Railroad ties

[Fredkrueger100]

Does anyone know of a place to buy railroad ties that are cheap? Atwood’s has them and they are $17 a piece. I am getting ready to redo by berm and am gonna use ties to make it look better and to be safer. Unless there is a better way to build one. If there is I am all ears.

 

[John Zane]

interested in this info also.

 

[adamsredlines]

Have you checked Craigslist?

 

[Oklahomabassin]

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.

 

[swampratt]

Buddy of mine cut a huge stump and shot into the end of it until it got so full the bullets would hit it and drop off in front of it.
He then picked it up with his tractor and took it to a spot to burn it.
Then he collected all the melted lead.

I wonder if you could use cedar trees. Lots of people with unwanted cedar trees.
I do like the free ties Oklahomabassin mentioned.

 

[DavidMcmillan]

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.

 

[TwoForFlinching]

+1 on the railroad. Surely you know at least one person that works the rails. They give em away all the time.

 

[Cohiba]

Off the top of my head...but distance may be an issue.

Call...Stillwater Railroad Yard.

 

[MacFromOK]

Atwood’s has them and they are $17 a piece.
...
Unless there is a better way to build one. If there is I am all ears.

At that price, Haydite/Concrete blocks are cheaper, and won't degrade/rot over time. Plus, you can curve a berm/wall/etc. in smaller arcs if desired.

Just a couple thoughts.

 

[-Pjackso]

Yes, unless you're choosing RR ties for their look - I'd seriously recommend concrete blocks.
I just did a 60 foot RR tie retaining wall. It seemed like a good idea at the time - but it's not any easier or cheaper.

RR ties come in different sizes WxH - (not just length), so be sure all ties are the same otherwise stacking ties won't work right. Consider how to do drainage (if needed), use silt fabric (if you don't want dirt seeping through), and factor in anchoring the ties (which drilling the rebar hole isn't easy past 2 sticks tall).

Oh, and the $17 RR ties that you buy are already 30 years old. Sure, you'll be choosy at the store - but trust me - you'll have little choice. And the 'good' ones are beat to heck with huge splits and some missing parts. You'll have to carefully consider how to 'hide' the damage into the hillside.

And when your finished, it'll look ok and will work good. But remember that you (or someone else) will have to do it again in 20 years.

SERIOUSLY consider the Dolese structural retaining wall bricks (80 lbs each). One and done.
https://www.dolese.com/products/hardscapes/
Bricks was only a little more cost - compared to the RR tie wall.

(Aesthetics were my concern, and bricks didn't look right, so.....)


Ether way -
Best of luck.