Sleepers, as the cornerstone of railways, although inconspicuous, carry a heavy burden. Today, we step into the world of sleepers and see how a single log has gone through countless trials and tribulations to become the solid guardian beneath the railway tracks.
1、 Selection of logs: pine and oak
Pine wood, light and tough, with clear grain and emitting a faint pine resin. It grows rapidly and its wood is soft yet elastic, making it a common material for making sleepers. The fiber structure of pine wood is loose and easy to process, but it is precisely this looseness that gives it good moisture absorption and stability in humid environments. However, the weakness of pine wood also lies in this - its natural anti-corrosion ability is weak, and it is prone to insect infestation and decay.
Oak is completely different. It is as hard as iron, with a dense texture, like the armor of nature. Oak grows slowly, with dense wood and extremely strong compressive strength. Its high natural oil content endows it with excellent waterproof and anti-corrosion properties. The toughness of oak makes it a "noble" among sleepers, but its weight and processing difficulty also limit its practical application.
In the selection of logs, pine and oak have their own characteristics. Pine stands out for its lightness and ease of processing, while oak is known for its toughness and durability. The competition between the two is not only a comparison of wood characteristics, but also a balance between economy and practicality.
2、 The Transformation of Sleepers: From Raw Wood to Anti corrosion Sleepers
The cutting of logs is the first step in the production of sleepers. The huge round logs are fed into the sawmill, and with the roar of the saw teeth, the logs are divided into regular rectangular prisms. These nascent sleepers have rough surfaces and sharp edges, resembling strong men who have just emerged from the mountains and forests, carrying a primitive wildness.
Anti corrosion treatment is the core process in the production of sleepers. Pine and oak are sent into high-pressure impregnation tanks, where anti-corrosion oil penetrates every cell of the wood under high pressure. This process is like injecting a shot of adrenaline into the sleepers, giving them the ability to resist insect damage and decay.
The improvement of waterproof ability is the key to anti-corrosion treatment. The sleepers that have undergone anti-corrosion treatment form a waterproof barrier on the surface, which can effectively resist the erosion of rainwater. The moisture absorption of pine wood is suppressed, while the natural oils of oak work in conjunction with preservatives to form a dual protection. This type of sleeper can maintain stability even in humid environments and will not deform or rot due to water absorption.
3、 The mission of sleepers: to carry the cornerstone of railways
The advantage of anti-corrosion sleepers lies in their durability. The anti-corrosion treatment of pine and oak greatly extends their service life. The flexibility of pine wood allows it to absorb the vibrations of trains and reduce the impact on the tracks; The hardness of oak allows it to withstand greater pressure and is less prone to deformation. The two complement each other and together form the solid foundation of the railway.
The improvement of waterproof ability enables sleepers to maintain stability in various harsh environments. Whether it's the humid southern rainy season or the cold northern winter, anti-corrosion sleepers can handle it with ease. Its surface waterproof layer not only prevents the infiltration of rainwater, but also resists the erosion of ice and snow, ensuring the safe operation of the railway.
The extension of service life is the greatest value of anti-corrosion sleepers. A regular sleeper may only last for a few years, while a sleeper that has undergone anti-corrosion treatment can have a service life of several decades. This not only reduces the frequency of replacing sleepers, but also lowers the cost of railway maintenance. The durability of sleepers has made them the "longevity star" of railways.
It starts from a single log, undergoes cutting, anti-corrosion, and waterproof treatment, and eventually becomes the solid guardian under the railway tracks. The lightness of pine and the toughness of oak have found a perfect balance in the world of sleepers. They jointly carry the weight of railways, as well as people's return journey and dreams. The transformation of sleepers is not only the sublimation of wood, but also the crystallization of human wisdom and natural power.
