25 



MAINTENANCE-EXPENSES OF TRACK ON WOODEN 

 AND METAL TIES. 



By J. W. Post, permauent way engineer, Netlieiiauds State Railroad Company. 



liead ai the annual convention of the American Society of Civil Engineers, July 2, 1888. 



Thougii the track of Eiiropeau railroads shows ia material, construc- 

 tion, aud mainteiiauce a great difference from the^rack on American 

 lines, the following data concerning the nse of steel cross-ties, gathered 

 methodically' since 1865 on the lines worked in Holland, Belgium, and 

 Germany by the Netherlands State Kailroad Company, may be of some 

 interest to American railroad engineers. 



The first trial of metal ties on the Netherlands State Eailroad dates 

 from 1865, in which year 10,000 Cosijus ties* were laid. In 1880 these 

 ties, of a system now considered poor, had given satisfactory results as 

 to .the metal part during their fifteen years of service, but the oak 

 blocks had to be frequently renewed. Moreover, the following consid- 

 erations induced the company to search for a good metal tie : 



First. It was feared that prices of timber would gradually rise, owing 

 to the increasing devastation of forests. 



Second. Even with the wood deemed best for ties, viz. oak, it was 

 difficult to secure satisfactory results ; some lots of oak ties, severely in- 

 spected, appeared first-rate when new, but had to be renevv^ed after only 

 one year of service. The time of felling seems to be of great importance, 

 and cannot be determined at the moment of purchase even by the sever- 

 est inspection. 



Third. Even the best methods of impregnating proved unreliable; 

 of ties coming from the same boiler some were quite saturated, others 

 only on the surface; some lasted one year onl3^, others twenty years. 

 Uniformity in this respect is desirable for the track. 



Fourth. No timber merchant guarantees his ties ; whereas steel lies 

 are generally guaranteed for two years. 



Fifth. There is a great loss of interest during the time timber ties 

 are piled in order to dry ; whereas metal ties are often in the track before 

 being paid for. 



Sixth. There is a great loss of timber ties by bursting, caused by 

 sunshine, water, frost, driving the spikes, etc. 



Seventh. Timber ties being heavier than metal ties, the transport to 

 the place where they are put in the track is more expensive. 



Eighth. The difficulty and cost of the respikiug and readziug of tim- 

 ber ties, and of the replacing by new ones, increases with the daily 

 number of trains. Ties of more durable material are desirable also from 

 that point of view. 



* This tie consisted of an J beam laid horizontally, thus H, with a wooden block 

 under each rail. 



