More ties delivered to Avon Yard, Aug. 2

Ties were delivered by truck this morning at the Avon yard for the future rail project. A tractor trailer was being unloaded by a cherry picker in the yard with MOW workers present. 6 railcars are loaded with ties, 4 on the MOW siding south of Rts. 5/20 crossing and two more cars located further south on a siding just out of Avon.

Hi,

Were these wooden ties or concrete ties ??? Here on the west coast when ties are replaced it is with concrete ties. If sufficient numbers of ties need replacing in one stretch the entire length of track is removed and a pre fabricated length of track fitted in and welded into place. Slowly but surely wooden ties are becoming ancient history. No more RR spikes either, now you see spring attachments.

These are wood ties.

I have never seen any use of concrete ties around the eastern US yet..
maybe the North-East corridor, but wood is still the norm just about everywhere.

I have seen a lot of new ties being piled by NS along the southern tier main..all wood.

and here in Rochester, on the CSX Chicago line, they have been replacing a lot of ties this summer - all wood.

Scot

In my many trips Washington DC this year, I have had the opportunity to see the NE corridor trackage and they appear to be all wooden ties. The concrete ties might have a stronger need in the unstable grounds west of the Rockies, where earthquakes are nearly a daily occurance.

I've seen them on the LIRR.

I asked this question of someone in the know at the LAL-family about concrete ties, years ago, and between that answer and things I've read, I'd say this:

1. Concrete ties don't last as long as you might think.
2. The flexibility that wood offers is crucial.
3. This question might become moot as people get more agressive about creosote and better technology comes about.

I also don't know if a regular tie inserter can insert concrete ties.

Dave Becker

concrete ties are used a LOT on Metro-North, LIRR, and obviously out west and also on the northeast corridor. They are definitely very good in some instances, as spikes aren't used, and there is less maintenance as far as spikes and such. The problem on Metro-North in some spots is drainage vs. the cncrete ties. If there is poor drainage in an area where there are concrete ties in place, the ties start "pumpng" as trains over the saturated area pretty much destroying the ties against the ballast as they rub. In some spots the area, on, and around the tracks several feet from the affected area becomes coated in concrete dust. This is a problem wooden ties didn't have a problem with. In certain conditions, they are great! Much of europe has concrete ties and they work extremely well.