Where to get Railway Sleeper Split in 2

[NC_Lane]

Hi Guys,

Does anyone know where I can get some railway sleepers split in two lengthwise? I want to cut it into 2 thinner planks if that makes sense..

Cheers,

[NC_Lane]

somewhere close to Cranborune Victoria would be good

[usernametaken]

Just use a circular saw (that's what I did)

Cut one side flip it and then cut the other.

If that doesn't cut through just bash it with the back of an axe until it splits.

[DoreSlamR]

If you're talking about second hand sleepers, then use an old blade on your saw.

If you're talking about new sleepers, maybe check out a sawmill that cut sleepers and they may do it for you.

[Sox]

If it doesn't have to be neat, use a chainsaw.

[NC_Lane]

Thanks Guys,

Will give the circular saw a try. I want to keep it a bit neat on the bottom as i want to use it for a table top..

[Tonz]

If they are second hand or used NO commercial outfit will do it for a price your prepared to pay.

When old they have grit, dirt, metal (usually hidden) and they'll ruin any decent tungsten blade quicker than snot.
If you do it yourself be prepared for Anything to happen.

[ford71V8]

Yep circular saw does the job.

Just check the sleeper for nails / rods

[zilo]

Ripping them long ways will be a loooong job, different to cutting them sideways.

[Work Horse]

Originally Posted by NC_Lane

Thanks Guys,

Will give the circular saw a try. I want to keep it a bit neat on the bottom as i want to use it for a table top..

So you have timber already?

If not these guys have some nice wood, but it is expensive.

http://outlast.com.au/

[anolade]

Originally Posted by Tonz

If they are second hand or used NO commercial outfit will do it for a price your prepared to pay.

When old they have grit, dirt, metal (usually hidden) and they'll ruin any decent tungsten blade quicker than snot.
If you do it yourself be prepared for Anything to happen.

tonz is correct cutting old sleepers is cutting on a wish and a pray most time they are full if nail wire and covered in crap that will turn a destroy a cutting blade in seconds, new sleepers are different story. IF they are old be aware of rot and possible termites.

[NC_Lane]

Thanks Guys,

I will drop down at the timber place and see how i go. for my current project, I just need one sleeper split in two. do you guys recon a demolition saw may work as well?

[MarkAW]

If your going to cut them yourself you will need some good PPE

Old sleepers (at least those made for NSW) were treated with creosote and were exposed to all sorts of pesticides during their lifespan, sometimes as long as 20 years - with big pesticide tankers running along the tracks just pumping out organochlorides everywhere they went a couple of times a year. I can't imagine that Vic is any different.

The poisons are now trapped in the top layer (first inch or two) and you cutting into that layer will release them in both a fume from the hot blade and in the wood dust. These poison types will penetrate the skin.

You need to be fully covered witha tyvek type suit, nitrile gloves and a P2 respirator. If you cut inside a garage make sure you clean up real well.

[NC_Lane]

Thanks mate, maybe not such a good idea then, to use these as furniture?

is there a easy way to make it safe or any other place i should look for wood of a similar finish?

Originally Posted by MarkAW

If your going to cut them yourself you will need some good PPE

Old sleepers (at least those made for NSW) were treated with creosote and were exposed to all sorts of pesticides during their lifespan, sometimes as long as 20 years - with big pesticide tankers running along the tracks just pumping out organochlorides everywhere they went a couple of times a year. I can't imagine that Vic is any different.

The poisons are now trapped in the top layer (first inch or two) and you cutting into that layer will release them in both a fume from the hot blade and in the wood dust. These poison types will penetrate the skin.

You need to be fully covered witha tyvek type suit, nitrile gloves and a P2 respirator. If you cut inside a garage make sure you clean up real well.

[MarkAW]

No - old used sleepers for furniture is definitely not a good idea.

There is no way to make them safe as the poisons can penetrate deep into the timber through cracks and gaps in the timber. You could plane the material down (but it will destroy your planer and its blades as they are generally iron bark or black butt eucalypt) then seal the timber and paint it with a couple of coats of a heavy enamel but is it really worth it once painted?

Sleepers for Sydney used to come from from Moruya area of the NSW south coast then later from Kempsey, then Grafton. I'm not up on timber in Vic.

If your looking to make furniture, I would be steering clear of the extreme hardwoods. They are too difficult to work with, blunt your tools rapidly, crack and splinter when left to the weather. For indoor if you need the heavy density wood I be more inclined to Tassy Oak with some good stains. For outdoor consider Karri or if you want the eucalypts, go for a spotted gum which has the density but can be worked with some ease. The down side is the gum viens and its tendency to split when nailed.

[NC_Lane]

Thanks mate,
Im after something very rudimentary, something like this

http://www.furnituresales.com.au/product_images/542.jpg

but made from weathered old timber..

[fakegt]

Get yourself down to a Demolition Yard, most of them sell used timber. Gumtree also worth a try as long as the seller has described it well and knows what they are selling.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Would old hardwood fence uprights be ok I wonder?

[MarkAW]

there places that sell this type of timber which is generally untreated but it will cost a fortune.

Google "old bridge timbers"

Bridge timbers are generally untreated because no treatments last in water. The in water or close to in water timbers such as piers or lower framework in the past were mostly turpentine as this was a marine borer resistant wood. Terp these days is up with Huon pipe and can't be bought for love nor money.

The upper bridge work was normally an ironbark species which whilst strong is back with having unworkable attributes being so extremely hard. Further the sizes that you are looking at, looks to be around 300 x 50 in a 4m length are going to be difficult to source.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by MarkAW

If your going to cut them yourself you will need some good PPE

Old sleepers (at least those made for NSW) were treated with creosote and were exposed to all sorts of pesticides during their lifespan, sometimes as long as 20 years - with big pesticide tankers running along the tracks just pumping out organochlorides everywhere they went a couple of times a year. I can't imagine that Vic is any different.

The poisons are now trapped in the top layer (first inch or two) and you cutting into that layer will release them in both a fume from the hot blade and in the wood dust. These poison types will penetrate the skin.

You need to be fully covered witha tyvek type suit, nitrile gloves and a P2 respirator. If you cut inside a garage make sure you clean up real well.

If Sleepers are as bad as you say, how is it that NSW railways frequently reclaim reasonable ones to resell to landscape suppliers and burn the rest along the roadside?

FWIW in 40+ years of interstate driving I have never seen a tanker spraying tracks.

[MarkAW]

Originally Posted by GasOLane

If Sleepers are as bad as you say, how is it that NSW railways frequently reclaim reasonable ones to resell to landscape suppliers and burn the rest along the roadside?

FWIW in 40+ years of interstate driving I have never seen a tanker spraying tracks.

What NSW Rail do is their business - I dont work for them. I work for an electricity distributor and in the last 20 years we have been advising that our poles may have contaminants when sold as scrap. Its called due dilligence, and whether state rail do or dont is in the end not my problem. The creosote will remain in the timber for life and so will any other pesticides, certainly the organochlorides from past years will remain.

As for burning old sleepers, it certain doesn't happen in the metro area or the EPA will fine the crap out of them. What they get away with in the country with nobody around, may not be a problem for the public.

In your 40 years, how would you know what you are seeing. A herbicide/insecticide sprayer is just another tanker in the midst of a freight train. SR aren't going to run a special train just for spraying the sleepers when a freight train with a spray truck in tow can do the job.

You can choose to dispute what I advise, it's not my life your affecting but, those of you who still want children, organochorides (from DDT to deldrin to tetrachorides and hundreds more) were banned as they can penetrate the placental interface ie affect your unborn. The jury is still out on creosote in this country, some testing indicates possible carcinogen, other testing suggests little effect - creosotes are still used in current medical treatments. My company used to use thousands of litres of creosote, now it is banned. It is definitely hazardous to health when burnt in timber and can remain in the soil as a PAH (Polyaromatic hydrocarbon).

[b2tf]

Originally Posted by MarkAW

What NSW Rail do is their business - I dont work for them. I work for an electricity distributor and in the last 20 years we have been advising that our poles may have contaminants when sold as scrap. Its called due dilligence, and whether state rail do or dont is in the end not my problem. The creosote will remain in the timber for life and so will any other pesticides, certainly the organochlorides from past years will remain.

As for burning old sleepers, it certain doesn't happen in the metro area or the EPA will fine the crap out of them. What they get away with in the country with nobody around, may not be a problem for the public.

In your 40 years, how would you know what you are seeing. A herbicide/insecticide sprayer is just another tanker in the midst of a freight train. SR aren't going to run a special train just for spraying the sleepers when a freight train with a spray truck in tow can do the job.

You can choose to dispute what I advise, it's not my life your affecting but, those of you who still want children, organochorides (from DDT to deldrin to tetrachorides and hundreds more) were banned as they can penetrate the placental interface ie affect your unborn. The jury is still out on creosote in this country, some testing indicates possible carcinogen, other testing suggests little effect - creosotes are still used in current medical treatments. My company used to use thousands of litres of creosote, now it is banned. It is definitely hazardous to health when burnt in timber and can remain in the soil as a PAH (Polyaromatic hydrocarbon).

Licenced Pest Controller here and also have a father who worked on railways for about 40 years. I hope my qualifications meet your requirements.

Organochlorines were banned in 1995 Australia wide and it was a looming deadline for many years prior to that so many contractors used what they had and got out of them. You are correct in saying the remnants will remain for years but they do eventually breakdown, moreso when exposed to the elements. The bigger concern would be the amount of fuel and oil residue on the sleepers from their years of service.

Never has a freight train (or any train) for that matter ever been equipped to do any sort of spraying that you mention. Spray drift, residual runoff, contamination and numerous other issues would make it virtually impossible. Sleeper maintenance was (and still is) always done by contracted companies like ARTC who run maintenance crews who drive out there, do the job and off they go. ARTC are in the process of removing all timber sleepers and replacing with concrete for no other reason that durability, they use a track based unit that lifts the sleeper out from under the track and replaces it with a new one as it goes. The leftover timber ones are sold off at auctions, pinched by locals from side of road etc, do you really think if they were such a health hazard they would just pile them up and leave them there - probably not as this is the reason your company now has the policy of advising that the poles might have stuff in/on them. Liability is a wonderful thing.

Railway sleepers were often hardwood chosen for its ability to withstand years of service and also minimise the need for continued maintenance with regards to timber pests or wood rot.

As for power poles, yes creosate was commonplace as was bitumen, now Country Energy and similar companies have limited licences to apply Termidor or other similar non-repellent termiticides to avoid termite damage. The active in these chemicals is commonly fipronil which is nowhere near being an organochlorine (it is a synthetic pyrethroid derivitive).

[Work Horse]

Originally Posted by b2tf

Licenced Pest Controller here and also have a father who worked on railways for about 40 years. I hope my qualifications meet your requirements.

Organochlorines were banned in 1995 Australia wide and it was a looming deadline for many years prior to that so many contractors used what they had and got out of them. You are correct in saying the remnants will remain for years but they do eventually breakdown, moreso when exposed to the elements. The bigger concern would be the amount of fuel and oil residue on the sleepers from their years of service.

Never has a freight train (or any train) for that matter ever been equipped to do any sort of spraying that you mention. Spray drift, residual runoff, contamination and numerous other issues would make it virtually impossible. Sleeper maintenance was (and still is) always done by contracted companies like ARTC who run maintenance crews who drive out there, do the job and off they go. ARTC are in the process of removing all timber sleepers and replacing with concrete for no other reason that durability, they use a track based unit that lifts the sleeper out from under the track and replaces it with a new one as it goes. The leftover timber ones are sold off at auctions, pinched by locals from side of road etc, do you really think if they were such a health hazard they would just pile them up and leave them there - probably not as this is the reason your company now has the policy of advising that the poles might have stuff in/on them. Liability is a wonderful thing.

Railway sleepers were often hardwood chosen for its ability to withstand years of service and also minimise the need for continued maintenance with regards to timber pests or wood rot.

As for power poles, yes creosate was commonplace as was bitumen, now Country Energy and similar companies have limited licences to apply Termidor or other similar non-repellent termiticides to avoid termite damage. The active in these chemicals is commonly fipronil which is nowhere near being an organochlorine (it is a synthetic pyrethroid derivitive).

I've seen trains passing the top of my street spraying the track for weeds. When you think about how much train track we have and how remote some of it is the idea contractors drive out to it all is a little hard to believe.

A quick google;

http://www.cropoptics.com.au/Industrial.html

http://www.minnipasiding.com.au/peni...weedspray.html

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Work Horse

I've seen trains passing the top of my street spraying the track for weeds. When you think about how much train track we have and how remote some of it is the idea contractors drive out to it all is a little hard to believe.

A quick google;

http://www.cropoptics.com.au/Industrial.html

http://www.minnipasiding.com.au/peni...weedspray.html

Contractors do most track work these days. Google Leighton, Speno or John Holland Rail etc.

I've never seen the unit in your first link, perhaps it's only used in the city areas. Most lines outside the metro area are diesel, which is a great weed killer.

And according to your second link that unit was condemned in 1985

[Work Horse]

Originally Posted by GasOLane

Contractors do most track work these days. Google Leighton, Speno or John Holland Rail etc.

I've never seen the unit in your first link, perhaps it's only used in the city areas. Most lines outside the metro area are diesel, which is a great weed killer.

And according to your second link that unit was condemned in 1985

I've missed your point?

[MarkAW]

B2tf
Maybe what you state is true now, but the sleepers coming out of the ground now are 20 or more years old, some even up to 40 years. Some of your statements don't hold water when considering the time length - especially the one regarding pecticide/herbicide tankers. I've seen them many many times on the main western line.

Again as for power poles, what is done today is irrelevant, its what was done 20 or more years ago. Up until approximately 15 years ago, some power poles were actually treated with arsenic trioxide for termites.

You might have a real good understanding of what is the current tech for pesticides, but its worthless when you don't consider what was done in the past to these old timbers.

[adumb]

Railway sleepers get all sorts of nasties in them, you got the weed killer as mentioned above, all sorts of oil/grease (the grease used in locomotive traction motors is apparently carcinogenic) and if they are old enough asbestos from brake blocks. Many companies advise not to burn ex railway sleepers due to all of the nasty stuff in them

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by GasOLane

If Sleepers are as bad as you say, how is it that NSW railways frequently reclaim reasonable ones to resell to landscape suppliers and burn the rest along the roadside?

I guess because they're not feeding their kids off them, inhaling the dust, nor burning them in a confined space...

The OP wants to make a table, NOT a garden bed.
So at best you've got a gnarly bit of hardwood that will be exceptionally hard to work with, and at worst its impregnated with 40 years of assorted crud. Pass.

[dirtyclevo]

use some wedges and a sledgehammer

[dirtyclevo]

use some wedges and a sledgehammer.

my neighbour wanted some old aussie hardwood i removed from my patio resto.

it was about 80 years old. he burnt his circular saw out in 20 seconds. it was basically petrified wood


the smoke was amazing.