Where to get new railroad ties for backstop.

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Dan Forrester

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Where is a good place to get NEW railroad ties for a shooting range backstop? Im basically looking to build a 3 sided box about 6 to 8 feet high and then fill it with sand.

Used railroad ties are no problem to find but they are usually pretty beat up. I really only want to do this once in my lifetime and don't want to use wood thats already beat up. Most pressure treated lumber says specifically not for use in direct contact with ground which this would be.

Any ideas? I could always get marine grade 2"x6" or 2"X8" used for seawalls from a dock builder. think that would be my best bet?

Thanks Daniel
 
Look around for a serious heavy timber supplier for road, bridge, and maritime construction. Shouldn't be too hard to find such down in FL. I don't know if they'll supply actual RR ties (that's probably a specialty item) but they absolutely do provide ground- and water-contact-rated treated SYP material.
 
Most pressure treated lumber says specifically not for use in direct contact with ground which this would be.
Click to expand...

Environment friendly treated... Treated posts (like 6x6's) are treated for in ground use.
 
There are two or three places near me that sell used cross ties. They sell them priced according to condition, and new ones are available. But most sawmills or lumber yards can get you into contact with a supplier.

As a note of interest, a local country singer from Memphis had a range built into a large garage using railroad cross ties. There were two layers, the first placed vertically, the second placed horizontally. The singer was Elvis Pressley, and he had bought a large mansion here.

Bob Wright
 
I would stick with railroad ties for your project. You might try some farm supply stores. They might not be brand new but suitable to be used for corner posts in fence lines, which will out live most people. They may have different grades at different prices. Landscaping companies may also be able to get some pretty new ones.
Railroad ties are available about anywhere in the country. Brand spanking new ones are always hard to find unless you are a railroad. Look hard and you may turn up some. OYE
 
Start with lumber yards and ask who they would know. You a re right.... Once you work with RR ties you will never want to again. Plan on having extra chainsaw chains and or having to sharpen often. They dull quick. You will need a substantial drill and extra long bore to drill through them. You will most likely throw away the clothes you work in when finished. BTW... The 100 year old ties work just as well for this as new ones. Why not stack cement forms and backfill those though?
 
You may also want to check out building supply stores. My step-son was able to get some at Blue Ridge Builders Supply in another town a few years ago. I believe he said they cost him $8 each.
 
Dan Forrester said:
Where is a good place to get NEW railroad ties for a shooting range backstop? Im basically looking to build a 3 sided box about 6 to 8 feet high and then fill it with sand.
Click to expand...


Call a landscaper, they may have access to new railroad ties. If you're depending on the sand to stop the bullets and not the ties themselves, used railraod ties will last your lifetime. IMHO, a backstop only 6 feet tall is not tall enough.
 
My now deceased FIL, used used RR ties to build a fence 50 years ago in Utah - we went there a year ago to let my wife revisit her "old homestead". The local PO/general store is dilapidated and falling apart, but those fence posts made from used RR ties are still there, buried 3' in the ground and the barb wire is as sharp as ever.

Depending on where you are in FL, CSX has just replaced a LOT on US 301 by Hawthorne.
 
May want to look at auto tires .... I built mine using them ... in the same three sided manner of which you speak .... I filled the tries with dirt as I stacked them ... best to used about the same size as they stack better ....
 
I may be wrong, but I used to maintain telecom sites located on RR rights-of-way and I noticed the RR's were changing out the wood ties and replacing them with concrete ties. So no telling how available new wood ties might be.

Myself, I'd just get used ones in good shape. They'll outlive you by a long shot anyway.
 
Dan - you might also contact your local utility companies (phone and power) and see if they have any damaged poles that you can "recycle". You may have to pay something for them but you would get poles anywhere from 6-12" in diameter. You would just have to trim them to the length you want.
 
Hey Dan,
noticed you're in Florida. Check for used marine pilings from a reclamation yard. They are designed for use in salt water. I helped put some in for a range at Clearlake, Ca in the 1950s. Not any sign of weakness or rot the last time I saw them in 1999. We cut them at 10' and stacked them up like a stockade wall wrapped with cable (reclamation yard), and a front face sand covered by pounded clay.

blindhari
 
I can see no reason for not using select used ties in good condition. My gun club has had a truck load of them donated for range projects....I bought used ones from Home Depot to build a retaining wall at my house. They did a fine job.
 
My folks had used RR ties years ago for landscaping. Two things I remember were that they were heavily treated with Creosote and that there was a U shaped metal band running through the length of the tie. Both things made cutting through the ties messy and difficult to cut.
 
Friend was shooting reduced loaded 44mags at his RR tie back stop and was hit in the head with a ricochet. Cut his cheek open, no stiches needed, and knocked him on his butt. Gotta say his reloads were rather weak. As a frame work for fill, should be no problem.
 
Lots of good leads here! Thank you everyone!

I'm close by Florida East Coast Railway's HQ maybey I'll give then a call. I tried at a local lunber yard but all they had were used ones and the few they had were pretty bad. Tried craigslist too but no luck.

I'm going to start going down the options everyone's here listed and will give everyone an update when I find anything out.

How high should I build this thing? 6 to 8 feet isn't enough? I've got a tractor with a lift bucket. Don't think it would get it much over 10-12 though. I would think it would be plenty. I really don't need to worry too much about neighbors. Just want to contain the lead since I'm planing on future agricultural use for the property.

Thanks, Dan
 
Just spoke with David at Crossties of Ocala. Really nice guy! He has what are called relay ties (in condition good enough to lay for new track) for $40 each. But he recommends the #1 grade for $19.50 each which he recommends for a soil retention wall or shooting backstop.

www.crosstiesofocala.com/products/crossties/
 
Lowe's has railroad crossties.

They run around $25 apiece there, which is high, but everything at Lowe's is overpriced.
 
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