Tietan

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

09/04/2026

Guess how long these ties were in service...

They came from a 900-foot-long tunnel in Kentucky that opened in 1945 and is still operational.

The tie with “44” on the end is believed to be an original tie, meaning it served for 80 years! The cross-section shows its strong interior condition.

How? Inside the tunnel, the ties were protected from the weather. We know that rain and moisture fluctuations are key drivers of wood fiber stress > checks & splits > decay & structural failure.

That’s why we are weatherproofing the tops of ties. See more here: tietan.com/weatherproofing-wood-ties-data/

08/24/2026

Big Announcement!
Accelerated weathering chambers have existed for decades, but none of them could accommodate full-size railroad ties. So we changed that. The Rail Tie Accelerated Weathering Chamber simulates natural elements (sun, heat and rain) at the scale of four railroad ties — giving researchers a faster, more reliable way to evaluate the ability of the Tietan asphalt coating to extend wood tie life in the field.

Testing is underway and we'll share results as they come.
Find us at AREMA (booth #1604) and RTA this fall. In the meantime, learn more here: tietan.com/weathering-chamber/

08/13/2026

Wood is a dynamic material — even after it’s installed as a railroad crosstie. It continuously adjusts to moisture in its environment. Cycles of uneven wetting and drying create tension in the wood fibers, leading to checks and splits. These openings can expose the unpreserved heartwood and allow more water in, accelerating the cycle of natural tie deterioration.

To combat this, Class I railroads are using Tietan (an engineered asphalt surface coating) to weatherproof the top of the tie and provide more gradual, uniform drying.

Research shows that Tietan blocks excess water pe*******on and seals off openings ➡ Less moisture fluctuation ➡ Less stress on the wood fibers ➡ Fewer checks and splits ➡ Slowing the cycle of tie deterioration

Get more context on the early water uptake data here: tietan.com/weatherproofing-wood-ties-data/

07/14/2026

Shrinking wood railroad tie life cycles are leading to more tie replacements, higher costs, and more downtime.
The good news: there are practical ways to delay tie failure without changing how the track is built.

Most tie damage starts with moisture. As wood ties rapidly absorb and release water, they build stress and begin to check. Slow that cycle down, and you slow the deterioration.

That’s where Tietan comes in. It adds a flexible, weatherproof coating that keeps water out to manage moisture fluctuations and protect the tie surface.
👉 See how it works > Tietan.com

06/24/2026

We’re witnessing a rapid aging of wood ties. In response, the railroad industry has been forced to replace ties more frequently, then absorb the costs and downtime. Looking closer at the problem:

Ties check and split primarily due to moisture-related stress. As the exposed wood rapidly absorbs and releases water, the stress of these fluctuations checks and splits the wood, especially as fresh ties are acclimating to their environment. Open checks and splits exacerbate the process.

Tietan was developed to weatherproof ties. It is an engineered liquid asphalt coating that’s applied to the tie surface to stabilize moisture content and seal openings in the wood.

The real question railroads now face is not whether ties will continue to degrade, but whether doing nothing remains the lowest risk option. Learn how to change that equation. tietan.com

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.

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!

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.

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.

Address

6640 Intech Boulevard, Suite 300
Indianapolis, IN
46278

Website

http://tietan.com/

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