Railroad Tie Support Weight

[RalphVa]

Someone know what weight railroad ties will support? Probably weight vs. span.

Wondering whether they'll support my 2,000 # tractor over about 6 ft span.

Have researched how to replace my tractor crossing that is giving us trouble in keeping the PVC pipes underneath working. Figuring on railroad ties at same location or maybe another place downstream where I can pretty much lay them flat on both sides of the very skinny stream at that point.

Ralph

 

[Streetcar]

Ralph
Capacity of the beam is based on type of wood ,size of member and its condition. Those can vary tremendous from species to species

 

[Billrog]

2000# is not very heavy my only concern would be keeping the ties anchored at each end so they couldn't twist or move .

 

[MossRoad]

I wouldn't use a RR tie to support weight on a span. I'd use 2x10's or 2x12's on edge and sandwiched together 3 or 4 thick instead.

 

[4570Man]

I wouldn't use a RR tie to support weight on a span. I'd use 2x10's or 2x12's on edge and sandwiched together 3 or 4 thick instead.

Agreed unless you’re dealing with new railroad tires.

 

[bunyip]

Pre stressed concrete?
No rot or insect infestation.
Not sure what gauge you use but they are readily available here about 6'+ which is obviously wider than the gauge, downside they cost more than the timber ones.

 

[tjkubota93]

Ties are hard to work with too. They will mess up a chainsaw chain fast. Alot of embedded grit.

 

[Diggin It]

If you're talking about used ties, remember that they were removed for a reason.

 

[ZTMAN]

Are you able to get a hold of some 18" drain pipe. Around our area they go for about $150 for a 20' pipe. Throw a section in the creek, cover with dirt, put some stone on the inlet and call it done.

 

[RalphVa]

You guys convinced me. Think I'll go with 2 pairs of 2x12s joined together and put on edge. Sit them on edge on 6x6s at the ends. Put posts at the corners sunk into concrete into holes at the corners. Cover with 2x6s on top bolted to the 2x6s. Hopefully, the concrete will keep the mess from being lifted out. Think we'll get 1 or 2 contractors who deal in this for propositions though.

This little stream gets a tremendous amount of silt coming down from the overflows of a pond about 100' elevation above. It's also in the flood zone of the creek that it empties into. On May 30 this year, that whole area got flooded 10-12' deep and again a couple months later about 6'. Think it'll just tear apart any culvert system. Too much mud for a ford.

The present crossing is mostly concrete on top of six 6" PVC pipes. The concrete keeps getting torn up from the submergences and over topping. The pipes keep getting silted both upstream and downstream. Big headache this year shoveling out the muck. Do that and a couple pipes take the stream level down upstream of the crossing. Normal flow is probably 1 pipe's worth.

Downstream, the stream goes through like a long trench for about 500 feet that's only about 3' wide but is very deep. At this crossing, it's only 2'. Toyed with moving the crossing downstream, but mucking with the thick-grass-stabilized sides to put this kind of crossing in could create a weak point for the floods to lift the mess out.

Only had a big flood in 2003 with Isabel and this year starting with the 1st one on May30. Mucho rain all year, near a record. Before this year, it was manageable.

Ralph