Verified answer

Andy and Rango are right. But remember these are high tonnage main line guys. The railroad I work for also has main line, but there's also several branch lines where the traffic is slower and often lighter. There, ties can last 30 to 50 years and on straight track, the rails can go for a very long time. One branch line was originally built in 1869. It was put down with 56 pound rail (56 pounds per yard). As trains became heavier, 65 pound replaced the lighter rail. And finally there's 90 pound today laid in 1947. Our main lines are 120 pound rails. Some of the original 56 pound rail has found its way on to a few storage tracks for cars - and where locomotives (Switch engines) over 120 tons can't go. Oddly, much of the 56 pound rail was manufactured in Great Britain up until the mid-1870s. The US did not yet have the capability to manufacture great amounts of steel before that time.

Think about this. I know that the 65 pound rail was put down in 1880, and remained until 1947. It was removed to accommodate heavier trains and wasn't worn out. From old time tables when trains still had schedules, I know there was three trains a day during that period of time. That totals 75,000 trains that ran over that rail, and it was still good. So tracks can last a very long time.

The rail can last a long time.But as with all things railroad it depends.Things like traffic,lack of proper maintenance,even the condition of the equipment operating on it can all shorten it's life.Straight track can last 50 years or longer(especially if the ties are replaced and the rail gauge is kept correct).Rail on curves,especially the outside rail of sharper curves needs to be replaced much sooner.The line i work had the rail laid in 1983 but the curves have been redone several times and the ties have been replaced a couple of times.

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like everyting else made my man, it depends on how well it was built in the first place and how much usage it gets.

Rails in extremely heavy traffic areas may not last over 10 years, ties can get worn out in about the same time.

I have run on track that was over 75 years old that only gets light trains once or twice a week, so there is no clear answer.

It would be like asking how long do automobiles last?

Here in California we have 2 of the steepest grades around. DOnner pass and Tehachepe. We operate track gangs year round and turn gangs. Turns on the mountain dont last but a couple years. To mush weight transfer in the turns so the most importand factor is grade and turn radius.

I even have look old ties nevertheless in use right this moment that had nails date from the 50's (nail using into ties that had the twelve months stamped on the pinnacle). maximum on them became o.ok.ties. Pine ties 15 - 20 twelve months average. I replace ties that became in sharp curves after 8 years, this became using no longer with the flexibility to hold a spike. The greater you plug the spike hollow to re-gage the track, the weaker the tie get. the middle could be good, however the tip could cut up.

are you talking about the rails? which can last for about 100 plus yrs, or the ties? with a lot of factors need to be figured in... could last up to about 20 yrs.

I would imagine it depends on how well they were built in the first place, how heavy the trains are that operate on them, and how much train traffic there is.