SPECIFICATIONS FOR TIMBER PILES.* 



RAILROAD HEART GRADE. 



1. This grade includes white, burr, and post oak, longicaf pine, Douglas fir, tamarack, Eastern 

 white ami ml cedar, chestnut, Western cedar, redwood and cypress. 



2. Piles shall be cut from sound trees; shall be close grained and solid, free from defects, such 

 as injurious ring shakes, large and unsound or loose knots, decay or other defects, which may 

 materially impair their strength or durability. In Eastern red or white cedar a small amount of 

 In ut rot at the butt, which does not materially injure the strength of the pile, will l>c allo . 



3. Piles must be butt cut above the ground swell and have a uniform taper from butt to tip. 

 Short bends will not be allowed. A line drawn from the center of the butt to the center of the 

 tip shall lie within the body of the pile. 



4. Unless otherwise allowed, piles must be cut when sap is down. Piles must be peeled soon 

 after cutting. All knots shall be trimmed close to the body of the pile. 



5. For round piles the; minimum diameter at the tip shall be nine (9) in. for lengths not 

 exceeding thirty (30) ft.; eight (8) in. for lengths over thirty (30) ft. but not exceeding fifty (50) 

 ft., and seven (7) in. for lengths over fifty (50) ft. The minimum diameter at one-quarter of the 

 length from the butt shall be twelve (12) in. and the maximum diameter at the butt twenty (20) in. 



6. For square piles the minimum width of any side of the tip shall be nine (9) in. for lengths 

 not exceeding thirty (30) ft.; eight (8) in. for lengths over thirty (30) ft. but not exceeding fifty 

 (50) ft., and seven (7) in. for lengths over fifty (50) ft. The minimum width of any side at one- 

 quarter of the length from the butt shall be twelve (12) in. 



7. Square piles shall show at least eighty (80) per cent heart on each side at any cross-section 

 of the stick, and all round piles shall show at least ten and one-half (loj) in. diameter of heart 

 at the butt. 



RAILROAD FALSEWORK GRADE. 



8. This grade includes red and all other oaks not included in R. R. Heart grade, sycamore, 

 sweet, black and tupelo gum, maple, elm, hickory, Norway pine, or any sound timber that will 

 stand driving. 



9. The requirements for size of tip and butt, taper and lateral curvature are the same as for 

 R. R. Heart grade. 



10. Unless otherwise specified piles need not be peeled. 



11. No limits are specified as to the diameter or proportion of heart. 



12. Piles which meet the requirements of R. R. Heart grade except the proportion of heart 

 specified will be classed as R. R. Falsework grade. 



GUARD RAILS AND GUARD TIMBERS. In 1912 the American Railway Engineering 

 Association made an investigation of the use of guard rails and guard timbers for timber trestles 

 and bridges and adopted the following report based on replies from 61 railroads. 



1. It is recommended as good practice to use guard timbers on all open-floor bridges, and 

 same shall be so constructed as to properly space the ties and hold them securely in their places. 



2. It is recommended as good practice to use guard rails to extend beyond the end of the 

 bridges for such a distance as required by local conditions, but that this length in any case be not 

 less than fifty feet; that guard rails be fully spiked to every tie and spliced at every joint, the guard 

 rail to be some form of metal guard rail. 



3. It is recommended that the guard timber and guard rail be so spaced in reference to the 

 track rail that a derailed truck will strike the guard rail without striking the guard timber. 



4. The height of the guard rail to be not over one inch less in height than the running (track) 

 rail. 



TIMBER TRESTLES. The details of the design of timber trestles depends upon the loading, 

 the details of the floor system, the available timber and upon the designer. The length of panels 

 varies from 12 ft. to 16 ft., with 14 ft. as a fair average panel length. 



Pile Trestles. The details of the standard pile trestle with open floor of the N. Y., N. H. & 

 H. R. R. are given in Fig. I. The number and arrangement of the piles in the bents are shown. 

 The bents are 12 ft. center to center. The stringers are 24 ft. long and are placed to span two 

 panels and to break joints. The tops of the caps are covered with No. 20 flat galvanized iron to 

 protect the trestle from fire. The details of washers, packing blocks, drift bolts, etc., are shown 

 on the plans. 



* Adopted, Am. Ry. Eng. Assoc., Vol. 10, 1909. 



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