Recycled composite rail ties from AXION were recently reordered for use by Miami Dade Transit. With this second order, Miami Dade Transit is continuing to implement recycled composite ECOTRAX™ rail ties in its infrastructure, while preventing the destruction of trees in the Amazon. AXION's composite products are very durable, offer a superior ROI to industry alternatives, and also include I-beams and pylons used in the infrastructure of bridges, as well as reusable construction mats.
Miami-Dade Transit's Metrorail, which serves Miami-Dade County in Florida, has already installed the recycled composite rail ties throughout its 24.4 mile elevated rapid transit system. AXION has sold ECOTRAX™ rail ties to Eastern Rail Corporation for the transit company that range in size from 8.5 to 18 ft in length. This most recent purchase order increases their use to approximately 2,000 rail ties, representing approximately 1 million lb of plastic being recycled and diverted from landfills.
Composite Has Many Benefits
"AXION's ECOTRAX™ rail ties have performance capabilities that far exceed any other composite tie on the market," commented Mickey Morales, president of Eastern Rail.
Due to Miami's coastal tropical climate, rail ties are exposed 24/7 to conditions including very high levels of rainfall, sun exposure, and sea salt -- as well as termites, which are one of the main causes of failure for rail ties in Miami. Traditional wood rail ties have a shorter longevity in this environment and the only woods that offer reasonable durability are rare tropical hard woods imported from the Amazon. ECOTRAX™ rail ties are an alternative that last longer than any wood and are impervious to insect infestation, offering both environmental benefits and a higher financial return on investment due to their longevity.
"We are very excited to have a 100% recycled rail tie option that reduces the number of trees cut down in the Amazon and takes out a million pounds of plastic from landfill systems in the U.S. Because ECOTRAX™ rail ties are manufactured to specification in the U.S., the customer can receive the product within 3 weeks versus tropical hardwoods that can take up to a year, a key value proposition for any rail line decision maker. This is a fantastic eco-solution that makes sense financially, logistically, and environmentally," added Morales.
