Railroad tie info.........here ya go

[gator gar]

I have looked and looked for buyers of ties and from what I understand, Koppers is one of the biggest ties buyers in the world. You can look them up on the web. Also, the railway tie association will let you know all you need to know about a RR tie. You can find them under RTA.org. There are plenty of links to go with both websites. Have at it, all you want to be tie cutters. Seriously, there is alot of info to be had. Also, don't forget to go to your forrestry service web-site, there is a wealth of info there too.

[tyb525]

Thanks for the link, I've always wondered how one found contacts like that.

[Don_Papenburg]

You will soon have to be making your ties out of portland .  The rail line from Springfield to Bloomington, Ill. is almost complete with cement ties and welded continuos rail. It is for the slow speed "high speed " train .
Speeds of less than 120mph. Most stretches will end up at about 85/90 MPH.

[weisyboy]

all the new lines in aus are cement or steel ties have been for years.

only ones who use wooden ties are the cane railroads.

[tyb525]

There are still a large amount of wood ties being used and produced. Cement ties are much more expensive and are usually reserved for the high-traffic and high-speed mainlines only.

[gator gar]

I was re-assured today, that wooden ties will be around for awhile, from one of the main buyers in North Little Rock, Arkansas.

[weisyboy]

thats good to hear, im dubious as to how long the cement ties will last without cracking.

[Jeff]

I've heard that cement ties have already proven the inability to hold up as well as wooden ties do, but the new recycled plastic ties are almost indestructible.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5pE39mJ8p8

[fishpharmer]

I wonder how plastic ties compare to wood ties in cost?

[Jeff]

I'd have to think the cost comparison would have to be determined over the life of the tie.  Will they last twice as long? If they do the tie could be twice the price and still be cost effective.

[tyb525]

Another thing to look at is the environmental impact vs wood. If they could be recycled and re-used cheaply they could be a viable alternative.

[red oaks lumber]

  recycled ties don't have some wood preserve on them, making them more appealing in the long haul.

[cypresskayaksllc]

Even though it is "recycled" it still comes from fossil fuels. Looks pretty good though. 

[Dan_Shade]

with the creosote used in wooden ties, I'd be cautious of touting the "environmental advantage" of wood....

[fishpharmer]

Even though it is "recycled" it still comes from fossil fuels. Looks pretty good though. 

Good point Cypresskayaksllc.

Since this is a forum about forests, sawmilling and wood products, for the record, I am against plastic railroad ties.

I feel better now.

[Ron Wenrich]

My understanding is that the wooden ties have a certain amount of give to them.  The concrete and plastic ties would not.  Its one of the reasons they still use wood for railroad bridges.  Our rail system is mainly for hauling freight, not people; so, its a heavier train than passenger service.

Plastic and concrete would be good selections for transit lines.  I wonder how many water bottles it would take to make a plastic tie?

[Jeff]

The recycled ties have plenty of give. Far more than wood. Check 4 minutes into the video clip for the testing phase of the ties.

Since this is a forum about forests, sawmilling and wood products, for the record, I am against plastic railroad ties.

They used to make refrigerators out of wood as well but I think I prefer our modern version.   Yes this is a Forestry Forum which also includes the ideals of wise use of a natural resource. If you can use a waste product to do the job more efficiently and free up that forest resource for other uses, that's a good thing.

[fishpharmer]

There's a lot I don't know.  Just seems like wooden ties have employed a lot of small sawmills and a few large ones as well, at least in my area.  One of the larger hardwood mills in this area remained solvent thru this bad economy solely producing wooden ties.   I would hate to see a few automated machines replace that industry (and it may never happen).   That is why I am against plastic ties.

Are plastic ties a good product and good idea?  Sure looks like it to me.  Doesn't mean I have to like them.

[beenthere]

Just my take, but any reconstituted product (be it wood fibers or chips extruded or pressed, or recycled plastic heated and molded) will have a tough time competing with solid wood. Only saw the four sides for a tie or a 2x6, and it is essentially done. No energy lost other than the saw blade's energy.

There has been, and will be, a myriad of products that will compete for wood but only time will tell if wood loses out.  I'm betting on wood, and more-so when energy costs get higher as we head off into our future. ;)

But good to see the attempts made, as with enough gov't support they might work. The steel industry, the concrete industry, and the plastics industry are all competing with wood (the simple product). 

[captain_crunch]

not sure If the plant ever got going or not but they were going to extract the crude oil back from ground plastic. It was suspost to be high grade beings beings it was rifined once before. If this works it could make them ties very expencive

[timerover51]

I guess the other question is where are the plastic ties being made?  Here or overseas?  If here, how long will the jobs stay here?  Wooden railroad ties are going to be made here, using American labor.  An awful lot of your plastic products are being made in China.

[tyb525]

Despite the creosote used in Wood ties, there is only so much oil being made for plastic (I don't think a 100% recycles rate is possible)