I sort of asked this question a while back, but now we are getting down to the real work and I need a real answer.

The Southern Forest Heritage Museum has cleared 1.5 miles of the former Red River and Gulf RR main line of trees and brush. The original rail is still in place, but no new ties since the 1950's. The rail is 56 and 60# rail, mostly rolled between 1905 and 1920. The tie spacing was 20" or 3168 ties per mile to support axle loads of up to 36,000 to 40,000#.

Now my question is, if we install every other tie (40" centers) what is the safe axle loading or how can we determine that? Initally, we plan to just use motor cars and a railcar with a maximum weight of 14,000# or less than 5000# per axle, which ought to work just fine, but what is the safe maximum is what we need to know.

Does anyone out there know where this sort of information can be found?

You will be fine. I have run heavier stuff than that by far on light rail over ties first laid in 1937 on a very intensive mountain railroad with no problem provided the axle load was kept down to about 15 tons or thereabouts. I don't have a copy of my civil engineering books handy, maybe Doug Van Veelen or somebody else can be more specific. Every other tie good is a luxury I'd love to experience some day.

dave

On the A&R we still have a few sidings with 56 and 60 pound rail. We put cars weighing 263,000 and even 286,000 on them from time to time. The rail does fine with 65,000 pound axle weights but ties and surface do not last long. If you have sharp curves or decide to try higher axle weights give some thoughts to putting 2 good ties under each joint. That will do a lot to strengthen the weakest part of the track.

You may be able to find an old AREA manual with the loading information you are looking for. The ones I have seen published during my career only go down to about 90 pound rail so perhaps you could look for something in the forties or fifties.

John Bohon