From: railwayeng   
Date: Sun Oct 20, 2002 10:35pm
Subject: Old ties

 
    I went into the woods yesterday looking for suitable limbs to cut 
  for ties.  I found some I think will do if we don't run heavy 
  engines on it.  Probably should set up a mill to cut ties but
  these hand hewn ties put a lot of men to work and I spose that's good.  

  Had to use old rusty rail till the new stuff comes from the east.

   Some of the fellas claim they saw a wolf/spider but I don't
  cotton to such nonsense.  Around here anyway. Well gotta go
  throw some dirt on that new stretch.......hold 'er down for the
  3:00pm extra from Gunnison.  Take care and count yer fingers.
    -Stephen Hatch



    The ties in these photos are 7foot (Sn3) ....the rail is 40lb.

    What I found on my sojourn in the woods was old wild grape
  vines. Last years vines....dead. The small ends are the right
  size and they sure look like old limbs after you cut them to tie
  length. I used Andre's trick and cut them with diagnol cutters.
  That tapers the ends and looks more hacked than cut.

  I used pieces that were about 90 to 110 thou. (.090 - .110)
  Actually quite a bit of the vine is that size toward the ends.

  Then I laid a flat sheet of sandpaper on the bench taped to hold still  
  I gently dragged the cut piece across the sandpaper and it made a
  flat. I turned it over and dragged again. It only took a couple
  of seconds with each piece to get them to about .075 roughly.

    Then I glued them down on one of their flat sides. The final stroke
  of a narrow sanding block (3/4 inch wide) on the dried ties right
  down the middle made them all the same height where the rail goes
  but not on the ends.......which I wanted to stay a bit thicker.


   I hope that answers the questions. Did I miss anything?
  Sure was fun ......and the best part......it was easy.
  I've been looking for years for an easy way to make old time track.
     -Stephen Hatch (alias trackman)