http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o88/bronzegod4ever/TieGrinderMay3107001.jpg http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o88/bronzegod4ever/TieGrinderMay3107002.jpg http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o88/bronzegod4ever/TieGrinderMay3107003.jpg http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o88/bronzegod4ever/TieGrinderMay3107004.jpg http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o88/bronzegod4ever/TieGrinderMay3107005.jpg http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o88/bronzegod4ever/TieGrinderMay3107006.jpg http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o88/bronzegod4ever/TieGrinderMay3107007.jpgThis guy!
It was operating in Oshkosh, WI. My only question is what happens to the byproduct/mulch-like stuff that is made from the ties? Where does it go and what's it used for?
Dan
I was going to say termites.
when I saw the subject - my answer was "Jupiter" the 30 ton wood burning locomotive at Golden Spike. I haven't looked at your pictures yet as I am on the road.
dd
Have fun with your trains
My initial thought was "It must be one heck of a BIG termite!"
CANADIANPACIFIC2816
doghouse wrote:I was going to say termites.
vsmith wrote:So THAT'S how they make toothpicks
JT22CW wrote: doghouse wrote:I was going to say termites.It'd have to be about 10.9 billion termites at least. vsmith wrote:So THAT'S how they make toothpicks Gotta be the most hardcore foamer that wants creosote-flavored-toothpicks, you think?
Gotta be the most hardcore foamer that wants creosote-flavored-toothpicks, you think?
Can they even sell that stuff with the cerosote on it?
CNW 6000 wrote: My only question is what happens to the byproduct/mulch-like stuff that is made from the ties? Where does it go and what's it used for?
My only question is what happens to the byproduct/mulch-like stuff that is made from the ties? Where does it go and what's it used for?
They make big bucks bagging and selling it as cereal at health food stores. One half-cup is worth a full week's fiber requirement. The celebrity spokeman used to be Phil Hartman.
Apparently shredded ties are used for fuel.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3652/is_200202/ai_n9039015
Bucyrus,
Thanks for the link. Great article. So, as I said, I wouldn't want to be around or use chipped ties -- as fuel or anything else. It does beg the question though, what is to be done with all the wooden ties that are too eroded to use or that are just laying next to miles and miles of track?
Richard A wrote: Bucyrus,Thanks for the link. Great article. So, as I said, I wouldn't want to be around or use chipped ties -- as fuel or anything else. It does beg the question though, what is to be done with all the wooden ties that are too eroded to use or that are just laying next to miles and miles of track?
I have seen cases where they were just left stacked to dry and wait to be consumed by the next inevitable grass fire. But for massive tie replacement projects, there must be a more concerted effort to deal with them. The article about shredding them and using them for fuel sounded like this was not without some controversy about the ultimate disposition of the creosote.
The issue of creosote in the environment raises the question of creosote emitted from ties in use. Certainly creosote must be constantly entering the ground after being washed off ties by rain. I have never heard a discussion of this issue.
(1) I seem to remember that the environmental impact of burning such ties is diminished if the fire is hot enought. Apparently, intense heat can break down the chemical.
(2) If it is a big environmental concern, me and my home town is in trouble. When NS single tracked its Decatur, IL St. Louis, MO ex Wabash main, it replaced all of the ties on the South bound main, and removed all of the ties on the North bound. NS put about 100 miles worth of ties (actually 50, but, remember, there were two mains) in a HUGE pile that covered seven acres and was about 20 feet high. One of the crazy neighbors to this pile decided he did not like to look at it, so he set a match to it.
You could litterally see the smoke from more than 50 miles away, and flame from 10 miles away. The flre was so hot, it melted vynl siding off a house 250 yards away.
As it did not get sued over this, I am sure NS sent him a thank you card, as it disposed of the head ache of dealing with the ties.
It was quite the event.
Gabe
Ugh hopefully then were non cresoted otherwise whomever is doing that is throwing our ecology out of whack
CNW 6000 wrote: http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o88/bronzegod4ever/TieGrinderMay3107001.jpg http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o88/bronzegod4ever/TieGrinderMay3107002.jpg http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o88/bronzegod4ever/TieGrinderMay3107003.jpg http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o88/bronzegod4ever/TieGrinderMay3107004.jpg http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o88/bronzegod4ever/TieGrinderMay3107005.jpg http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o88/bronzegod4ever/TieGrinderMay3107006.jpg http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o88/bronzegod4ever/TieGrinderMay3107007.jpgThis guy!It was operating in Oshkosh, WI. My only question is what happens to the byproduct/mulch-like stuff that is made from the ties? Where does it go and what's it used for?
Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub
Wow maybe someone contact the EPA as I presume they are going to sell it for mulch that will leech into the ground. Not good IMHO
CNW 6000 wrote:By their appearance and the smell in the air they definately were creosoted.
I could not find much about the specifics of creosote hazard. I know it can be a skin irritant. Something I read suggested that it might have been regulated to be less potent than it was in the past. A rather famous creosote pollution case involves the former site of Republic Creosote Company in St. Louis Park, MN. I lived in that general vicinity, and recall it well. Here is the story:
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/hac/PHA/reilly_mn/rtc_p1.html
I would not jump to the conclusion that this tie shredding is illegal or that the shredded material will be used in a way that will be illegal or pose a hazard. I would guess that railroads and tie contractors are well versed on what it permitted. And the issue has certainly not gone un-noticed by law makers and other authorities.
Bucyrus wrote: I could not find much about the specifics of creosote hazard. I know it can be a skin irritant. Something I read suggested that it might have been regulated to be less potent than it was in the past. A rather famous creosote pollution case involves the former site of Republic Creosote Company in St. Louis Park, MN. I lived in that general vicinity, and recall it well. Here is the story:http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/hac/PHA/reilly_mn/rtc_p1.html I would not jump to the conclusion that this tie shredding is illegal or that the shredded material will be used in a way that will be illegal or pose a hazard. I would guess that railroads and tie contractors are well versed on what it permitted. And the issue has certainly not gone un-noticed by law makers and other authorities.
There were permits displayed in a case, actually. I'll drive by today and see what they said. I could also talk to the city. Hmm...
CNW 6000 wrote: Bucyrus wrote: I could not find much about the specifics of creosote hazard. I know it can be a skin irritant. Something I read suggested that it might have been regulated to be less potent than it was in the past. A rather famous creosote pollution case involves the former site of Republic Creosote Company in St. Louis Park, MN. I lived in that general vicinity, and recall it well. Here is the story:http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/hac/PHA/reilly_mn/rtc_p1.html I would not jump to the conclusion that this tie shredding is illegal or that the shredded material will be used in a way that will be illegal or pose a hazard. I would guess that railroads and tie contractors are well versed on what it permitted. And the issue has certainly not gone un-noticed by law makers and other authorities. There were permits displayed in a case, actually. I'll drive by today and see what they said. I could also talk to the city. Hmm...
Well that is very nice of U. I do not think the RRs are involved. When I was out on the GSR in March they were doing lots of tie replacement also & the used ones were being collected by private vendors who paid the UPRR for the used ties or so the drivers said
Home Depot, Lowe's, and other stores sell used railroad ties to the public in their garden shops for use as retaining walls. I think only fresh creosote is an environmental or health hazard, and by the time a crosstie is removed from use the creosote threat has diminished significantly.
A rail line was recently torn out here in SE Arizona and the ties were tagged as being the private property of a railroad salvage company. The Union Pacific is in the process of replacing hundreds of miles of wooden ties with cement here in Arizona, and they are gathering up and selling the old ties to someone.
Perhaps the shredded ties can be used as filler for roadway asphalt.
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