Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1912-05-09
A Great Tie-Treating Plant.


The Register few weeks ago referred
to the big plant 10 be erected at Green
Spring, w. Va, by the B. & o. Railroad
for giving preservative treatment to cross
ties and other lumber used in railroad
construction. The company has just CIV
en- some additional statistics of interest
concerning this enterprise. The plant,
which, including the storage yards for
seasoning timber, will cover 90 acres, will
be situated close TO large areas of timber
land along the South Branch valley of the
Potomac river.
The great timber treating plant will in
clude two treating cylinders, each meas
uring 7 feet in diameter and l32 feet in
length. These cylinders will have max
imum capacity of one million ties per
year when operated to full capacity night
and day.
There will be two $50 horse power
boilers, a creosote storage tank 40 feet
by 30 feet. and two working tanks "a feet
by 20 feet, in addition to the other small
tanks required. The plant is being built
TO treat timber either with straight creo-
Sote process, straight zinc-chloride pro-
cess or mixture of the two.
Probably greater part OF the ties
treated at this plant will be the inferior
oaks. These untreated have life OF from
three TO five years, and when thoroughly
treated the ties will last from twelve to
fifteen years. The ties are placed in the
treating cylinders, and, if not thoroughly
seasoned, steam is admitted under pres
sure of 20 pounds to The inch, and this
pressure maintained until the Saps have
been extracted, which requires from to 5
hours. After the Steaming a vacuum OF
p to "a inches is created and maintained
for from 80 minutes to one hour, during
which time great deal OF the moisture
evapordtes, leaving the wood in condi-
ton TO receive the preServative. The
vacuum is destroyed and the preServa-
tive is run into the cylinder from the
working tanks, entirely filling if, after
which pressure is applied. forcing this
preSeVative into the wood. The pres
sure varies from 100 to lis pounds 10 the
square inch, according 10 the variety OF
wood treated. II requires from two TO
five hours or more 10 force this entirely
through the wood, after which the solu-
ton is drawn off and another vacuum
created from thirty minutes to one hour.
During this vacuum the surplus preserv-
alive is withdrawn and the ties are then
ready to be taken out of the treating cyl
inder and shipped 10 points where they
are to be used. The entire operation re-
quires from e 10 II hours, according TO
tie WOOD and the process used.
The ties will be conveyed TO the treat
ing cylinders on small iron cars and after
treatment will be run alongside OF stand
ard guage cars and the ties will be trans
fened for shipment. The little cars
loaded with ties will be transported around
the yard by little narrow guage loco
motive. About twenty men will be en-
ployed TO operate the plant,in addition TO
the tie handlers. This force of workmen
will vary according TO the number Of ties
to be handled.
Tne Baltimore and Ohio requires ap-
proximately z, 10000 ties per year for
renewals. All OF the railroads in this
country use annually about 100000
ties, one-quaher OF which are now chem
icallY treated. There are upwards OF so
timber-Teating plants in the country and
new plants are being installed rapidly.
The time will soon come, no doubt, when
all ties subjected to decay will be treated.