Re: Pine Beetle Ties?

Rick Steele Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ken,
>
> According to Morris Cafky, The Colorado Midland
> was built without tie plates on untreated local
> ties.

Aren't treated ties a 20th-century idea? Remember the Midland was built in 1886-88.

"When the Midland was built, tie specifications were kept at a very high standard. Most of the ties were sturdy, long-wearing oak from Indiana. Such ties were expensive, however, and the Midland's finacial problems in the 1890's... In 1916, about 85% of all ties in track were pine and the other 15% consisted of native spruce."

_Colorado Midland_ by Morris Cafky (1965 RMRRC) p.348

Cafky is in fact full of praise for the standards the CM was constructed to, pointing out that they were quite high for a western road of the '80's, *except* for the (rushed) location of the Ute Pass & Eleven Mile Canyon sections (after the CM had to give up the idea of building the Leadville-Aspen line 1st) with excessive grades & curvatures.

The CM did not, however, succed in moving to 2oth century standards in the pre-WWI years (neither did D&RG, btw) which is what the Carlton Administration progams were intended to begin addressing before they were cut short.

Like Miller trying to buy the South Park in '32, a fascinating area for might-have-beens.

hank