HARDWOOD RECORD 



19 



more or less dead timber. Some trees are blown over, others are 

 3dlled by root diseases, others by borers girdliug the trees under 

 the bark, and a stiU larger number by fire. In many of these 

 trees the wood of the trunk is perfectly sound and remains so for 

 many years. There is absolutely no reason why such dead timber 

 should not be used for ties, . . . provided always that the dead 

 timber is sound. The mere fact that timber is dead should not 

 cause it to be discriminated against for tie purposes. A rigid 

 examination would sbovr that all heartwood of trees is dead wood, 

 in the sense that it is no longer alive. Defective timber can be 

 shut out by providing that 'timber which is decayed or doty, affected 

 ■with red-heart, split, brashy, heart or ring-shaken, very knotty, or 

 full of worm holes, shall be rigidly excluded. ' 



"A modified specification would, therefore, read, 'AH ties should 

 be made from sound, straight timber, which must be free from 

 decay, dote, red-heart, heart or ring-shakes, worm holes or beetle 

 holes, and excessive knots, and which must not be brashy.' " As 

 there is considerable blight-kiUed chestnut available for tie timber in 

 southern New England, a strict interpretation of the specifications 

 would exclude it, although within limits it is known to be fully as 

 good as green timber. 



The following figures show in round nimlbcrs tlie number of ties 

 laid in track annually and the average prices paid by the New 

 Haven road since 1905: 

 Tear. Numter of ties. Price. 



1905 1,600,000 ,$0.39 



1906 1.439,000 39S6 



1907 1,072,000 4404 



1908 1,801,000 51 



1909 1,815,000 53 



1910 1,586,000 57 



1911 1,570,000 58 



1912 1,494,000 57 



1913 1,814,000 619 



1914 2,000,000 6226 



The decided increase in average price during the ast few years is 

 due to the purchase of creosoted yellow pine ties which cost over 

 one dollar each. 



The New Haven railroad has been severely criticized on the ground 

 that its tics were in poor condition. This is the case in spite of the 

 fact that much more than ever before is being expended in the main- 

 tenance of the track, and the number of tie renewals is greater 

 than ever before. The normal annual renewal is 350 per mile, but 

 for the year ending June 30, 1914, the number was 459 per mile. 



According to President Elliott, "experience on the New Haven's 

 lines has shown that oak ties produced in New England last about 

 four years in rock ballast, the chestnut ties from five to seven 

 years." It is hardly probable that these figures apply to white 

 and rock oak, which elsewhere has a good reputation as tie timber. 

 The red oak, however, does not give good service and will rot out 

 or break in about four years. It is quite common for the upper 

 or exposed portion to split away from the part in the ballast, 

 probably due to the unequal shrinkage of the two parts. 



The use of S-shaped steel clamps to prevent checking and splitting 

 is now a common practice in this country, but not on the New Haven 

 road. These devices are driven into the ends of ties and timbers 

 80 as to cross incipient checks and prevent their widening. In 

 place of the regular Shook, which costs from two to three cents, 

 according to size, another of crimpled iron has been devised and is 

 known as a " crinkle iron. ' ' Thin straps of iron with one tapered 

 edge are run between intermeshing cogs and crimpled, after which 

 they may be cut off any length desired. The cost of such irons is 

 from one-half to one cent each. The judicious use of these devices 

 should save the New Haven road much loss from the splitting and 

 checking of ties. 



, At a meeting of the directors of the manufacturers' association, 

 the question was raised as to the quality of ties that common oak 

 makes when treated. In this connection, it may be stated that 

 85 per cent of the ties treated by the Baltimore & Ohio Eailroad 

 are of such wood. Of 31,141,000 ties reported treated in 1911 by 

 all railroads, 9,433,000 were of oak, presumably common oak (as the 



oaks of the red or black group are often termed). That red oak 

 will stand up under heavy traflSo is evidenced by the following 

 statement made in 1913 by J. H. Waterman, superintendent of 

 timber preservation, C. B. & Q. K. R.: "In 1900, 550 red oak ties 

 were treated with zinc chloride (Burnett process) and laid in a 

 track on our Black Hill line on 3 per cent grade and 12 degree 

 curve. For nearly five years we have been running the Mallet 

 engines over that line. One hundred per cent of those 550 red 

 oak ties treated vpith the Burnett process gave us twelve years' 

 life. At the end of that time, the track was inspected and 18 ties 

 removed on account of decay. At the end of twenty years, I ex- 

 pect to find 50 per cent of them still in service. ' ' 



The trafiic on the main lines of the New Haven is very heavy 

 and the car tonnage is increasing. The 100-pound rails are being 

 replaced by 107-poimd. It is important that the ties be of the 

 best quality and afford a long life not only to keep down the ex- 

 pense of renewal but also to prevent disturbing the road bed and 

 to assure safety to trafiic. The expense of renewing ties is mate- 

 rially increased if stone ballast is used, and particularly for inside 

 tracks. According to President Elliott, "the cost of replacing ties 

 in stone ballast is about 50 per cent greater than in gravel and 

 about 75 per cent greater than in dirt or cinders. For the inside 

 tracks on a four-track, stone-baUasted line the expense is even 

 higher. The life of a tie has become, therefore, a most important 

 factor, ' ' 



"It is because of this that the company has decided to include 

 in its purchases this year 100,000 longleaf yellow pine ties for 

 use on its main lines so as to see if they wiU last any longer than 

 ties now used and thus save expense." It is estimated that these 

 creosoted pine ties will last from twelve to fifteen years. If they 

 do, the increased cost will be more than justified. 



It is the New Haven 's avowed policy to buy, so far as it can, 

 materials of all kinds within its own territory if prices and quality 

 are satisfactory. The lumber manufacturers of southern New 

 England have been supplying the demand for ties and car timber 

 and have made purchases of timber with a view of disposing of it 

 to the railroad company. They naturally dislike to see their busi- 

 ness or any portion of it transferred to other parts of the country. 



The problem could be easily solved by the railroad company in- 

 stalling a timber-treating plant in southern New England and treat- 

 ing local timber. In this way it could use all of the common oaks 

 now under ban, and also maple, birch, beech, hemlock, elm, and 

 various other woods for which there is now no satisfactory market. 

 This would not only satisfy the lumbermen but would also afford 

 the raUroad better and cheaper ties. There are now nineteen rail- 

 roads operating twenty-six timber-treating plants in the United 

 States. The total capacity of these plants is over 33,000,000 ties 

 annually. Now that the New Haven road is beginning to recognize 

 the advantages of treated material the logical step would be the 

 construction and operation of a plant or the contracting for suf- 

 ficient treated local material to warrant the undertaking by an out- 

 side firm. This would seem to be a good business move at least 

 worthy of careful investigation. S. J. E. 



The Timbers of the Philippines 



An attractive exhibit of the resources of the Philippine islands has 

 been prepared for the San Francisco exposition. Forest resources 

 will furnish an important feature. Two booklets, explanatory of the 

 wealth of the forests, have been issued by the insular Bureau of 

 Forestry. One treats of export timbers, the other of the extent and 

 character of the woodlands. They were prepared by W. F. Sherfesee, 

 acting director of the Philippine Bureau of Forestry, and formerly 

 connected vntb the United States Forest Service. Tlie information 

 contained in the booklets is in condensed form, but as a means of 

 ready reference it is valuable. The woods are classified on the basis 

 of suitability for various purposes, and physical properties are given 

 in considerable detail. 



The best way to cut frozen timber is to thaw it out before cut- 

 ting. This also applies to the working of frosty lumber. 



