Use of Wood on American Railroads

From their earliest days, railroads adopted timber for a myriad of purposes, such as roadways, cars, and bridges. It was plentiful and readily available; it possessed structural qualities both unique and serviceable. Many examples illustrate its wide and valuable use. When railway engineers learned the limitations of wood and adjusted designs to fit, the results were gratifying. In particular, creosote has been helpful in protecting against decay, as in the case of crossties. Some 1,750 miles of timber trestle, mostly treated, are still giving excellent results, although wood truss bridges, long utilized to great advantage for railroads, are now practically extinct. Such a plentiful and useful natural material deserves continued study and application, even today.