OT: burnin old telegraph poles?

I

IA Leo

Member

• Aug 25, 2009

• #1

What did the old RR telegraph poles of 70+ years ago have in them to last this long? Looks like a lot of firewood! Leonard

 

Vito

Well-known Member

• Aug 25, 2009

• #1

I think creasote but I could be wrong.

Vito

 

J

John T

Well-known Member

• Aug 25, 2009

• #1

Creosote perhaps (but that prob came later), burn it now and the dudes in white hazmat suits and SWAT teams and the radical militant greenie tree huggers will haul you off to jail lol. Maybe cedar or locust poles?? they hold up pretty good too I reckon. As I posted the other day, "That crude oil came from mother earth and to mother earth it shall return" and I bet she can deal with it as she has with volcanoes and meterorites and other natural disasters for billionssssssssssss of years.

Ol John T

 

5

504-2

Member

• Aug 25, 2009

• #1

John if oil was as bad as the Government says WWII oil spills would have killed all of us by now!

 

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James Howell

Well-known Member

• Aug 25, 2009

• #1

<a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/creosote-exposure-and-health-effects-395357.html">
Creosote Exposure and Health Effects</a>

 

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RodinNS

Well-known Member

• Aug 25, 2009

• #1

Around here the old poles were simply untreated cedar. They burn like hell.
Makes good kindling. Not good firewod...

Cresote would have been the normal treatment for ties in those days. Still is for that matter...
Not something you want to burn.

Rod

 

7

730 virgil

Well-known Member

Location

IL Wis state line near Monroe Wi

• Aug 25, 2009

• #1

did you ever think of cutting them up for fence boards or they are to rotten for that.

 

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RobMD

Well-known Member

• Aug 25, 2009

• #1

Yeah I hear you on that one, it's just that when you pour oil over a water aquifer, poisoning is immediate.

 

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greenbeanman in Kansas

Well-known Member

• Aug 25, 2009

• #1

The Missouri Pacific (MOP) railroad split three our our quarters of land. Many a time I've walked the half mile from our farm to town. The poles along the MOP were cedar and I don't tend to remember any exceptions.

 

G

greenbeanman in Kansas

Well-known Member

• Aug 25, 2009

• #1

The Missouri Pacific (MOP) railroad split three of our quarters of land. Many a time I've walked the half mile from our farm to town. The poles along the MOP were cedar and I don't tend to remember any exceptions.

 

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JBMac

Member

• Aug 25, 2009

• #1

James, according to your link, cancer of the scrotum is a hazard. I"ll never touch another railroad tie as long as I live!

 

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James Howell

Well-known Member

• Aug 25, 2009

• #1

My concern is for the guys (linemen) that climb the telephone poles to make repairs!

 

A

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

• Aug 26, 2009

• #1

Jimmy ,,, the Treatment of poles is only what goes in the ground, not the entire pole, you can tell that just by looking at the poles...

 

OP

OP

I

IA Leo

Member

• Aug 26, 2009

• #1

Well, if the bottom of the pole is treated, maybe the rest of the pole would be safe to burn. Not thinking of making boards..probably too many nails, bolts. Would have to handle telegraph wires to scrap. Just cut poles off at ground, keeping them off the track (still working road).Figure some kind of tractor or lifter and wagon that can negotiate the right of way...pretty tough, wet spots. Oh well, ..Leonard

 

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RodinNS

Well-known Member

• Aug 26, 2009

• #1

I've never seen a utility pole where only the bottom was treated. They're treated from top to bottom. The thing is... when they weather, the cresote leaches from the exposed part, but it's still there.
Only exception I've ever seen was cedar...
If you see some cresote, assume it's all cresote and don't burn it where you might breath it.

Rod

 

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Old Roy

Well-known Member

• Aug 27, 2009

• #1

I believe the newer poles they use are now pine in Pa not many cedar harvested + we don't have tall / straight enough trees, I believe all posts now come from the Colorado's.

The coating is green looking on the new ones and the last 4 -5 foot on the stump end is now painted with tar.

The previous Cedar ones were sprayed with creosote all the way up and a heavier coating of a tar like substance was used to deter ground water.

I seen where there are more tree species that they use now some of the I never heard of.

Some common timber species codes.
WC = western red cedar
WP = ponderosa pine
JP = jack pine
LP = lodgepole pine
NP = red pine
DF = douglas fir
SP = southern pine
WL = western larch

What kind do you have in the southeastern part of Mn around the Muddy mississip?

 

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Joe(TX)

Well-known Member

• Aug 27, 2009

• #1

Zeke
All the poles around here are fully treated

 

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Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

• Aug 27, 2009

• #1

I suppose they do things much different in the South,,,but up North,, I have never seen a Pole treated all the way,,,
it would not make sense to do that, they are replaced when used for so many years anyway,

even if they where fully treated, it would make sense to use a bucket truck to work on them, just using common sense goes a long way.... very rare indeed.

 

A

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

• Aug 27, 2009

• #1

The Northern States Use "Northern Pine," they come from Canada, and the new ones can be purchased Fully Treated, or not fully treated.

the cost is of course different..

 

A

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

• Aug 27, 2009

• #1

The Exxon Valdez was a good example of what happens on its journey to Mother Nature.I believe it is still there.