Railway crossings

Oak railway sleepers: the reference for your rail infrastructures

Les oak railway sleepers, also called Wood under rails, are key pieces in railway infrastructure. Resting between the rails and the ballast, they ensure stability, thespacing And the load transmission on the ground. The oak (Quercus robur and Quercus petraea), due to its density, mechanical resistance and natural durability, is the historical essence of this type of structure. At the VUITTON Sawmill, we produce French solid oak railway sleepers, sawn to measure to meet the requirements of operators, secondary networks and industrial applications.

Why choose oak for rail crossings?

Oak has been used for over a century in railways for good reasons:

• High density : 670 to 750 kg/m³, for resistance to significant dynamic loads
• Exceptional hardness, absorbing repeated vibrations and shocks
• Natural sustainability : employment class 2 to 4 depending on salary, lifespan of 20 to 40 years in service
• Resistance to fungi and insects, including in contact with the ground
• Dimensional stability after drying, limiting deformations under stress
• Local and renewable resource, from French forests

Today, oak remains the reference for authentic crosspieces, particularly in historical, heritage or industrial network projects.

Uses of oak railway sleepers

Our sleepers find their place in numerous applications:

• Main and secondary railways, new or under renovation
• Industrial roads : mining sites, sawmills, power plants, ports
• Heritage routes : tourist railways, living museums, historic trains
• Chassis in certain specific railway applications
• Private roads : specific branch lines, handling networks

Apart from strict railway use, they can also be used as massive structure parts in outdoor design projects that require strong sections and high durability.

Technical characteristics

Our oak rail ties are available in the following formats:

• Sections : 140 x 240 mm/150 x 260 mm/160 x 260 mm
• Lengths : 1.80/2.00/2.20/2.20/2.40/2.40/2.50/2.60 m
• Essence : French oak (Quercus robur/Quercus petraea)
• Finishing : sawmill
• Origin : forests of Jura and Grand Est

Special sections or lengths can be studied on request, according to the constraints of your project.

Manufacturing mastered by La Scierie VUITTON

Each crosspiece is:

• Sawed in our workshops in Jura from carefully selected logs
• Precisely squared to guarantee the regularity of the dimensions and the flatness of the faces
• Visually controlled to ensure the absence of major structural defects
• From sustainably managed forests, with complete traceability from the log to the finished product

For more than 50 years, our family know-how allows us to support professionals in railway infrastructure, industry and heritage by providing them with reliable structural wood that meets their requirements.

Railway crossings and sustainable development

Unlike sleepers made of concrete or recycled plastic, The oak crosspiece is an ecological and renewable choice. Coming from sustainably managed French forests, it stores carbon throughout its useful life, and remains recyclable or recoverable at the end of use (biomass energy, mulching, landscaping).

Quotations and personalized advice

Are you a railway operator, construction company, local authority or actor in the railway heritage? We support you in choosing sections, calculating volumes and planning your deliveries.

Contact us to obtain a tailor-made quote, whether for a one-off order, a targeted project or a regular supply.