Author Topic: Ties  (Read 21898 times)

Hans Brandes

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Ties
« on: September 06, 2008, 04:55:10 AM »
Hey Guys,

What is your source for new railroad ties? Do you buy new or relay? We are replacing ties and are installing new 5 footers (following your practice). I have started making phone calls but have not had too many responses. Most people have a hard time when you tell them you want 5 footers. We don't want to use 4'-3"s, even though we have some out there, as 5s offer more stability.

Are you guys going to be buying any in the near future?

Thanks for any advice.

Hans
MNGR

Ira Schreiber

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Re: Ties
« Reply #1 on: September 06, 2008, 07:30:36 PM »
Check with Allan Fisher. We have a truckload of 10' ties coming in 10 days.
Ira

Hans Brandes

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Re: Ties
« Reply #2 on: September 07, 2008, 06:02:26 AM »
After you saw them in half, do  you treat the cut ends?

Dave Buczkowski

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Re: Ties
« Reply #3 on: September 07, 2008, 09:58:29 AM »
We have a secret cache of creosote that we bought a few years ago. It's a messy job but someone has to do it!
Dave

Ira Schreiber

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Re: Ties
« Reply #4 on: September 07, 2008, 12:15:48 PM »
We tried to treat the ends by taking them to Dairy Queen. This apparently did no good so we gave up on treating them!!

Ed Lecuyer

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Re: Ties
« Reply #5 on: September 07, 2008, 12:29:28 PM »
Oh RAILROAD TIES!

I thought you were talking about the gifts I get for Father's Day.

(Ira, don't get me started :-)
Ed Lecuyer
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Pete "Cosmo" Barrington

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Re: Ties
« Reply #6 on: September 07, 2008, 12:42:05 PM »
Too late!
This thread's already in a "knot!" :D

**Ducks**
(Sorry ;) )

James Patten

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Re: Ties
« Reply #7 on: September 07, 2008, 06:50:56 PM »
In the past we've bought standard gauge ties and cut 3 feet off of them.  Usually we can sell the 3' remainder for a buck or so.  However we prefer to buy 10 footers and cut them in half.  I would think that 5 foot ties might be not be generally available but someone might be pursuaded to make them if they had a large enough order.  Considering there's 4 museums with a total of over 5 miles between them all, theoretically that means over 500 - 1000 ties are getting replaced every year among all of us.  Maybe someone should look into it and pool our resources if a source can be found.

John McNamara

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Re: Ties
« Reply #8 on: September 07, 2008, 08:59:19 PM »
I've heard that we were getting some ties from a place that made guard rail posts for the New Hampshire Highway Department. Can a knowledgeable person comment on this?

Mike Fox

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Re: Ties
« Reply #9 on: September 08, 2008, 08:30:35 PM »
That is where the last batch came from. Used guard rail posts that are Pressure treated and we treated both ends the the afore mentioned concauction.
Mike
Doing way too much to list...

Pete "Cosmo" Barrington

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Re: Ties
« Reply #10 on: September 08, 2008, 09:56:48 PM »
I would think that 5 foot ties might be not be generally available but someone might be pursuaded to make them if they had a large enough order.  Considering there's 4 museums with a total of over 5 miles between them all, theoretically that means over 500 - 1000 ties are getting replaced every year among all of us.  Maybe someone should look into it and pool our resources if a source can be found.

I agree.
Furthermore, add the prospect of the Bridgeton rail revival and all the ties (that might be) needed for that project and you have quite the order of maganitude!

Is there sufficient cedar in area for the sawmill to begin production of ties? (I'm sure that's been asked by someone somewhere.)

Dana Deering

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Re: Ties
« Reply #11 on: September 11, 2008, 06:00:25 AM »
There's not much cedar in southern Maine.  You'd have to go north to Bangor and beyond to find it.   Then you'd have to find a mill willing to saw a small batch.  Once Scribner's Mill in Harrison is restored you could saw your ties there by waterpower!  ;)

Hans Brandes

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Re: Ties
« Reply #12 on: September 12, 2008, 06:16:14 AM »
Guys,

Still looking for help on 5 foot tie information. Can you tell me who your vendor is, what you cross sectional size, what grade and how much it cost?

Any help would be great. We have set out and are inserting the last of our new 5 footers. Vendors I have contacted have either not responded or can not provide 5 footers.

Thanks,

Hans

Allan Fisher

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Re: Ties
« Reply #13 on: September 12, 2008, 08:05:27 AM »
Please email or call me offline.
Allan Fisher

Josh Botting

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Re: Ties
« Reply #14 on: September 12, 2008, 07:08:48 PM »
Anyone ever thought to ask Leonards Mills to saw ties?  I rember seeing slash piles off the stud mill road, east of Milford, with lots of cedar as slash.  I don't know if there is a big market for much cedar these days.  Uded to be lots of shingle mills in the East Cornith, but they are all gone now.