# Getting railroad ties from the railroad.....



## mldollins

I saw a bunch of railroad ties beside the railroad. These are ones that have been removed. What I would like to do is get about a dozen or so. Canadian national owns the railroad and I intend to call them Monday to see what channels I have to go through to get a few. Have any of you done this before. 

Please advise...

thanks.....


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## Alice In TX/MO

Yes, but you can probably just ask the work crew foreman. The railroad behind our pasture was just rebuilt, and we got a whole bridge for free. They were going to haul off the beams and destroy them.


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## fordson major

where abouts are you? here the ties that are replaced are purchased onmass before their removal, helping your self may land you in trouble if the foreman does not know or care!


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## Big Dave

They cost me $5 each and well worth it from the repair site the crew was fixxing.


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## swamp man

Sometimes the company doing the removal has the rights to the ties so they can sell them off, so definitely, ask first.
That was the case when I got mine, but the guy gave them to me free upon learning that I'm a landscaper, with the agreement that I'd pass out a few of his cards to the other landscapers I know in the area....even used his knuckle boom to load them for me.
What's stocked is grandfathered in, but retail outlets can't get any more here now by law, something about formosan termites. I did manage to locate some the other day to bid a landscapin' job, and they're $8.50 each!


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## Ken Scharabok

Locally I have two sources of RR ties. The local farmers' co-op (used) and just about any of the independent sawmills (new). (Most of these mills will give away cut off tie ends, which make GREAT firewood.)

As noted, it is likely not the RR itself swapping out the ties, but a contractor.

When I first moved to TN I met a guy from across the ridge who worked for the RR. His truck was equipped with the track wheels. I asked him if I could accompany him one day when he did track inspection. About a month later he called at 0-dark-30 to say to meet him at a crossing. Really interesting day. I'd been on trains before, but the view from his cab was quite different. Rather like being in a locomotive.


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## fantasymaker

The CN thru IL had a deal for a while where the contracter would haul them to you and give them to you free......if you took semi load lots.


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## Darren

Most times it's almost impossible to find a phone number to talk to someone who actually works for the railroad. The way around that is to check yellow page listings and the internet for railroad contractors. Those are the companies brought in for major maintenance. There's a local outfit that works all over the East and some parts of the Midwest. They often have ties. PM me and I can get you a WV number.

Of course someone in your area would be better. FWIW, there's an amazing amount of laws on the books that covers the misappropriation of railroad property. In WV if you have a contract with a railroad to remove their property, you have to take a copy of the contract to the local sheriff before you start work. You'll also need proof the railroad owns the property. 

Two of us scrapped hopper cars for a railroad so we got up close and personal with the legalities. We also ended up with ties and rail. BTW if you ever get your hands on rail, foundries will pay a price higher than scrap. It's high quality steel. Locally it gets melted down for large diesel engine castings.


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## Karenrbw

A few years ago they replaced the ties on the railroad that goes down by my parent's house. They left the old ties by the road. Dad asked the foreman about them and he told him to haul off everything he could haul. They just didn't want to have to deal with them. They were hoping someone would steal them which is why they piled them so close to the road.


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## mowrey1999

I dont know about CN but the railroad I work for will give the ties to you as long as you pick them up , You just come in to our office and we give you a form showing your license # and vehicle information and its on a company letter head showing you have permission for a certain amount of ties and that usually depends on how many you want since we have about 100,000 sitting around the yard that the contractors were supposed to pick up and haul off and never did, I have another family member who works for Cn I will ask what there policy is , but I would say go to there nearest subdivision office and ask for the track supervisor and see what they say, A lot of times the contractors who are supposed to pick up the ties go thru the good ones and then leave the ones they dont want and we end up bringing them back to another yard so they aren,t sitting all over the right of ways.also give the track supervisor at the railroad a location or nearest road to where the ties are so he knows the ones your talking about or to make sure its theres and not another railroads, Well Thats Just my opinion.


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## chamoisee

What my stepdad did was to schmooze with the RR workmen and ask them about it, making sure to bring a few 12 packs of beer by coincidence each time. He got more RR ties than he knew what to do with! I think it was a crummy way to go about it though.


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