
What width do railway sleeper trains come in?
The most common WIDTH for a railway sleeper is 250mm or 10". We have other railway sleeper sizes as well such as 200mm or 300mm, or 8" / 12".
Are wooden sleepers used in railway sleepers?
Wood has been used to make railway sleepers for centuries. Wooden railway sleepers still comprise the majority of railway sleeper market, especially in the US, where wooden sleepers for sale covers 93% of the market, that is to say, 16 million wooden railroad sleepers are laid each year.
Are steel rail sleepers any good?
Steel rail sleepers are often seen as a middle ground between wood and concrete. Sturdier than wood and less expensive than pre-stressed concrete, it seemed logical that steel could prove a boon to companies looking to undertake an economical track upgrade. Indeed, in some areas steel ties are still performing adequately after 50 years of service.
What are concrete railway sleepers made of?
Early prototypes of concrete railway sleepers are made with conventional reinforced concrete, which were often found too brittle to withstand high levels of dynamic load.

What are the measurements of a sleeper?
Sofa Bed SizesSizeSleeper Dimension RangesMattress WidthTwin (Loveseat) Sleeper Sofas50" to 68"36" to 39"Full Sofa Beds67" to 83"52" to 55"Queen Sleeper Sofas75" to 96"58" to 62"King Sleeper Sofas84" to 92"74" to 76"4 more rows
How heavy is a 2.4 m oak sleeper?
SpecificationsTypeGarden Landscaping SleeperLength2400mm (2.4m)MaterialHardwood/OakFinishSawnWeight48kg3 more rows
How long is a railroad sleeper?
8 ft 6 inSleepers are 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) long, 10 inches (254 mm) wide and 5 inches (127 mm) deep. The 2 sleepers adjacent to a joint may be 12 inches (305 mm) wide where the formation is soft or the traffic is heavy and fast.
What size are railway sleepers Australia?
They are not treated and the sapwood soon decays. In Queensland the standard size for a railway sleeper is 7ft long 9 inches wide 4.5 inches thick (Queensland Rail, it appears are still imperial)and weigh 67kg.
Do oak sleepers crack?
It is simply a case of the clever natural product adjusting to its environment. When the inner core of the timber is wetter than the outer section, the cracks will be evident, but once the wood's centre is also dried out to the level of the atmosphere it is in, these cracks and splits will disappear.
How heavy is a 3m sleeper?
SpecificationSKU201079Weight35kgLifespan8 - 10 yearsWood typeSoftwoodTreatmentUC3
Is it OK to cut railroad ties with a chainsaw?
1:044:34Cutting Railroad Ties with a Chainsaw vs Reciprocating Saw - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo what you'll find is as you're cutting with your nice chainsaw you'll hit one of those rocks andMoreSo what you'll find is as you're cutting with your nice chainsaw you'll hit one of those rocks and it'll instantly dull the chain on your chainsaw.
What wood is railway sleeper?
New railway sleepers tend to be made from softwoods such as pine or spruce, but you can also find new oak sleepers at a higher price.
What is governed by the length and width of the sleeper?
Bearing areaWhat is governed by the length and width of the sleeper? Explanation: Bearing area is the area which bears all the load acting on the sleeper. It is governed by the length and width of the sleeper.
What length is timber sleeper?
The most common sizes are 150x50, 150x75, 150x100, 200x50, 200x75, 200x100.
How much does a 2.4 m concrete sleeper weigh?
How heavy are the concrete sleepers? A plain concrete sleeper weighs approximately 75 kg for a 80mm thick and our pattern concrete sleeper weigh approximately 80kg. We also stock heavy duty sleepers for larger commercial retaining walls and can weigh up to 150kg each.
How do you attach a railway sleeper to a retaining wall?
Constructing a retaining wall out of upright sleepers is pretty straightforward. Simply dig a trench, lower the sleepers in vertically side by side, and then backfill with a dry concrete mix, that you can ram down around the railway sleepers untill the wall is rigid.
What is a railroad sleeper?
Railway sleepers , also named as railroad ties, railroad sleepers, or railway crossties, are mainly used as rectangular support for the steel rails in railroad tracks. Railway sleep er is generally laid perpendicular to rails and ties, transferring loads to the track ballast and subgrade, holding the rails upright and keeping them spaced to the correct gauge.
What are railway sleepers made of?
Generally speaking, railway sleeper is traditionally made of wood, but pre-stressed concrete sleeper is also widely used nowadays, especially in Europe and Asia. Steel railway ties are common on secondary lines in the UK, and plastic composite railway ties are also employed, although far less than wood or concrete.
How many wooden sleepers are laid each year?
Wooden railway sleepers still comprise the majority of railway sleeper market, especially in the US, where wooden sleepers for sale covers 93% of the market, that is to say, 16 million wooden railroad sleepers are laid each year.
Is steel a sleeper?
Steel railway sleepers are often seen as a middle ground between wood and concrete, and they are sturdier than timber and less expensive than pre-stressed concrete. A lesser reliance on ballast (approximately 60% less than required for concrete; 45% less than wood) also seems to tip the scale in steel's favor, especially in areas where timber is scarce.
What is a railway sleeper?
The railway sleeper is one of the important foundations of the railway track. It is used to carry the weight of the train and pass it to the rail bed. This paper classifies the railway sleepers according to the materials, describes their performance characteristics, and focuses on the research and analysis of the use of several composite sleepers ...
What is a polyurethane sleeper?
Polyurethane composite elastic sleeper. Polyurethane composite elastic sleeper, the structure is divided into inner core and peripheral layer. The inner core is made of strong - concrete core such as full-grain FRP, and the FRP steel bar made of high-performance fiber such as glass fiber, it has the advantages of light weight, high strength, ...
What is a FFU sleeper?
FFU synthetic sleeper, referred to as long glass fiber reinforced foam polyurethane. A long glass fiber and a hard polyurethane resin are used as a main component, and a molded plate compress and bond to frm the synthetic sleepers. Compared with other materials, this material has high corrosion resistance, fatigue resistance, electrical insulation resistance, long service life, up to 50 years, low replacement frequency, and can reduce cycle cost. And the FFU synthetic sleeper is light in weight, its weight is only 1/3 of the concrete sleeper, and its waste can be recycled after being crushed and pressurized to make a new recycling product.
How much does a FFU sleeper cost?
FFU synthetic sleepers are widely used in Japan, but the cost is high. The price of a FFU synthetic sleeper is calculated to be more than 2,500 yuan. The composite sleeper is experimentally researched in China. It has a production line in Shanghai, but it is not used on Chinese railways.
What are the advantages of concrete sleepers?
The performance advantages of concrete sleepers include the less affect by climate or decay, warranted size, uniform elasticity, good stability, long service life, less maintenance and repair times, low cost. In addition, higher track bed resistance of concrete sleeper is very beneficial to improve the lateral stability of the seamless line;
What are the advantages and disadvantages of wooden sleepers?
The performance advantages of wooden sleepers include light weight, good elasticity, good insulation performance, simple production, convenient transportation and maintenance, etc. But there are disadvantages of short life, frequent replacement, large consumption of wood, and A large number of human and financial resources and material resources consumption per replacement. Orbital geometry is also not easy to maintain and other shortcomings.
Is concrete sleeper good for track bed?
In addition, higher track bed resistance of concrete sleeper is very beneficial to improve the lateral stability of the seamless line; however, its disadvantages include heavy weight, poor elasticity and insulation performance. A buffer insulation layer is required at the bottom part of the rail, and the rail joint parts are complicated.
How long do steel sleepers last?
They are recyclable hence possess good scrap value. Life span of steel sleepers is more and is about 30 years. They are good resistant against fire. They have good resistance against creep.
Why are steel sleepers used?
Steel Sleepers. Steel sleepers are more often used because of stronger than wood and economical than concrete. They also have good life span. They are molded in trough shape and placed on ballast in inversed trough shape.
What are the drawbacks of steel sleepers?
Drawbacks. Steel can be effected by chemicals easily. Steel sleepers requires high maintenance. They are not suitable for all types of ballast which is provided as bed for sleepers. If derailment is happened, they damaged very badly and not suitable for re using. These are not suitable for all types of rail sections and gauges.
How long are composite sleepers good for?
Composite sleepers are serviceable for longer spans about 50 years. Composite sleepers are eco-friendly sleepers. They are light in weight but possess great strength. Their scrap value is good because of recyclable property of composite sleepers. They can be resized easily like wooden sleepers.
What are the functions of a sleeper?
The basic functions of Railway sleepers are to: hold the rails strongly and to maintain uniform gauge. transfer the load from rails to the ballast or ground. reduce the vibrations coming from rails. offer longitudinal and lateral stability.
How long can cast iron sleepers be used?
Cast iron sleepers can be used for long period up to 60 years. Their manufacturing is also easy and it can be done locally so, there is no need for longer transportation. Vermin attack is impossible in case of cast iron sleepers. They provide strong seat to the rail.
What are sleepers made of?
These are sleepers made of wood. Wooden sleepers are used since olden days. These are still widely using in some western countries. Either hardwood or softwood can be used to make wooden sleepers. However, hardwood sleepers made of oak, jarrah, teakwood are more famous.
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 do European railways use concrete bearers?
Most European railways also now use concrete bearers in switches and crossing layouts due to the longer life and lower cost of concrete bearers compared to timber , which is increasingly difficult and expensive to source in sufficient quantities and quality.
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, ...
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.
How long do rail sleepers last?
Especially the treated railway sleeper, its lifespan can prolong to 15 years. For this reason, wood sleepers are widely used throughout the world.
What are rail sleepers made of?
With the development and technical requirements of railroad construction, rail sleepers are now made of varieties materials, such as steel, concrete and rubber.
What are the different types of wood sleepers?
According to different applications, wood sleepers can be divided into three types: ordinary wooden sleeper, turnout sleeper and bridge sleeper. The length and purpose of each is not the same. Having so many advantages, wood sleeper is the main type of rail sleepers.
Why are concrete sleepers used?
They are widely used in high speed railway and the stability is much higher than wood sleepers. Many countries chose concrete sleepers to build high speed passenger line. While concrete sleepers still have many disadvantages like heavy weight, difficult to transport and environment limits. They are not suitable for frozen earth, heavily polluted area and busy routes of mineral.
What is a wood sleeper?
Having so many advantages, wood sleeper is the main type of rail sleepers. For wood as the material, there are still many factors that limit the development of wood sleeper: the elasticity, intensity and durability of wood sleepers are uneven, which raises the power of turbine. What’s more, producing wood sleepers need a lot ...
Why are steel sleepers not widely used?
Because of high price of steel, heavy weight and high maintenance cost, steel sleepers are not widely used. So that many countries prefer to produce and use concrete sleepers.
What are the advantages of concrete rail sleepers?
Advantages of concrete rail sleepers. Offer higher longitudinal and transverse stability. Easy to maintain gauge, cross level and alignment. Suitable for modern methods of track maintenance.

More About Rail Guages....
- There have been many rail gauges over the years. 4 feet 8.5 inches is widely used and is usually called standard, but there are many others still in widespread use. 1 Metre gauge can be found in many countries. 3feet 6inches for southern Africa and most of the Japanese network (Shinkanz…
Railways, Romans & Horses Bottoms...
- Did you know that the US shuttle design was determined by the width of a Roman horse's bottom ? - The US standard railroad gauge (distance between the rails) is 4 feet 8.5 inches. - That's an exceedingly odd number. Why was that gauge used? - Because that's the way they built them in England, and English expatriates built the US Railroads. - Why did the English build them like that…
Used of Lies, Disinformation & Fake Knowledge E-Mail Recieved: 22.10.18
- Hi, I just checked your website about railway sleepers and you provide fake knowledge about the origins of British roads. You claim that the Romans built the roads but this is a lie and disinformation. The celts and the etruscans built the roads and the Greeks and Romans came after. I thought I would notify you because we live in a world where facts are ignored and replace…