ALTERNATIVES TO THE WOODEN RAILWAY SLEEPER

Due to the difficulty of importing timber during World Wars I and II to make wooden sleepers in Britain, this study examines the limited data available on substituting steel and concrete for wooden sleepers. A half million steel sleepers, 98 percent consisting of mild steel, were laid from 1922-1929, under all types of service conditions. Five percent were removed after 13 to 14 years' life due to excessive corrosion. Two other steel sleepers, the Sandberg and the United Steel Type 2-A, may have longer life, but further testing is required. Only small scale trials on concrete sleepers have been made due to failures encountered in early trials, and the comparatively high cost and greater weight of concrete sleepers.

• Corporate Authors:

  Temple Press Limited

  161-166 Fleet Street
  Longon EC4,   England 
• Publication Date: 1943-11-12

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 477
• Serial:
  • RAILWAY GAZETTE
  • Volume: 79

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Concrete; Concrete ties; Corrosion; Costs; Maintenance of way; Railroad ties; Steel; Technology; Wood ties
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• Old TRIS Terms: Steel cross ties; Wooden cross ties
• Subject Areas: Finance; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00037302
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 4 1994 12:00AM