important consideration.

ADA accessablity

Into the pit?

Steve

I am with you on that one Steve. I don't see that as being necessary , needed or even safe.

DBH

Unfortunately, "common sense" has quite often taken a back seat to "regulation" of late, especially if the term "zero tolerance" gets invoked. You really can't preclude the possibility anymore that someone, either a "disabled rights activist" or a bureaucratic inspector, won't sue for or mandate such accessibility, possibly based on how funding was procured or if the public can enter.......

Someone refresh my memory: Is there now a wheelchair lift at the "pit" under PRR 1187 at the RR Museum of Pa.?

If this happens you will see a lot of shop buildings put out of bounds to visitors.

As if they aren't already?

Because of the rising sea level, Shore Line Trolley Museum's "Pit" in Branford, Conn. is mostly above the shop floor level.

Anyone have a photo on hand of the above-ground "pit" at the old CNJ facility in Jim Thorpe, Pa.? Large timbers laid end to end on a concrete slab with rail spiked on top and a ramp to reach it.

Thanks everyone for your extensive responses. The OSHA link is helpful, and certainly doesn't say "No Pits", just no falling into the pit.
We are having to deal with the spill/oil water separator issue since we will presumably need floor drains even if we didn't have a pit. San Jose has a sump, no drain in their pit, which might be a problem from a heavy/toxic gas viewpoint ("we just had a fuel spill, cycle the pump to get it out of here") but I guess they got it approved.
I like the shallow pit idea, it seems that with a 6' pit you'd need step stools most of the time to get up to what you wanted to work on.
GRS's East Deerfield yard is going through a big brownfields cleanup, probably not a good example to cite of an acceptable pit. (Problem isn't related to the pit, but still..)
This carbarn is designed and sited to be extended, maybe the pit will be part of Phase 5.
ADA accessibility Karl? Like a 72' ramp into a 6' pit?
Sam

6 feet from floor to top of rail is way too deep, in my opinion. The old steam roundhouse pits were too shallow for anything other than working on steam locomotive running gear. We have found our 4 foot deep pit to be just about right--- not too deep, not too shallow. A deeper pit will also consume much more concrete and rebar (both expensive these days).

Howard P.
Track 4
Thomaston Shop

Build your enginehouse on a hillside so you can walk into the pit from behind, and take advantage of natural drainage. This will also allow for a loading dock at the level of the floor surrounding the pits, figuring pits will be about 4 feet deep. Removable covers can be used in combination with railings to prevent falls while maintaining ADA access through the back wall pit door. Few locations except coastal Georgia, south Florida and North Dakota are too flat to find a 4 foot grade variation in a convenient location if you look a bit.

dave

I think Karl was pulling your leg about ADA access :)

Of course he was - with the RMPA exception, but that's public display space, not practical. Besides, the outside door to the pit would be about 4 feet tall, and they don't like low bridges either. It is, however, a very practical approach to getting tools and supplies in and out as well as mechanics, and makes drainage a breeze.

dave

As for the depth of the pit, that might depend on what it will mostly be used for. I looked at a lot of different designs before we built ours. Many people suggested that deeper is better. The thought was that a vast majority of what we do in the pit is routine inspections. This added to the fact that we aren't getting any younger and you don't want to spend too much time hunched over in the pit, ducking to walk under the traction motors or squatting on your knees for extended periods of time. With that thought in mind, I made mine almost 6' to the top of the rail. This allows me to walk comfortably under anything parked on the pit. We also reinforced the walls inside the rails so that with a steel plank, we can jack off of the walls. Such as if you need to lift the motor for wheel truing operations. The other consideration in the wall is that you leave enough open space below the traction motor gear case so that they can be easily removed. (If the wall is to far inside the rail, it may obstruct a gear case from dropping off the axle.

I'd rather a pit be 5 to 6' for working on a steam engine. I still have knots on my head from working in a shallow pit (I know, it's better than crawling in the mud) but if you have to hunch over, it's no fun. And if you have to wear a damned hard hat, it's even worse. I've gotten banged up worse from wearing one of them because I'm not used to having another 5-6" or whatever on top of my head.
I know there's a reason for safety rules, but sometimes they defeat the purpose. Safety glasses and safety shoes are a no brainer as are good gloves.