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9/26/2024
Next month, the Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH) will install 12,250 composite railroad ties along more than 2 miles of track to be more environmentally friendly, PATH officials announced yesterday.
PATH will install composite ties in one of the rail tunnels between the Grove Street and Newport stations in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Most existing PATH track ties are made of wood or concrete. The new ties are made of a composite of recycled plastic materials; they are moisture-resistant, less quick to rot and crack and don’t require creosote or other chemical applications for preservation, PATH officials said in a press release. The average life expectancy for a composite tie is about 50 years.
Also, PATH plans to install about 5,500 feet of concrete ties west of the Journal Square Station, also located in Jersey City. Concrete is better suited for those outdoor stretches of track, while composite ties are better used in tunnels where the ties are protected from weather, PATH officials aid.
The installation of the composite ties is part of a larger, two-year $430 million program to invest in the 116-year-old railroad's infrastructure, facilities and stations.
“By using composites, we’re pressing forward on building a network of ties that are more sustainable and durable, require less maintenance, and contribute to the protection of the environment,” said PATH Deputy Director Tom Crowell, who oversees the railroad’s infrastructure and rolling stock.