Rail road ties

[9shooter]

I read with interest some recent articles about how the countries rail system is in serious need of upgrading.
You might think that with the emerald ash borrer laying waste to Michigan's ash forest that there might be a steady supply of ash logs suitable for railroad ties. Is ash suitable for ties? I am clueless as to what species of trees ties are made from. I would guess that oak is used more often and ash is real similar...........

[Ironwood]

I think they use just about anything, then saturate it with cresote.

Ironwood

[Ron Wenrich]

Its only been recently that they started to buy ash in our area.  They have a big tendency to split when the spikes are driven in.  They are using those joist plates on the ends of the ties, which hides a bunch of defect and lessens the likelihood of splitting.

They wouldn't have gone to ash if there was a ready supply of ties in other species.  Norfolk Central has upgraded a lot of their lines and are still buying plenty of ties out of our area. 

Species and sizes are pretty specific to different areas. 

[cantcutter]

Around here the tie plants will buy anything as long they can get a 5x9 out of it.

[Ironwood]

I have several hundred used ones up in my field (use them to stack pallets off the ground) and they seem to be everything under the sun. Certainly Ron would know as he is in the business.

          Ironwood

[WH_Conley]

Here they will take everything except Buckeye, box elder poplar and sycamore, course no softwood species.

[Southernlogger007]

I haul a lot of white and red oak logs here in the south that are used for ties.

[Dave Shepard]

Welcome Southernlogger007!


Dave

[Southernlogger007]

Thank you Dave.I'm glad to be here. 8)