Trains This Day/Month in the Past

[TMo]

The steel ties are interesting - I've certainly seen wood and concrete. I guess they're spiked into the roadbed somehow? At work in 2021 our tracks were completely rebuilt to support our rail impact tests with concrete ties, new switches, crossings and taller and beefier welded rail. The contractors installing it all were amazing to watch and made me appreciate the pure effort involved in a new install. For years we'd patched things - track was laid at the same time as the proving ground was established - 1917. Needless to say, the operators love the new rail.