# roadbed Q



## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

OK, in the older days they built a trestle out of wood to run the dump cars across to fill with dirt.
At what point is the track free from the wood supports?
If the timber is roting away it creats voids in the earth.
Some how the earth needs to be packed under the track.
any thoughts?


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Maybe they ran water cars across the trestle behind the cars with dirt to wet down the earth causing it to compact ?

JJ


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## bicyclexc (Mar 31, 2010)

Track on the trestle was torn up in favor of blasted track laid on the very top as the final touch.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Basically they left the trestle/cribbing in place and worried about in some future date. We did a lot of this type work when track was washed out. Later RJD


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## jake3404 (Dec 3, 2010)

There were a couple places here in the Black Hills where they used this practice. From what I gather from limited descriptions and pictures they just dumped the dirt and like RJ said, worried about it later. 

There was one place the railroad had a problem with leveling the track up until they abandoned the line in the early 80s. I believe it was a fill on top of an old wood trestle.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Not the Black Hills, but if you look close you'll see the old trestle revealed by a slide;










You'd think you'd see more tresle pilings beside fills rather than in 'em!
Ma Nature is tricky enough, without adding to her arsenal!

John


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## Phippsburg Eric (Jan 10, 2008)

There is a fill on the "Air Line" in Connecticut which is hiding a trestle. as the line has been abandoned for many years, weather has exposed parts of the iron. the fill (and old trestle) were over 100 feet high and 1000 feet long. they built a stone culvert over the stream running under the trestle before starting the fill. A very large rainstorm in the 80's made a temporary dam of the fill, fortunately it held!


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## SteveF (Jan 2, 2008)

In 1910 or so, the Great Northern filled in a trestle here in Spokane. near the downtown station. In 1969, or perhaps 1970, a contractor was hired to remove the track and do some earthmoving in preparation for the World's Fair.
He was stymied because the trestle was intact, and just as viable as it was when it was buried. The trestle had to be dismantled before the project could begin.
Creosote is a great wood preservative, which is probably why it is no longer used.


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

There is a company here in Phoenix that makes true denominational beams and studs out of Telephone Poles. A a 2x 6 is really two inches thick and six inches high. I build my back porch out of them. That was 15 years ago. They are still in good shape. The only thing that has changed is the fragrance has diminished on hot days 

JJ


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## jake3404 (Dec 3, 2010)

Do you get any creosote "leaking" out on those hot days, JJ?


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## HampshireCountyNarrowGage (Apr 4, 2012)

I've heard that by being buried, the wood is cut off from oxygen and that is why it last so long. I don't know if it's true or not.


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Posted By jake3404 on 08 May 2013 10:01 AM 
Do you get any creosote "leaking" out on those hot days, JJ? 
NO 

The Pillars that the porch rests on are concrete.

I have no leaking of the creosote. 

The porch is 15 years old 

JJ


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