Patent ID: 7011253

Claim:
A railroad tie comprising: a railroad tie having at least four longitudinal sides, two end faces and a longitudinal axis, wherein at least one longitudinal side has an arrangement of concave shapes in the surface thereof, said shapes having a depth of at least ⅛ of an inch and having sidewalls which are at an angle of less than 90°, wherein said tie is made from polymeric material, and said concave shapes are in the form of truncated cones in which the sides of the truncated cone shapes are at an angle of 30–60 degrees with respect to said at least one longitudinal side, or said concave shapes are truncated pyramidal shapes in which the sides of the truncated pyramidal shapes are at an angle of 30–60 degrees with respect to said at least one longitudinal side, wherein said concave shapes are in the form of truncated cones.