Tietan

Tietan Tietan is the premier engineered, weather-resistant asphalt coating designed to protect and extend the life cycle of wood rail ties.

06/17/2026

What’s going on here? This Class I double main bridge deck is getting a durable weatherproof coating. It only took 90 minutes of track time to apply these flexible Tietan TecPads to all 108 ties.

The result: The Tietan coating will extend the service life of these ties by slowing the drastic moisture changes that cause them to check, split and fail.

Essentially, it's helping railroads get the most from every tie.

Putting asphalt on rail ties? We’re serious. It’s not your typical road asphalt. This is a specially engineered asphalt ...
06/11/2026

Putting asphalt on rail ties? We’re serious. It’s not your typical road asphalt. This is a specially engineered asphalt coating that protects ties like a roof. It leverages polymer-modified asphalt technology to seal the tie surface, stabilize moisture content, and slow the deterioration process at its source. Pretty neat!

If you’re going to the trouble of removing tie plates, adzing, and replacing the plates... You want that solution to las...
06/02/2026

If you’re going to the trouble of removing tie plates, adzing, and replacing the plates... You want that solution to last for a long time. But the under-tie-plate area is at great risk of deterioration.

That’s why we started looking for a new way to protect the wood. After the ties are adzed, a modified asphalt emulsion is applied to the cut surface to create a stronger tie plate connection (as seen here). It protects the wood from water and won’t adhere to the tie plate.

The results: 1) delayed spike failure from early fatigue/decay, 2) extended rail stability and tie life.

Checking in from the most recent Tietan application on a Class I double main bridge deck in New Orleans. With just 1.5 h...
05/19/2026

Checking in from the most recent Tietan application on a Class I double main bridge deck in New Orleans. With just 1.5 hours of track time, the team installed Tietan (a flexible asphalt coating) to protect all 108 ties of this double-track bridge. 💪

Why are railroads using asphalt to extend the life of wood ties? Because it blocks water and sun exposure — drivers of internal stress that cause ties to split and check.

Think of this like an impermeable roof for the ties. Reduce moisture fluctuation and deterioration. Gain 40-50% more service from bridge ties.

05/11/2026

We all have seen wood ties with checks and splits, but WHY does this happen? Hint: We can’t just blame mechanical loads.

Wood splits due to stress. But that stress comes from within the wood fibers when they quickly expand and shrink from environmental moisture. Tietan helps to slow down and stabilize the variance in the moisture content of the tie, decreasing the stress that leads to checking and splitting.

How? Tietan’s engineered coating protects the top of the tie from additional water and seals any openings to protect the wood from excess strain.

In order to keep up with wood tie replacements, Railroads are facing increasing costs and downtime like never before. If...
05/06/2026

In order to keep up with wood tie replacements, Railroads are facing increasing costs and downtime like never before. If you’re curious about a solution that can decrease the risks of the wood tie lifecycle and extend tie life, find us at the North American Maintenance Railway Club BNSF Night on May 7th in Fort Worth, TX.

When we adze ties, we get a stable and uniform surface to reattach the tie plate. But adzing can also expose vulnerable,...
04/29/2026

When we adze ties, we get a stable and uniform surface to reattach the tie plate. But adzing can also expose vulnerable, untreated wood.

Researchers have worked with Railroads to develop the AdzeTec™ asphalt emulsion that strengthens the under-tie-plate area. It soaks into the freshly adzed surface, sealing the wood to provide a stronger, longer-lasting connection point to the tie plate.

Curious? The team behind Tietan (the full-tie asphalt coating) has answers. [email protected]

These two ends were once connected before the original tie was cut in half, and one half was covered with an engineered ...
04/22/2026

These two ends were once connected before the original tie was cut in half, and one half was covered with an engineered asphalt coating (Tietan) in 2023. Do you see the difference in crack size and crack growth in the uncoated tie in just one more year?

Get a closer look at the results > https://tietan.com/rail-tie-weathering-experiment-results/

By covering the top of wood ties with a durable and flexible asphalt membrane, we can seal existing and pending cracks, ...
04/14/2026

By covering the top of wood ties with a durable and flexible asphalt membrane, we can seal existing and pending cracks, checks and splits. → Shield the top of the tie from UV and water damage. → Extend tie replacement cycles.

Start the conversation with Buddy Clark and Erin Meehan at the NAMRC NS Night this week.

This tie was cut in half. One half was left uncoated; the other got a Tietan asphalt coating. In just 2.5 years, Tietan...
04/09/2026

This tie was cut in half. One half was left uncoated; the other got a Tietan asphalt coating. In just 2.5 years, Tietan’s ability to protect and seal the top of this tie is evident.

Hear about the ongoing research and field projects from Buddy Clark and Erin Meehan at ASLRRA April 12-14. [Booth #1120]

American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association

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6640 Intech Boulevard, Suite 300
Indianapolis, IN
46278

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