CN AMEUICAN TKUMANENT \Y\Y. 



601 



from three to five 3-cai's, and podav eight to ten years, hat the latter beinrr 

 so soft II wood will only stand lij^ht service on easy grades. Timber will 

 last much longer in a severe climate wliei-e it is frozen up uniformlj'- for 

 many months in the year, than it will in a temperate climate, exposed to 

 alternate freezing and thawing. 



The following is the standard specification of the Pennsylvania Rail- 

 road for cross-ties as adoj)ted January 1, 1S7!I : — 



' 1. All tics must he made of green or living timber, of good qnality, 

 and free from decayed knots or other unsound parts. White oak and 

 rock oak will be the only kiiuls of timber admitted. 



"2. Ties must be eight and a half feet long, seven inches thick, and 

 not less than seven inches wide ; to be hewn on two sides with straicrht 

 faces, of an even thickness, sawed oft' square fit each end, and stripped of 

 the bark. 



'o. No variation will bo allowed in the length and thickness given 

 above. 



'4. No sawed or split ties will be received. 



' •'). They must be delivered on the line of the railroad, stacked np in 

 neat square stacks of tifty each, with alternate layers crossing each other, 

 on ground which is as high or iiigher than the grade of the road, and in 

 such position as to admit of being counted and inspected. 



' (). Ties delivei-ed at suitable and convenient places, will be inspected, 

 and bills made for all received and accepted to the iiftcenth of each 

 month. The payments will be made on or about the fifteenth of suc- 

 ceeding month.' 



The number of ties used for each oO-feet rail ai-e — for main running 

 tracks, sixteen ties ; for branch roads and third tracks on main lines used 

 exclusively for freight trains, foui-tecn ties ; and for sidings and tracks 

 used for standing cars only, not exceeding twelve ties. 



The Grand Trunk Railway of Canada uses ties 8 inches flatted face, 

 by G inches thick and 8 feet long, :*,Gl0 to the mile. The material 

 is white oak, hemlock, or tatr.ai-ac, the former now becoming very 

 scarce. White oak lasts ten to twelve years, and the other woods about 

 six years. 



The Atlantic and Pacific Railroad ^western division) uses ties 

 s inches by G inches by M feet long, mostly native ]>iMe, but on heavy 

 grades and curves oak tics are used ; number to the mile, '2,^1(1. 



The Cincinnati Soutlicrn Railway specifies ties ' of either white, post, 

 l)urr, or chestnut oak, or other timber approved by the engineer, cut from 

 sound live timber, free from rotten or loose knots, woi-m-holes, dry rot, 

 wind-shakes, or other im[)erfections alTccting the strength and durability 

 of the nod. All bark must be removed. Thej' nmst be 8 feet in length, 

 not less than G or more than G.\ inches in thickness ; one-fourth the num- 

 ber must measure not less than ten inches face for the entire length of 

 the tie, and the remainder not less than 8 inches; the faces must be 

 ]iarallel, not winding, smooth, free from deep score-marks and splinters. 

 Ties must bo cut scjuare at the ends, and be straight in all directions. 

 Not more than one inch of sap will be allowed on the face of sawed ties. 

 2,G4'0 ties are used to the mile of single track.' 



The standard hard-wood ties of the Chicago and North-Western 

 Railway have the following order of value : white oak, burr oak, red elm, 

 cherry, black ash, and butternut. They are 8 feet in length, and G by H 

 inches section if sawed, or G inches thick with 6 inches face if hewn. 



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