The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-01-31
STEEL TIES TRIED.
Expense Against Them, but One
Road Finds Them Economical.
From the Chicago Times.IIerald.

from the chicago 1imes'lIerad.
Why are not steel ties used on Amer.
ican railroads? This question is often
asked by those not initiated into the
mysteries of railroad construction, and
ii is commonly supposed that the rea-
son lies in the susceptibility of the
metal to atmospheric changes. This,
however. Is not the fact. The most
important reason for their not being
used is their cost compared with the
wooden ties.
Prices, of course, vary with locality
and circumstances, but the fair average
cost of q wooden tie may be said to be
90 cents, while an average steel tie
as now constructed costs about $3.50.
The wooden tie under ordinary condi-
tions will wear about ten years, and
its life may be extended far beyond
this period. The life of a steel tie is
problematical, but the majority of rail-
road engineers do not believe it Is long
enough TO balance the increase cost.
AT the same time. every engineer real
ICES the fact that the time Is coming
when the railroads of the country will
be driven to the use of steel ties,
whether they so desire or not. The
forests from which ties come will not
last forever. and many of the roads are
even now considering what to do in
view of the scarcity of tie timber.
Knowing that the age of the steel tie
is coming, several concerns have for a
long time been engaged in the manu-
facture of steel ties and in expert
menting with them. The tie that will
be best adapted to general use is prob
al
ufacturers follow the European forms
For some years roads all over the
continent have been using steel ties
with good results, and accordingly
manufacturers in this country are us
ing the foreign roads as arguments to
induce American roads to try the steel
tie. Some engineers believe, too. that
steel does not make as good a tie as
wood, With steel ties and rock ballast,
they say, passengers would think they
were riding on bed of solid cement
on account Of the absence of resilient
properties. They also believe that diff
ticulties would be experienced in pack
ing the dirt about the steel ties secure
~ enough to prevent the tracks get
ting out of alignment. For about six
months the Huntingdon and Broad Top
Mountain railroad in Pennsylvania
has been experimenting with the use
of steel ties. The tie in use there re-
semblcs the bowl" and plate" tie
largely in use in India and South
America, and the company has been
subjecting IT to exceptionally heavy
ira flic. The ties We're laid on Oct. H.
1892 There were forty-four of them,
and the normal spacing is twenty-four
inches from center to center, but the
actual spacing varies from sixteen to
thirty inches. the ties having been put
in where the wooden ties were remov-
ed. Each trough or rail bearer weighs
about twenty-five pounds and the tie
bearer sixty pounds. The rails are
seventy Founders. and are laid with
suspended joints spliced with four bolt
angle bars. and the track is ballasted
with Stag.
Since the ties were laid about 1,500,-
600 tons of freight has passed over
them, principally coal cars of G0,000 ana
10000 pounds clapacity, hauled by 1O0-
ton engines. The officials claim that
the steel ties make a more durable
track than wooden ties and reduce the
labor of track maintenance by 40 per
cent. They also permit an increase of
SO per cent in the length OF the Sec
tions. If these deductions are correct
it is difficult TO see why railroads In
general do not adopt the steel tie.