What are railway ties made of?
Railroad ties are traditionally made of wood, but prestressed concrete is now also widely used, especially in Europe and Asia. Steel ties are common on secondary lines in the UK; plastic composite ties are also employed, although far less than wood or concrete.
What is the purpose of ties on railroad tracks?
Generally laid perpendicular to the rails, ties transfer loads to the track ballast and subgrade, hold the rails upright and keep them spaced to the correct gauge. Railroad ties are traditionally made of wood, but prestressed concrete is now also widely used, especially in Europe and Asia.
What is a railroad tie called?
A railroad tie/railway tie/crosstie (North America) or railway sleeper (Britain, Ireland, South Asia, Australasia, and Africa) is a rectangular support for the rails in railroad tracks.
What are steel ties used for?
Steel ties are utilized in nearly all sectors of the worldwide railroad systems including heavy-haul, class 1s, regional, shortlines, mining, electrified passenger lines (OHLE) and all manner of industries.
What is a railroad tie?
How long does a railroad tie last?
What are the toxic preservatives used to treat railroad ties?
What is used to treat railroad ties?
What kind of wood is used to make railroad ties?
Can railroad ties be treated with creosote?
See 1 more
Why do railroad ties have metal on the ends?
In short, its to keep the tie ends from splitting apart.
What are railroad ties made out of?
Many railroads purchase oak and mixed hardwood ties and some buy ties made of softwoods such as south- ern pine, red pine or Douglas-fir as well.
Are railroad spikes worth anything?
So, if you want to buy railroad spikes, you can get a single one for about 80 cents to a dollar. However, you'll pay a lower price when you buy the spikes in bulk, and they're usually measured in pounds.
Are railroad ties good steel?
Any single steel tie can function properly for 50 years before needing repairs, compared to just 12-15 years for a wood equivalent. Spent steel ties can then be recycled as scrap or repaired with minor welding and returned to service.
Are old railroad ties safe?
The wood used for railroad ties iss treated with creosote. Creosote is a known carcinogen. However, the carcinogenic effect is from handling, inhaling or ingesting the creosote. Old, weathered railroad ties present an extremely low level of risk to you.
Are railroad ties cast iron?
The railway tie plate, which also can be called as railway base plate or sole plate, is made of either mild steel, cast iron, wrought iron, or malleable steel, it's interposed between the foot of a flat footed rail and wooden sleeper to distribute the load on a larger area.
Can you forge a knife out of a railroad spike?
To make the knife you need a railroad spike and some standard blacksmithing tools: an anvil, hammer, tongs, and some wrenches to twist the spike. A belt sander is used to sharpen the blade and put a final polish on the blade.
How much does an 8 foot long railroad tie weigh?
An average wooden railroad tie weighs about 200 pounds but can range from between 100 and 300 lbs. depending on size, wood type, and age. A typical 8'6″ tie made of oak will often weigh about 200 pounds while softer woods will weigh less. Older ties will tend to be more dried out and weigh less.
Why are railroad nails numbered?
Few railroad artifacts capture the eye like date nails. These small thumbnail-sized steel pieces of Americana bear a 2-digit number indicating the year a crosstie was manufactured.
Why do railroad ties not rot?
Railroad ties are treated with an oil-based preservative (creosote). As opposed to water, which evaporates, oil doesn't dry.
Is railroad track steel good for knives?
It can take a little bit of effort to get into a good shape for knife making, but once you do it's a carbon steel that's great for choppers and will definitely hold an edge.
Is there asbestos in railroad ties?
Many locomotive parts, such as clutches, brake linings, and brake pads, contained asbestos. It was included in various railroad equipment such as the cement in railroad ties, gaskets, wallboards, and plaster. Even the floor tiles, walls, and ceilings in train passenger cars were lined with asbestos.
What do they put on railroad ties to keep them from rotting?
Of the wooden ties purchased, 98% are either creosote or creosote-borate treated. Approximately 2% of wooden ties are copper naphthenate or copper naphthenate-borate treated. This paper explores the reasons why railroads continue to specify creosote preservative treated wood for their ties.
What keeps railroad ties from rotting?
The majority of crossties treated within the United States are preserved with creosote, but other preservatives are used, such as copper naphthenate, or ACZA.
Do railroad ties have asbestos in them?
Some asbestos-containing products used in train or track parts included: Railroad equipment. Asbestos was found in cement used to make railroad ties, gaskets on locomotive engines, sealing cement, wallboards and plaster.
Is there asbestos in railroad ties?
Many locomotive parts, such as clutches, brake linings, and brake pads, contained asbestos. It was included in various railroad equipment such as the cement in railroad ties, gaskets, wallboards, and plaster. Even the floor tiles, walls, and ceilings in train passenger cars were lined with asbestos.
What is a railroad tie?
A railroad tie also called a crosstie is a rectangular piece of wood (prestressed concrete, stone and plastics in some situations) which supports the railroad tracks. As any other wood product exposed to the outdoors environment, in order to stay preserved for extended periods of time, it needs to be treated.
How long does a railroad tie last?
If a piece of hardwood railroad tie is treated, it can last for over 30 years, out surviving the other materials used for this purpose. It is environmentally friendly. Performs great under heavy weight of a train, trepidation which simply makes it a great material for this purpose.
What are the toxic preservatives used to treat railroad ties?
Some of the other toxic preservatives used to treat railroad ties are pentachlorophenol and chromated copper arsenate . As mentioned above, there are few non-toxic treatments for railroad ties, which are copper azole or micronized copper.
What is used to treat railroad ties?
Wooden railroad ties are treated with toxic and non-toxic preservatives, while some of them are not treated at all. One of the most used preservatives to treat the wood railroad ties against rotting, insect infestation and few other timber diseases, is Creosote.
What kind of wood is used to make railroad ties?
There are two types of wood used for making the railroad ties, softwood and hardwood. Softwood railroad ties are easier to be produced, cheaper and lighter, largely available but also more susceptible to wear. Examples of softwood used to make railroad ties are douglas fir and juniper.
Can railroad ties be treated with creosote?
That’s why Creosote and few other preservatives play a huge role in treating the railroad ties.
What are plastic railroad ties?
Aside from the environmental benefits of using recycled material, plastic ties usually replace timber ties soaked in creosote, the latter being a toxic chemical, and are themselves recyclable. Hybrid plastic railroad ties and composite ties are used in other rail applications such as underground mining operations, industrial zones, humid environments and densely populated areas. Hybrid railroad ties are also used to be partly exchanged with rotten wooden ties, which will result in continuous track stiffness. Hybrid plastic ties and composite ties also offer benefits on bridges and viaducts, because they lead to better distribution of forces and reduction of vibrations into respectively bridge girders or the ballast. This is due to better damping properties of hybrid plastic ties and composite ties, which will decrease the intensity of vibrations as well as the sound production. In 2009, Network Rail announced that it would begin replacing wooden ties with recycled plastic. but I-Plas became insolvent in October 2012.
What is a railroad tie?
A railroad tie, crosstie ( American English ), railway tie ( Canadian English) or railway sleeper ( Australian and British English) is a rectangular support for the rails in railroad tracks. Generally laid perpendicular to the rails, ties transfer loads to the track ballast and subgrade, ...
How many ties per mile for a railroad?
The number of ties is 3,250 wooden crossties per mile (2019 ties/km, or 40 ties per 65 feet) for wood ties or 2640 ties per mile for concrete ties. Rails in the US may be fastened to ...
Why are concrete ties better than timber?
Concrete ties are cheaper and easier to obtain than timber and better able to carry higher axle-weights and sustain higher speeds. Their greater weight ensures improved retention of track geometry, especially when installed with continuous-welded rail. Concrete ties have a longer service life and require less maintenance than timber due to their greater weight, which helps them remain in the correct position longer. Concrete ties need to be installed on a well-prepared subgrade with an adequate depth on free-draining ballast to perform well. Concrete ties amplify wheel noise, so wooden ties are often used in densely populated areas.
What is frame tie?
Frame ties (German: Rahmenschwelle) comprise both lateral and longitudinal members in a single monolithic concrete casting. This system is in use in Austria; in the Austrian system the track is fastened at the four corners of the frame, and is also supported midway along the frame. Adjacent frame ties are butted close to each other. Advantages of this system over conventional cross increased support of track. In addition, construction methods used for this type of track are similar to those used for conventional track.
What is a steel tie?
Steel ties. Steel ties are formed from pressed steel and are trough-shaped in section. The ends of the tie are shaped to form a "spade" which increases the lateral resistance of the tie. Housings to accommodate the fastening system are welded to the upper surface of the tie.
What is the most common preservative used for railroad ties?
Softwood is treated, while creosote is the most common preservative for railway ties, preservatives are also sometimes used such as pentachlorophenol, chromated copper arsenate and a few other preservatives. Sometimes non-toxic preservatives are used, such as copper azole or micronized copper.
What is railroad metal?
The railroad metal, commonly known as train track steel, is special steel in metallurgical products mainly used for railroad tracks. The rail bears the weight and dynamic load of the train. Its surface wears, and the head is impacted. The rail is subject to large bending stress, too. The complicated press and long-term service bring out damages ...
What is an alloy steel rail?
The alloy steel is a steel rail that is smelted and rolled after adding appropriate amounts of alloy elements such as vanadium, titanium, chromium, and tin to the original iron ore. The strength and toughness of this type of rail are higher than that of carbon rail.
What is heat treated steel?
The heat-treated steel is a steel rail that is formed by heating and controlling the cooling of the hot-rolled carbon rail or alloy rail. The pearlite structure of the heat-treated rail is more refined than that of the hot-rolled rail, resulting in higher strength and toughness.
What is the toughness of metal?
The ability of metal materials to resist impact loads without damage. The toughness of metal materials can be measured by the impact test and expressed by impact toughness value αk in kJ/m 2.
What is the chemical composition of train track steel?
The chemical composition of train track steel. Improve the strength, hardness, and wear resistance of the rail. The carbon content of domestic rails is 0.65% to 0.82%. When the carbon content is relatively high, the steel becomes brittle, and its plasticity index will be significantly reduced.
What is carbon steel?
carbon steel is a steel rail smelted and rolled with natural raw iron ore. It mainly uses carbon and manganese elements in the ore to increase the strength of the rail. Ordinary carbon train track steel is composed of 0.40%-0.80% carbon and manganese less than 1.30%-1.4%.
What are the contaminants in railroad ties?
Coal ash and cinder containing lead and arsenic. Spilled or leaked liquids such as oil, gasoline, cleaning solvents, etc. Herbicides.
What are the types of contamination along rail corridors?
The type and extent of contamination along rail corridors fall into two general categories: residual contamination that may be found along any stretch of corridor and contamination associated with industrial uses alongside it. Before and after acquisition, you should be aware of the following potential contaminants:
When do railroads have to report environmental contaminants?
Railroads are required to submit an environmental report to the Surface Transportation Board (STB) when they begin the process of abandoning a corridor.
Does contamination prevent rail trail development?
Fortunately, contamination does not necessarily prevent the development of rail-trails as long as appropriate steps are taken to ensure safety to trail users. Whenever there are environmental concerns about land acquisition, an expert in the field should be consulted.
Can railroad ties be used for landscaping?
Wood oozing creosote should be disposed of immediately as municipal solid waste. Railroad ties coated in creosote are not intended for use in landscaping and should not be used along the trail. Wood coated in chromated copper arsenate (CCA), which appears green, can be even more dangerous.
Plates pressed into ends of railroad ties
General discussion about railroad operations, related facilities, maps, and other resources.
Plates pressed into ends of railroad ties
While sitting at Trackside Pizza on the Springfield line I noticed at the track outside that the ties had white plate or screen on their ends . Whats the purpose of this ?
Re: Railroad Ties
When Technology improved, the Nail plates are about same as used on factory made rafter beams. A galvanized plate stamped to have 300 or so nail like protrusions that are pressed into end of tie.
Re: Railroad Ties
Prior to this age ties many times had a "S", brace pounded into the ends.
Re: Plates pressed into ends of railroad ties
yeah, what TB said. the "S" irons were/are there, you just dont notice them, because they are flush inside the tie ends, and they are untreated metal, and rust quickly, looking like the end of the tie. the stamped tin plates are probably cheaper, is why you see them now.
What is it called when you step on a rail?
First of all, individuals that are stepping, playing or walking on or around the rail tracks are committing a crime, called trespassing. Now, taking something that doesn’t belong to you, from a private property, is considered theft and it can get you in a lot of trouble.
Do railroad companies own the railroads?
Railroad companies own, operate and maintain the rails. The entire railroad infrastructure of each railroad company is inspected on a regular basis. There are few things the railroad maintenance crew is looking for on inspection, one of them are the bad railroad ties.
What is a railroad tie?
A railroad tie also called a crosstie is a rectangular piece of wood (prestressed concrete, stone and plastics in some situations) which supports the railroad tracks. As any other wood product exposed to the outdoors environment, in order to stay preserved for extended periods of time, it needs to be treated.
How long does a railroad tie last?
If a piece of hardwood railroad tie is treated, it can last for over 30 years, out surviving the other materials used for this purpose. It is environmentally friendly. Performs great under heavy weight of a train, trepidation which simply makes it a great material for this purpose.
What are the toxic preservatives used to treat railroad ties?
Some of the other toxic preservatives used to treat railroad ties are pentachlorophenol and chromated copper arsenate . As mentioned above, there are few non-toxic treatments for railroad ties, which are copper azole or micronized copper.
What is used to treat railroad ties?
Wooden railroad ties are treated with toxic and non-toxic preservatives, while some of them are not treated at all. One of the most used preservatives to treat the wood railroad ties against rotting, insect infestation and few other timber diseases, is Creosote.
What kind of wood is used to make railroad ties?
There are two types of wood used for making the railroad ties, softwood and hardwood. Softwood railroad ties are easier to be produced, cheaper and lighter, largely available but also more susceptible to wear. Examples of softwood used to make railroad ties are douglas fir and juniper.
Can railroad ties be treated with creosote?
That’s why Creosote and few other preservatives play a huge role in treating the railroad ties.
Overview
A railroad tie, crosstie (American English), railway tie (Canadian English) or railway sleeper (Australian and British English) is a rectangular support for the rails in railroad tracks. Generally laid perpendicular to the rails, ties transfer loads to the track ballast and subgrade, hold the rails upright and keep them spaced to the correct gauge.
Types
The type of railroad tie used on the predecessors of the first true railway (Liverpool and Manchester Railway) consisted of a pair of stone blocks laid into the ground, with the chairs holding the rails fixed to those blocks. One advantage of this method of construction was that it allowed horses to tread the middle path without the risk of tripping. In railway use with ever heavier locomotives, i…
Non-conventional tie forms
An unusual form of tie is the Y-shaped tie, first developed in 1983. Compared to conventional ties the volume of ballast required is reduced due to the load-spreading characteristics of the Y-tie. Noise levels are high but the resistance to track movement is very good. For curves the three-point contact of a Y steel tie means that an exact geometric fit cannot be observed with a fixed attachmen…
Dimensions and spacing
The crosstie spacing of mainline railroad is approximately 19 to 19.5 inches (48 to 50 cm) for wood ties or 24 inches (61 cm) for concrete ties. The number of ties is 3,250 wooden crossties per mile (2019 ties/km, or 40 ties per 65 feet) for wood ties or 2640 ties per mile for concrete ties.
The London, Midland and Scottish Railway specified 18 sleepers per 45-foot (13.72 m) rail and 24 sleepers per 60-foot (18.29 m) rail, both of which correspond to 2112 sleepers per mile.
Fastening rails to railroad ties
Various methods exist for fixing the rail to the railroad ties. Historically spikes gave way to cast iron chairs fixed to the tie, more recently springs (such as Pandrol clips) are used to fix the rail to the tie chair.
Other uses
In recent years, wooden railroad ties have also become popular for gardening and landscaping, both in creating retaining walls and raised-bed gardens, and sometimes for building steps as well. Traditionally, the ties sold for this purpose are decommissioned ties taken from rail lines when replaced with new ties, and their lifespan is often limited due to rot. Some entrepreneurs sell new ties. Du…
See also
• Ballastless track
• John Calvin Jureit, inventor of the Gang-Nail truss connector plate
• Ladder track
• Track (rail transport)
Notes
1. ^ "Steel Sleepers in the Rail Industry – they are still made, and have quite a history". Retrieved August 9, 2017.
2. ^ "M/W Budgets To Climb in 2008". Railway Track & Structures. New York, New York: Simmons-Boardman Publishing Company. 104 (1): 18–25. January 2008. ISSN 0033-9016. OCLC 1763403. Retrieved 23 December 2011.