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May 2026
Compiled by Michael Popke
Advanced Carpet Recycling LLC (ACR) aims to address two challenges: demand for stronger, longer-lasting track components and the growing environmental burden of carpet waste in landfills, company officials said in an email. ACR’s composite ties are engineered to support heavier freight loads and deliver greater longevity than traditional ties, they said.
The National Science Foundation awarded ACR a grant to advance the science and technology behind remanufacturing carpet into composite ties. In laboratory evaluations, test results have met or exceeded applicable AREMA requirements, company officials said.
ACR officials expect the composite ties to enter the market within the next year.
Koppers Inc. provides pressure-treated wood products, including crossties, switch ties and bridge timbers. The company pressure-treats oak and mixed hardwood ties with domestically manufactured? Koppers Creosote Petroleum Solution, offering standard and dual-treatment options.
Operating eight ISO 14001-certified treatment facilities across the United States and British Columbia, Canada, Koppers maintains full control of the supply chain — from sawmill to final delivery — through an expansive procurement network and robust logistics capabilities. The company also offers pre-plating services tailored to customer specifications and supports lifecycle management through efficient collection of end-of-life ties.
Koppers Global Technology Center, an applied research facility and working laboratory, is staffed by a team of experts focused on developing new product applications, providing technical support and delivering comprehensive testing services.
McCord Tie and Timber Inc. produces treated ties and timbers, and serves as a supplier to contractors, short lines and Class Is.
The company follows best-in-class treating practices, using a two-step process for all tie and switch tie material, company officials said. Each tie is fully processed, 100% end-plated and treated with borate prior to air seasoning before undergoing final pressure treatment with creosote. The company also offers truck and rail-car delivery, and supplies a full range of AREMA-grade materials.
In 2025, McCord completed several major projects, including an expanded facility footprint and upgraded plant infrastructure. An 1,100-foot rail spur served by CSX has significantly increased rail-car capacity and improved inbound and outbound logistics, company officials said.
NARSTCO continues to note increased interest in “e” clips, steel ties and turnouts across North America as railroads, transit agencies and industrial operators seek durable alternatives to tie materials, company officials said. More customers are weighing long-term value, product availability, installation efficiency and sustainability in their track decisions as steel continues to gain traction across a range of applications, they added.
Manufactured in the United States from recycled American steel, NARSTCO steel ties help customers meet “Buy American” requirements while also supporting broader environmental goals.
Steel ties eliminate the use of creosote and other chemical preservatives, making them a cleaner option for both installation crews and the surrounding environment, company officials said. Steel ties also require less ballast and can help support faster track construction, which remains important for projects working on tight schedules.
Nisus Corp. Offers QNAP® copper naphthenate-treated ties that are designed to be sustainable and long lasting. QNAP-treated ties last 30% longer in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) field tests, company officials said.
QNAP is not a skin sensitizer or carcinogen, contains no toxic heavy metals and is the only preservative sold in retail, Nisus officials said. QNAP also is labeled for use in residential landscaping and as mulch, providing easy end-of-life planning.
Testing conducted by the USDA Forest Product Laboratory on ties treated with copper naphthenate demonstrated an estimated service life of more than 65 years, company officials said. With a non-conductive and non-corrosive formula, QNAP has a superior environmental profile compared with other oil-borne preservatives while also resulting in less drippage in use, Nisus officials said.
Omaha Track annually handles more than 200,000 tons of rail and track material, including relay rail, wood ties and other track material — all recovered, recycled and supplied to railroads and contractors across North America. Ties are processed and repurposed at facilities in Chicago Heights, Illinois; Superior, Wisconsin; Escanaba, Michigan; and the company’s newest facility in Attalla, Alabama.
Used ties are a durable, cost-effective option; each tie typically measuring eight to nine feet long, weighing 150 to 175 pounds and cut from hardwoods at about seven by nine inches, company officials said.
Repurposed switch ties sourced from railroad turnouts, range from 10 to 18 feet in length and typically are sold by the foot. Ties are secured with high-strength, recyclable poly bands on each end. Bands are custom-made for Omaha Track to maximize both safety and effectiveness, and wood runners are aligned along the bottom of each bundle for stability and safe offloading.
PCM RAILONE AG designs and produces high-performance concrete ties and ballastless track systems. The company’s products are designed for durability, high axle loads and a service life of up to 50 years while reducing maintenance requirements, company officials said.
In North America, RAILONE operates a production facility in Clinton, Iowa, supporting U.S. freight-rail customers. The company is expanding its presence in Canada with a new production setup in North Bay, Ontario, through a joint venture between RAILONE and RAINBOW Concrete Industries Ltd. The facility is expected to begin producing concrete ties in summer 2026.
RAILONE uses modern production technologies and flexible manufacturing concepts, including on-site production where required, to optimize logistics and reduce transportation distances, company officials said.
Stella-Jones manufactures and distributes industrial pressure-treated wood products, including railroad ties. The company supplies more than 12 million pressure-treated wooden ties per year to short lines, Class Is and commercial operators, according to Stella-Jones’ website.
The company’s supplier network comprises more than 1,200 hardwood sawmills, enabling Stella-Jones to offer ties and switch ties in a variety of sizes. Multiple options are available, including end-plating and pre-plating.
Tietan™ is a high-performance asphalt coating specifically engineered to shield wood ties from premature degradation. The durable, polymer-modified asphalt protects bridge ties, crossties and switch ties against damaging effects of UV rays and water, company officials said.
Applied hot to the top surface of the tie, Tietan seeps into existing, checks and splits prior to cooling, forming a resilient, membrane that flexes with the natural expansion and contraction of wood, creating a waterproof shield.
The coating has been demonstrated to reduce the impact of weathering on wood, whether applied to untreated or preservative-treated nondurable hardwoods such as red oak, sweetgum, and southern yellow pine. Tietan also can reduce levels of water uptake by 34% on average, offering the tie a more stable environment where moisture content, stress and strain on the wood fibers can be minimized, company officials said.
Triton composite ties are gaining traction in applications where traditional materials face accelerated failure, company officials said.
By incorporating glass fiber reinforcement within a polymer matrix, the ties function as true composites, transferring load across a distributed internal structure rather than relying on the base polymer alone. This results in significantly higher strength and improved resistance to deformation under repeated loading, Triton officials said.
In high-decay regions, wood ties might require frequent replacement due to moisture intrusion, insect activity and mechanical wear. Triton ties are inherently resistant to these factors, maintaining dimensional stability and gauge integrity over longer service intervals and in challenging applications such as turnouts, company officials said.
Last month, the company entered into an agreement designating Progress Rail as the exclusive seller and marketer of Triton’s composite tie technology.
The tie portfolio for voestalpine Railway Systems Nortrak continues to strengthen with a combination of engineered solutions developed through global collaboration and advanced products manufactured in North America, company officials said.
In early 2026, Nortrak entered into a distribution agreement with Sekisui Chemical Co. Ltd. and now sells and distributes Sekisui FFU (fiber-reinforced foamed urethane) synthetic wood ties in the North American market. FFU ties are engineered for demanding applications such as bridges, tunnels, crossings and special trackwork, offering low flammability, low thermal expansion and long-term dimensional stability, Nortrak officials said.
Nortrak’s portfolio also includes Keyway Ties, developed in-house and designed to provide precise rail seating and enhanced gauge stability; and theTransition Keyway Tie, developed to address common maintenance challenges in transition zones to improve performance as track shifts between wood ties and concrete ties. Nortrak also manufactures standard mainline concrete ties and concrete turnout ties.
WVCO Railroad Solutions offers products for wood, composite and concrete tie repairs.
SpikeFast® ES-50 is designed to remediate wood and composite ties, anchoring spikes with comparable strength to un-spiked hardwood ties. A dual-component, non-foam 100% solid polyurethane product engineered to anchor cut-spikes or screw-spikes, SpikeFast ES-50 is dispensed from hand-held canisters or 200-gallon returnable steel totes through a pressure/temperature-controlled meter and can be applied in a wide range of outdoor conditions, company officials said. SpikeFast ES-50 also is easy to apply with minimal equipment maintenance and cleanup.
SpikeFast CTR-100 is a concrete tie repair product that meets railroad specifications, allows for quick repair of damaged ties, and seals and protects concrete from abrasion to increase effective tie life and reduce costs, company officials said.
It also restores original geometry for proper cant and gauge and reduces head deflection. WVCO also offers easy-to-use, quick-curing products for concrete tie insert and shoulder repairs.
Michael Popke is a Madison, Wisconsin-based freelance writer.
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