Railroad ties

[NightShade]

May want to try something like rammed earth.

Basically make a form that will create the outside of the wall and an inside wall. Mix soil with some portland cement and then compact it between the forms. Move the form to a new section and repeat. The moisture in the air as well as any rain should help to set the soil to near concrete hardness and you can fill the inside area with loose soil if you like. Coat the exposed area's with a water repellent or a layer of portland and sand and they will last a long time. It will eventually brake down with shots directly to it but so will wood and concrete but the cost is pretty much "dirt" cheap.

http://www.yourhome.gov.au/materials/rammed-earth

 

[dennishoddy]

The railway here had just been refurbished and they had pulled out a bunch of ties and replaced them. The ties were piled up along the tracks. I asked about getting 42 of them. They said sure and a guy went out and hopped in a piece of equipment that had an arm that had a swiveling clamp on the end. He could grab a tie and spin it and stack it on the trailer like cord wood. He even sorted out the ones that had more decay so that I had the better ones. They gave them to me.

Same here. Talked to a RR guy I knew and he told me they had stacked ties along the RR so the farmers could pick them up for use.
Got there a little late and the good ones had been picked over, but did manage to get a trailer load for a project.

 

[Fredkrueger100]

I have known of several people that have been given ties by the railroads. Certainly worth the effort of tracking down the right person to contact.

I recently drove by one of the tracks here in town and saw a bunch laying on the side of the tracks. They must have replaced a bunch. I have no idea who to contact though.

 

[ssgrock3]

There is a place near 164th/Rockwell (might be meridian) but right near the round top historical church that sells them.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Fredkrueger100]

There is a place near 164th/Rockwell (might be meridian) but right near the round top historical church that sells them.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

But for how much? If it is like Atwood’s it ain’t worth it.

 

[ssgrock3]

It is called the rail yard. They are commodity, I would call and see quality levels and price


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[John6185]

Based on my experience, as a young fellow you can stack those half rotten RR ties and make a barrier to hold the earth behind them but as you age-and the RR ties do also, you'll have less-if any energy to replace the bad ties and they'll roll when you walk on them. I used old RR ties and Rebar to hold them in place and it wasn't easy. I think I'd use those concrete blocks that another poster mentioned. Even the home builders use them when they do a yard after building a home. They seem to hold up well, don't rot and the termites don't care for them at all. Do the job once and do it right and you won't have to redo the job. It may cost a little more but it's a one-time deal.

 

[dennishoddy]

Based on my experience, as a young fellow you can stack those half rotten RR ties and make a barrier to hold the earth behind them but as you age-and the RR ties do also, you'll have less-if any energy to replace the bad ties and they'll roll when you walk on them. I used old RR ties and Rebar to hold them in place and it wasn't easy. I think I'd use those concrete blocks that another poster mentioned. Even the home builders use them when they do a yard after building a home. They seem to hold up well, don't rot and the termites don't care for them at all. Do the job once and do it right and you won't have to redo the job. It may cost a little more but it's a one-time deal.

Yep, they do rot finally which is why they are replaced by the RR on a regular basis. They become mushy and won't support the weight of a train.

 

[NightShade]

Yep, they do rot finally which is why they are replaced by the RR on a regular basis. They become mushy and won't support the weight of a train.

Well you would hope that they did and didn't decide to defer maintenance..... This stretch runs between Napoleon and Defiance Ohio.

​

 

[dennishoddy]

Well you would hope that they did and didn't decide to defer maintenance..... This stretch runs between Napoleon and Defiance Ohio

That's freeking insane. I can't believe the feds that run the RR allow that.