Re: A couple of questions

First, you don't want to just chain saw off the end of the tie... The treatment, creasote or whatever, does not go all the way though, and you open an end for rot. If you chose to cut them down, you have to spot treat the end.
Lots of narrow gauge lines used standard gauge ties, early on for stability, or for a planned standard gaugeing, later because they were available. It appears that the D&RGW used specific narrow gauge ties, and the C&TSRR should, as a preservation effort use the same materials for repairs that the railroad did. The fact that the spreader has problems with over length ties supports this.
Randy Hees