Citation

D'Attoma AM. Transp. Res. Rec. 1984; 953: 21-29.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1984, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Steel crossties are a viable, cost-effective alternative to wood and concrete, but they are not new to the railway industry. Steel ties have been used in Europe since the early 1800s. A recent report indicated that the life of steel ties is much greater than wood ties in the same track under identical conditions. Although the traffic density, matrix, and other conditions in Europe do not apply to the United States, there is no reason, that the modern steel crosstie design would not apply in the United States. In addition, an extensive research program was recently conducted to develop and test a range of steel ties, which covered the spectrum of operating requirements from iron ore operations to secondary lines. The analyses included ballast depth and tie spacing requirements. All track system components were tested, including insulating pads and fasteners. Finally, Omark Industries developed a computer program to compare costs of different types of ties, including wood, concrete, and steel.

Language: en

Keywords

RAILROAD PLANT AND STRUCTURES; ECONOMICS - Analysis; STEEL; STRUCTURAL DESIGN