Concrete Ties

[GP-9_Man11786]

I have always wondered why none of the major track makers have made simulated concrete ties. With the amount of moder equipment on the market, one would think this would be popular. Inaddition it would be something different. So far I belive onlky HO and N guages have "concrete" tie flex track.

[Capt Bob Johnson]

I'd think that concrete ties are not timeline consistent with steam engines, and there are an awful lot of folks running steam engines or both steam & diesel on thier railroads. That thought would limit the use of them to layouts that model exclusively in the present time period.

In real life, having watched concrete walks and driveways deteriorate in weather, I wonder about the economics of concrete ties. I'd think they might be much better suited in areas where you don't get the freeze - thaw cycles found in the northern 2/3 of the country!

One tradeoff, however, might be that they should be better able to handle heavier weight loads; particularly if they have steel reinforcing bars cast into them on a longitudinal (transverse to the track) basis. I would still imagine a need for periodic changeout due to weathering and wear.

[John Busby]

Hi gp9_man11786
Same can be said for steel ties with the amount of logging equipment on the market insufficient demand.
The manufacturers cannot take the risk spending all that money making the dies for something that might not sell enough to recoup cost and make a proffit..
Added too which all railways modern, logging and old time all use timber ties
so there is a market for them that can make money even if in places it is technicaly incorrect.
Some of us may not like that but the manufacturers are a business not hobbiest's spelling
regards John

[John Busby]

Hi Capt Bob Johnson
Concrete sleepers (ties)
Are pre stressed steel re enforced [censored] heavy things.
Their main beneffit is lack of need for maintainance they don't move too easy
and don't pump as much under modern heavy trains so less expencive bog holes to fix and less likly to let the track move in the heat you actualy get less heat buckels on concrete track when compared to timber track.this all assumes that the track was properly laid and boxed up and has had the reballesting done at the right intervals.
Oh and concrete ties don't get eaten by wood munching bugs.
They are however not to good near the coast or heavy salted enviroments
Have only ever seen them changed out after train derailments and those ones where 20 years old the perway superintendant told me if the train had not nocked dirty great big bits off them they would probably have lasted another ten years at least before they needed changing out
regards John

[ttrigg]

Capt Bob

The Germans (and other Europeans) have been using concrete ties for well over 40 years. I doubt that your part of the country gets any more freeze thaw than the central pains of Germany. If it is good enough for the German rail system they must work rather well.

[GP-9_Man11786]

Metro-North and the Long Island Railroad both use them. However, they are having problems with them cracking and have to change out thousands of them. Isn't it nice to see our tax money hard at work.

[RhB_HJ]

QUOTE: Originally posted by GP-9_Man11786

I have always wondered why none of the major track makers have made simulated concrete ties. With the amount of moder equipment on the market, one would think this would be popular. Inaddition it would be something different. So far I belive onlky HO and N guages have "concrete" tie flex track.

Hi there,

Actually TdV ( a French company) offers that type of flextrack in Code 332. The importer for the USA is H&R Trains http://www.hrtrains.com/