What species of timber would you specify for a railroad tie and why?

Question

What species of timber would you specify for a railroad tie and why?

Answer 1

turpine because it is a hardwood will last a long time

and is good in the wet weather they use it in building bridges

Answer 2

railroad timbers are made out of many diffrent types of hardwoods depending on the area they are made in and the hardwoods availability after being made they are soak in creosote wich is a preservative to keep them from rotting, but is very bad for the evniroment and your health. never breath in the smoke of a burning one. telephone pole are made much the same way

Answer 3

The ties in high density main lines are oak or other hardwood, it is heavier and resistant to moving and holds the spikes better. In branch lines or sidings fir is a good choice, not quite as tough as hardwood but still pretty strong. RR companies have and do use almost any type of wood available but heavy use demands hard ties.

Answer 4

Balsa - I think that is spelled right.

Trains stopped going through about 10 years ago, and the lines are all abandoned.

So I dont care anymore if it falls apart or not.

Answer 5

White pine due to low cost and high availability, but I would treat the lumber in copper napthanate.

Answer 6

Most of the ties I see are made from oak.  Oak has a lot of cross fibers in it, which makes it very strong.  Increasingly, ties on the busy mainlines are being made from a kind of reinforced concrete.  Wood ties may be on the way out.

Kent in SD

Answer 7

I work for a railroad in northern Minnesota. Our replacement ties here are of White Oak, and are very heavy. We expect them to last anywhere from 40 to 60 years. Presently, we are paying 42 dollars a piece. I believe they are from Wisconsin.