To the American Railway Engineering Association: Your Committee on Wood Preservation respectfully submits its report on the following subjects: (1) Revision of the Manual Proposed changes or additions to the Manual are indicated by underscored lines in the appendices. In Appendices A, F and G the Committee submits changes and additions covering the following items and recommends their adoption under the heading of "Conclusions." (a) Revised specification for Preservative Treatment of (b) New specification covering Preservative Treatment to (2) Service Records In Appendix B the Committee submits tables indicating the life of ties treated with zinc, zinc creosote and creosote, taking as a basis the service life of ties of the different kinds of woods in various sections of the country. Also; the Committee makes definite recommendations covering the selection, installation and record of test sections. (3) Preservative Treatment for Douglas Fir In Appendix C the Committee submits as information the results received to date covering the experimental treatment of Douglas Fir after perforating, and as a result of these experiments the Sub-Committee in charge strongly recommends at this time that ties to be treated with zinc chloride be perforated previous to treatment. (4) Treatment of Piles and Timbers for Marine Structures In Appendix D the Committee on Pacific Coast Marine Piling gives the history of the protection that has been used in that territory, and also submits information concerning the biological phases of our problem together with records of some structures that have given excellent service in that district. In Appendix E the Committee on Research covering Marine Piling gives a full report of the investigations that have been carried out in this country and abroad considering a problem that has come to the attention of Engineers the world wide. 899 (5) Preservative Treatment for Piles and Timbers in Land Construction In Appendix F the Committee submits for adoption definite additions to the General Requirements, and which are recommended for adoption as Recommended Practice under the heading of "Conclusions." (6) Methods for Storing Lumber and Piling In Appendix G the Committee submits additions to the General Requirements and recommends them for adoption as Recommended Practice under the heading of "Conclusions." CONCLUSIONS Your Committee makes the following recommendations to the Association: For adoption and publication in the Manual: Subject (1) (a) Revise specifications for the Preservative Treatment of Wood with Creosote Oil (Empty Cell Process with Final Vacuum). (b) New specification for Preservative Treatment to be used on Piles and Timbers in Land Construction. (c) New specification covering Methods for Storing Lumber and Piling for Air-seasoning Preliminary to Preservative Treatment. Accept as information: Subject (2) Subject (3) Report on Service Test Records. Report on Preservative Treatment for Douglas Fir. Preservative Treatment of Piles and Timbers in Marine Construction. Recommendations for Future Work The Committee recommends for future work continuation of Subjects Nos. (1), (2), (3), (4), and as new subjects: (1) Present a report with reference to the Preservative Treatment of Groups UA and UB Ties. (2) Prepare a map showing region where zinc chloride can be (3) Prepare a report covering the proper preparation of timber (6) Develop a proper indicator for determining the penetration of (7) Recommend preservative treatment for wood pipe staves. Respectfully submitted, THE COMMITTEE ON WOOD PRESERVATION, C. M. TAYLOR, Chairman. (1) REVISION OF THE MANUAL C. M. TAYLOR, Chairman The Committee has revised the specification for the Preservative Treatment of Wood with Creosote Oil (Empty Cell Process with Final Vacuum), as shown on page 332 of the 1920 Proceedings. The third paragraph of the specification has been changed to read as follows: "The material shall retain an average of at least 6 pounds of creosote oil per cubic foot which will permeate all of the sapwood and as much of the heartwood as practical," and no charge shall contain less than 90 per cent nor more than 110 per cent of the quantity per cubic foot that may be specified. The specifications for creosote oils as now embodied in our Recommended Practice have been subject to some discussion during this past year, and a committee was appointed consisting of R. S. Belcher, H. C. Bell, C. E. Gosline and O. C. Steinmayer. As a result of an investigation covering forty-two different railroads using creosote oil, it was disclosed that a great many of the railroads are using oils which do not fully comply with our present specifications, and the following statement covering the situation has been approved by the General Committee as an indication of the situation : "The specific gravities of the fractions are inserted as specified in Section five of the various creosote oil specifications to prevent the admixture of any considerable quantities of water gas tar. The limits had to be placed so high in order to prevent this that, as a general thing, the only oils that would meet the requirements are oils produced from coke oven tars and a few gas house tars that are produced under high temperatures and only moderate sized charges. The Committee now finds that a very considerable amount of creosote oil, that is apparently produced from authentic uncontaminated samples of coal tar, will not meet these gravity requirements. This is particularly so with a number of samples of English oils prepared from horizontal tars operated at moderate temperatures or at high temperatures with very large charges, or when produced from vertical retorts. Furthermore, the Committee has recently been furnished samples of oil produced from the distillation of a petroleum tar that has gravities considerably in excess of those required. The Committee, however, is not in a position at the present time to recommend any simple test that will on the one hand absolutely prevent the addition of water gas tar and that will, on the other hand, permit the use of creosote oil made from all samples of coal tar. The Committee, therefore, recommends that until the study now in progress by this Committee is completed and report thereon made that the railroads give greater consideration to the sources of tars used in the manufacture of creosote oil in case the specific gravities of the two fractions in question do not fully comply with our present recommended practice. (2) SERVICE TEST RECORDS R. H. HOWARD, Chairman; F. J. Angier, E. H. BOWSER, S. D. COOPER, C. F. FORD, HERMANN VON SCHRENK, Sub-Committee. Instructions: Make final report, if practicable, on Service Test Records, extending them to include treated timbers in Bridges, Docks and Wharves, and include a study of the records of service given by Zinc Chlorine Treatment. Introduction: The treatment of cross ties and timber of all kinds with some preservative to prevent decay, is growing more important as the available supply of timber decreases. There are many different chemical preservatives used, and as creosote oil, zinc chloride, and a mixture of these two, are more widely used than the others, these only will be discussed in this report. Of these preservatives there is no question about the use of creosote oil being preferable. Zinc chloride and a mixture of zinc chloride and creosote oil are used with much success in certain regions. Treatment: The attached statement “Exhibit A”, supplied by the Forest Products Laboratory at Madison, Wisconsin, gives the results of all completed tests of cross ties of which we have record. There are other tests under way and the completion of these tests will add valuable data to that given in this exhibit. The Committee is of the opinion that it will be much more desirable in the future to publish nothing but completed tests. It is considered that this is the best method to be used, as everybody interested will be able to get definite information as to service life secured in all parts of the country from cross ties treated by various methods. Completed tests will be reported each year. Zinc Chloride (Burnettizing) Process: With the present scarcity of creosote oil resulting in high prices, and the large number of cross ties to be treated, economy demands that some other preservative be used. For some time there will not be sufficient creosote oil to treat the required number of ties. Therefore, it is imperative that the Burnett Process of treatment be more widely used in order to secure the greatest possible economy in the use of ties. Below are given the governing features for maximum service life and economy in the use of ties treated by this process. Conditioning required for satisfactory treatment: (1) Preliminary seasoning-Be sure that the ties to be treated have been thoroughly seasoned and that decay has not already begun. (2) Proper treatment-To secure this the treatment should be supervised by a competent Treatment Inspector under the jurisdiction of the Engineering Department of the Railroad. (3) Subsequent seasoning-Care should be taken to see that the ties are thoroughly seasoned after treatment. They should be piled in close piles with end ties on edge (as per sketch below), to prevent excessive checking. (4) All piles should be placed in dry places and kept free from weeds. METHOD OF PILING TIES TREATED BY ZINC CHLORIDE. EACH COURSE LAID ON EDGE. OUTSIDE TIES IN Maximum service results will be obtained only upon observance of the following: (1) Drainage-Good drainage of the roadbed is absolutely neces- (2) Ballast-The ballest should be sufficient and of the best available materials, and should be kept clean. (3) Tie plates-Tie plates of proper size and thickness should be used on all treated ties to prevent destruction by mechaniical wear. (4) Rail anchors-Use rail anchors where necessary to prevent creepage of rail, and slewing of ties. (5) Distribution of ties-When practicable use hardwood ties (6) Tie plugs-Whenever it is necessary to re-spike a treated The following tables taken from "Exhibit A" indicate the life of ties, treated with zinc, zinc creosote and creosote, taking as a base the service life of ties of different kinds of wood in the various sections of the country. Attention is directed to the grouping of these tests. It will be noted that various methods of treatment are grouped according to the geographical location of the test and the kind of treatment given. A |