Non-conventional tie forms[edit]

Y-shaped ties[edit]

Y tie track next to conventional track

An unusual form of tie is the Y-shaped tie, first developed in 1983. Compared to conventional ties
the volume of ballast required is reduced due to the load-spreading characteristics of the Y-
tie.[22] Noise levels are high but the resistance to track movement is very good.[23] For curves the
three-point contact of a Y steel tie means that an exact geometric fit cannot be observed with a fixed
attachment point.
The cross section of the ties is an I-beam.[24]
As of 2006 less than 1,000 km of Y-tie track had been built, of which approximately 90-percent is
in Germany.[22]

Twin ties[edit]
The ZSX Twin tie is manufactured by Leonhard Moll Betonwerke GmbH & Co KG and is a pair of
two pre-stressed concrete ties longitudinally connected by four steel rods.[25] The design is said to be
suitable for track with sharp curves, track subject to temperature stress such as that operated by
trains with eddy brakes, bridges and as transition track between traditional track and slab track or
bridges.[26]

Wide ties[edit]
Concrete monoblock ties have also been produced in a wider form (e.g. 57 cm (22 in)) such that
there is no ballast between the ties; this wide tie increases lateral resistance and reduces ballast
pressure.[27][28][29] The system has been used in Germany[30] where wide ties have also been used in
conjunction with the GETRAC A3 ballastless track systems.[31][32]

Bi-block ties[edit]
Bi-block (or twinblock) ties consist of two concrete rail supports joined by a steel bar. Advantages
include increased lateral resistance and lower weight than monobloc concrete ties, as well as
elimination of damage from torsional forces on the ties center due the more flexible steel
connections.[33] This tie type is in common use in France,[34] and are used on the high-
speed TGV lines.[35] Bi-block ties are also used in ballastless track systems.[34]

Frame ties[edit]
Frame ties (German: Rahmenschwelle) comprise both lateral and longitudinal members in a single
monolithic concrete casting.[24] This system is in use in Austria;[24] in the Austrian system the track is
fastened at the four corners of the frame, and is also supported midway along the frame. Adjacent
frame ties are butted close to each other. Advantages of this system over conventional cross
increased support of track. In addition, construction methods used for this type of track are similar to
those used for conventional track.[36]

Ladder track[edit]
Main article: Ladder track
In ladder track the ties are laid parallel to the rails and are several meters long. The structure is
similar to ;` these longitudinal ties can be used with ballast, or with elastomer supports on a solid
non-ballasted support.

Fastening rails to railroad ties[edit]

Main article: rail fastening systems
Various methods exist for fixing the rail to the railroad ties. Historically spikes gave way to cast iron
chairs fixed to the tie, more recently springs (such as Pandrol clips) are used to fix the rail to the tie
chair.

Other uses[edit]

Wooden ties recycled as sculptures at Northfield railway station

Stone block from the Scotch gaugeArdrossan Railway used to construct a loading dock.
In recent years, wooden railroad ties have also become popular for gardening and landscaping, both
in creating retaining walls and raised-bed gardens, and sometimes for building steps as well.
Traditionally, the ties sold for this purpose are decommissioned ties taken from rail lines when
replaced with new ties, and their lifespan is often limited due to rot. Some entrepreneurs sell new
ties. Due to the presence of wood preservatives such as coal tar, creosote or salts of heavy metals,
railroad ties introduce an extra element of soil pollution into gardens and are avoided by many
property owners. In the UK, new oak beams of the same size as standard railroad ties, but not
treated with dangerous chemicals, are now available specifically for garden construction. They are
about twice the price of the recycled product. In some places, railroad ties have been used in the
construction of homes, particularly among those with lower incomes, especially near railroad tracks,
including railroad employees. They are also used as cribbing for docks and boathouses.
The Spanish artist Agustn Ibarrola has used recycled ties from Renfe in several projects.
In Germany, use of wooden railroad ties as building material (namely in gardens, houses and in all
places where regular contact to human skin would be likely, in all areas frequented by children and
in all areas associated with the production or handling of food in any way) has been prohibited by
law since 1991 because they pose a significant risk to health and environment. From 1991 to 2002,
this was regulated by the Teerlverordnung (Carbolineum By-law), and since 2002 has been
regulated by the Chemikalien-Verbotsverordnung (Chemicals Prohibition By-law), 1 and Annex,
Parts 10 and 17.[37]

Ballastless track[edit]

Slab track, System "Rheda 2000", prior to concrete pouring.

Slab track, System "FF Bgl" on Nuremberg-Munich high-speed rail line

Slab track at St Pancras station

Ballastless track does not require underlying ballast to maintain its integrity. The first such tracks
were used for mountain railways (such as the Pilatus Railway, built in 1889), with the rails being
attached directly to the mountain rock. From the late 1960s
onwards, German, British, Swiss and Japanese railways experimented with alternatives to the
traditional railroad tie, in an effort to create track with greater accuracy and longevity, along with
lower maintenance costs.[38]
This gave rise to the ballastless railway track, especially in tunnels, on high-speed railway lines, and
on lines where high train frequency imposes greater stress on the track. Paved concrete track[39] has
the rail fastened directly to a concrete slab about half a meter thick,[40]without ties. A similar but less
expensive alternative is to accurately position concrete ties and then pour a concrete slab between
and around them. This method is called "cast-in precast sleeper track".[41]
These systems offer the advantage of superior stability and almost comp