TREATMENTS of Railway Sleepers

THE 3 MOST COMMON TREATMENTS FOR RAILWAY SLEEPERS 1) CREOSOTE TREATMENT - used for over 150 years to lengthen life of timber, but now facing some restrictions. SEE BELOW. 2) 'GREEN' PRESSURE TREATMENT - the latest 'environmentally friendly' pressure treatment. See below. 3) UNTREATED - some tropical hardwoods are naturally long lasting, & hence need no treatment. See below. USED RAILWAY SLEEPERS are normally either a) Creosote treated, e.g. used Dutch Oak and used British pine, or b) Untreated, e.g. used Australian Jarrah and used African Azobe sleepers. Even though a used railway sleeper is untreated there can occasionally be deposits of oil or diesel on the surface which have fallen from passing trains over the years (not to mention other things!) NEW RAILWAY SLEEPERS are normally either a) Green treated e.g. new British softwood railway sleepers. These are environmentally friendly non-creosote based preservatives, with treatment names such as ACQ, Tanalith E, Osmose or Wolmanit, all of which are suitable for landscaping projects, or b) Untreated, e.g. new oak sleepers