Evertrak and Sumitomo Partnering on Sustainable Composite Railroad Ties

Railroad ties, traditionally built of wood, tend to decay in high heat and humidity climates such as in the southeastern United States – a High Decay Zone. Not only is it costly to replace decayed wood ties they also pose environmental challenges. Creosote may leak out and damage soil, kill plants, insects, and small animals, and pollute the local watershed. The North American railroad industry is addressing these issues by implementing the use of composite railroad ties. 20 million railroad ties need to be replaced annually, with 6 million of these replacements needed in High Decay Zones.

Evertrak’s Evertrak 7000 is a composite railroad tie made of recycled plastics and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP). Evertrak 7000 delivers a lifespan of over 50 years in High Decay Zones, far superior to the 8-12 year average lifespan of wood ties. The composite ties are 100% recyclable after use.

Sumitomo has a long history of supporting the North American railroad industry, primarily through its Steel Group. Through this partnership with Evertrak, Sumitomo is able to enhance Evertrak’s production capacity and continue its support of the development of the North American railroad infrastructure while focusing on sustainability. Class 1 railroads are now adopting the use of composite railroad ties.

Freight railroads in North America offer long-distance, large-scale transport in an environmentally friendly fashion with low CO2 emissions. The addition of sustainable composite railroad ties, especially in High Decay Zones, will further the efforts of the industry to protect the environment, limit landfill waste, and offer cost savings.

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