Railroads replace millions of wood crossties each year because they are experiencing an acceleration of wood tie deterioration and tie replacement. Several factors have contributed to the railroads’ need to replace ties. The following factors, together with the growing sensitivity to the use of toxics preservatives, have created a high interest in TieTek™ ties:

• Increasing rail traffic
• Faster train speeds
• Heavier loads per car
• Less availability of old growth
  hardwood trees

As an alternative to wood ties, TieTek™ ties meet the minimum performance requirements as outlined by the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA). The performance requirements established by AREMA are based on Class I freight applications, considered to be the most demanding.

A major factor in the choice of railroads’ use of TieTek™ ties is that the ties have been rigorously tested with successful results by the Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI) at the Federal Railroad Administration’s Transportation Technology Center in Pueblo, Colorado. (Please visit Our Product for specific test results and additional technical information.)

TieTek™ tie performance has been proven to show:

• Strength in compression
• Strength in building
• Impact toughness
• Abrasion resistance
• Spike or screw holding power
• Low coefficient of thermal expansion
• Low electrical conductivity
• Resistance to moisture, fungus and insects
• Long life-cycle

Edward Kohake, former Senior Manager Methods & Research of the Union Pacific Railroad, states, "One of the major differences between these (TieTek™) ties and the mixed hardwood ties that were installed at the same time is the plate cutting. While the mixed hardwood tie is showing up to ¼" plate cutting, the composite (TieTek™) tie shows no indication of any plate penetration into the tie whatsoever. Also, there is no indication of any backing out of either the cut spike or lag screw."