You may have noticed that many of my projects have been made from Black Walnut from railroad ties.
Here’s a little story about them.
Quite a few years ago, back in 1953, I was working as a Track laborer at an Iron Ore Mine, operated by United States Steel Corp.
They did their mining by running their own railroad down in the ore pits.
Everyday the tracks had to be moved in order for the trains to get close enough for the power shovels to reach, & load the rail cars. That’s because they dug such huge quantities of material operating the mine 24/7 .
They used untreated White Oak ties to hold costs down, because there was an awful lot of damage from constantly shifting the tracks, & moving them. They used to get multiple box car loads of ties.
I sometimes was put on the crew to unload the box cars, & I noticed that once in awhile there would be one of these dark brown ties. The guys told me they were Black Walnut. Those were always set aside, & someone would come with a pickup, & haul them away.
Also the employees were allowed to take the old unusable ties for firewood, so a lot of homes were heated with ties.
Many years later, in 1990, a widow of an old friend gave me a call, & said she was cleaning out her garage, & asked me to come over. She showed me the three railroad ties stacked up against the rear wall of the garage.
She told me I could have them if I wanted them, because I had helped her with some repairs at her home.
I accepted them, but I gave her $25. I would have felt a little foolish taking them for nothing.
_I was thinking to myself later, could these ties be the same ties I had handled almost 40 years earlier, because her husband had worked for the same company.
Now! what shall I do with them ?_
A new wood processing plant, that manufactured hardwood wainscoating, had recently started up just down the highway from where I worked. I stopped one day, & took a tour of the plant. I got aquainted with the owner.
I told him about the three ties I had. He suggested that I bring them to him, & he’d have them resawed for me.
When I went to pick the boards up. I asked him what I owed, & he kindly said, ”nothing”.
-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1
26 comments so far
CharlieM1958
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14937 posts in 2416 days
#1 posted 2275 days ago
You must be one heck of a smooth talker, Dick.
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
Dick, & Barb Cain
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8682 posts in 2497 days
#2 posted 2275 days ago
I have slivers in my tongue.
-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1
Drew1House
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425 posts in 2286 days
#3 posted 2275 days ago
Around here… I have never seen a hardwood tie… I would think that you would not be able to put a spike in them?
Drew
-- Drew, Pleasant Grove, Utah
Dick, & Barb Cain
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8682 posts in 2497 days
#4 posted 2275 days ago
My fingers used to swell up like Banana’s after swinging a spike hammer all day. It tempts a person to look for a different job. That’s the job everyone starts out with in the mines.
-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1
Max
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55744 posts in 2471 days
#5 posted 2275 days ago
I have a cousin that worked for the Union Pacific Railroad as a bridge and tunnel engineer, he acquired some timbers from some of the old tunnels that were clear northern cedar and redwood. These timbers were about 106 years old and were 14” x 14” and 8’ to 16’ long. I was able to get some of these and have them re-sawn. I will be making something from them also one of these day’s…..
He use them for building a cabin and made some furniture from them…
-- Max "Desperado", Salt Lake City, UT
Diane
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546 posts in 2321 days
#6 posted 2275 days ago
Loved the story, what size are these now that they have been cut?
Diane
BassBully
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258 posts in 2295 days
#7 posted 2275 days ago
When I first read your title I cringed at the words, “railroad tie”. Of course, I’m thinking of the ties soaked in creosote.
My first job in high school was at a lumber yard and it never failed, someone would come in during the hottest days of the year or hottest part of the day and want eight or more ties loaded in their truck. Ties soaked in Creosote are heavy and the “S” bars at the ends, which prevent the boards from splitting, would always seem to pinch my fingers. On top of that, the customers would want to sort through the stacks of those ugly things for the best ones.
Your tie experience is much better than mine. Thanks for enlightening me to the fact that ties do have a good purpose.
-- There are three types of people in the world, those who can count and those who can't!
Dick, & Barb Cain
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8682 posts in 2497 days
#8 posted 2275 days ago
3/4” X 8” X 8’ and some ended up 5/8” thick.
-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1
Dick, & Barb Cain
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8682 posts in 2497 days
#9 posted 2275 days ago
I think Creosote is considered a hazardous material now.
-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1
dennis mitchell
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3994 posts in 2512 days
#10 posted 2275 days ago
Good story Dick!
scottb
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3648 posts in 2525 days
#11 posted 2275 days ago
Great story… I imagine after the swelling came down you could do your carving without a mallet (as well as any sawyering, nailing and general (if not circus-level) feats of hand strength! ;)
-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Van Gogh -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/
RobS
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1331 posts in 2504 days
#12 posted 2275 days ago
Dick Cain and the Train Gang. Good name for a band. Nice story, thanks for sharing!
-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX
scottb
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3648 posts in 2525 days
#13 posted 2275 days ago
Yeah, and they all play guitars (and drums) that he made!
Maybe Mark can come in for a session as a guest musician with one of his flutes!
-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Van Gogh -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/
dennis mitchell
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3994 posts in 2512 days
#14 posted 2275 days ago
Obi on the Mock Guitar!
scottb
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3648 posts in 2525 days
#15 posted 2275 days ago
YES!
-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Van Gogh -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/
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