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65-463: A pair of tracks serve the station, with a single island platform between them, but GO trains generally use the south tracks. This station is on a Canadian Pacific Kansas City rail corridor. This station has two entrances; the original station building at the east end of the platform containing a ticket sales agent, which is linked to the TTC station by stairs; and, as of 2021, a pedestrian bridge crossing

130-635: A combination of owned tracks and trackage and haulage rights on UP tracks) operate a large amount of daily traffic. CPKC has trackage rights from Beaumont to Rosenberg . At the STB hearings, CP and KCS defended their merger proposal, arguing that Houston has sufficient capacity to support the projected increases in traffic. Creel argued that receiving and departure tracks at the west end of Englewood Yard, UP's main yard in Houston, could be lengthened to accommodate longer trains. UP responded that although they had

195-590: A connection 168 miles (270 km) between CSX in Montgomery, Alabama and Meridian, Mississippi , where it joins the Meridian Speedway westbound. Under the proposed agreement, CPKC would acquire the 50.4 miles (81.1 km) segment of the line between Meridian and Myrtlewood, Alabama , so-called Western Line, while CSX, in a nearly separate transaction, will resume operations on the so-called Eastern Line, between Myrtlewood and Montgomery, terminating

260-564: A full-length GO train of twelve Bombardier BiLevel carriages and a locomotive . Canadian Pacific Kansas City Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited , doing business as CPKC (known as Canadian Pacific Railway Limited until 2023), is a Canadian railway holding company . Through its primary operating railroad subsidiaries, Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) and Kansas City Southern Railway (KCS), it operates about 32,000 kilometres (20,000 mi) of rail in Canada, Mexico, and

325-719: A fully competitive service on north-end grain shipments.'" On April 24, 2024, as part of the company's first anniversary celebrations, the Steam locomotive CPR #2816 known as "The Empress" was launched on a historic transnational tour that will travel most of CPKC's network from Calgary, ending June 7 in Mexico City . Due to a failure to reach an agreement with the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, CPKC's Canadian operations, along with those of Canadian National, shut down from August 22, 2024 , as

390-554: A further three-year order in 2015, but then Axion filed for bankruptcy in December 2015, though it continues to trade. These ties are developed by Dr. Nosker at Rutgers University. Composite sleepers, manufactured from various recycled plastics, were introduced in Wiltshire , United Kingdom, in 2021. They were installed as an alternative to wooden sleepers, on a bridge where concrete sleepers would have been too heavy. Although it

455-492: A greater acoustic sharpness on straight stretches of track. Concrete ties were however shown to be quieter than wooden ties almost universal across the audible frequency band on curves. This causes train noise when over concrete ties to potentially be subjectively perceived as louder than train noise over wooden ties. On the highest categories of line in the UK (those with the highest speeds and tonnages), pre-stressed concrete ties are

520-401: A joint may be 12 inches (305 mm) wide where the formation is soft or the traffic is heavy and fast. Sleepers are mostly spaced 2 ft 7 in (0.79 m) apart (centre-to-centre) but are closer adjacent to fishplated rail joints where the spacing sequences are as follows with the spacing at the fishplate highlighted . The fractional inch spacing at the fishplate corresponds to

585-494: A longer service life and require less maintenance than timber due to their greater weight, which helps them remain in the correct position longer. Concrete ties need to be installed on a well-prepared subgrade with an adequate depth on free-draining ballast to perform well. It is a common misconception that concrete ties amplify wheel noise. A study done as part of Euronoise 2018 proved this false, showing concrete sleepers to be an average of 2dB(A) quieter than wooden ones, however with

650-466: A new corridor between Kansas City, Michigan and eastern Canada. This would bypass Chicago, and, according to the plan presented by CN, divert 80,000 long-haul truck shipments to rail annually. The plan included the improvement of the corridor, valued at more than US$ 250 million. A few months later, CN resigned its intentions to purchase the Springfield Line to try to obtain trackage rights on

715-404: A plan to expand the yard, they could not proceed until existing environmental problems, stemming from creosote contamination that has affected the area around Englewood, were resolved ( Southern Pacific for decades operated a facility at Englewood to treat railroad ties with Creosote, and accidental spills of the substance caused severe contamination in the neighborhoods surrounding the yard; UP

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780-507: A service life longer than wooden ties with an expected lifetime in the range of 30–80 years, that the ties are impervious to rot and insect attack, and that they can be modified with a special relief on the bottom to provide additional lateral stability. In some main track applications the hybrid plastic tie has a recessed design to be completely surrounded by ballast. Aside from the environmental benefits of using recycled material, plastic ties usually replace timber ties soaked in creosote,

845-568: A similar agreement with Knight-Swift . The announcement was seen as backing up pre-merger projections that CPKC's single-line service would enable it to compete in the Chicago–Mexico corridor that had been dominated by the Union Pacific and BNSF. In response, on April 24, Union Pacific responded by announcing a partnership with Canadian National Railway and Grupo México (owner of Ferromex and Ferrosur ) to work together to accelerate

910-572: A single monolithic concrete casting. This system is in use in Austria ; in the Austrian system the track is fastened at the four corners of the frame, and is also supported midway along the frame. Adjacent frame ties are butted close to each other. Advantages of this system over conventional cross increased support of track. In addition, construction methods used for this type of track are similar to those used for conventional track. In ladder track,

975-427: A tie rod are somewhat similar. Historically wooden rail ties were made by hewing with an axe, called axe ties , or sawn to achieve at least two flat sides. A variety of softwood and hardwood timbers are used as ties, oak , jarrah and karri being popular hardwoods, although increasingly difficult to obtain, especially from sustainable sources. Some lines use softwoods , including Douglas fir ; while they have

1040-415: A voting trust to take control of KCS would not hamper competition. The voting trust allowed CP to become the beneficial owner of KCS in December 2021, but the two railroads operated independently until receiving approval for a merger of operations from the STB. Keith Creel , President and CEO of CP and future CEO of the merged company, chose the name for the new company as a way to honor the long history of

1105-483: Is 3,250 wooden crossties per mile (2,019 ties/km, or 40 ties per 65 feet) for wood ties or 2,640 ties per mile for concrete ties. The London, Midland and Scottish Railway specified 18 sleepers per 45-foot (13.72 m) rail and 24 sleepers per 60-foot (18.29 m) rail, both of which correspond to 2,112 sleepers per mile. Sleepers are 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) long, 10 inches (254 mm) wide and 5 inches (127 mm) deep. The two sleepers adjacent to

1170-464: Is a pair of two pre-stressed concrete ties longitudinally connected by four steel rods. The design is said to be suitable for track with sharp curves, track subject to temperature stress such as that operated by trains with eddy brakes , and bridges, and as transition track between traditional track and slab track or bridges. Concrete monoblock ties have also been produced in a wider form (e.g. 57 cm or 22 + 1 ⁄ 2  in) such that there

1235-464: Is a rectangular support for the rails in railroad tracks . Generally laid perpendicular to the rails, ties transfer loads to the track ballast and subgrade , hold the rails upright and keep them spaced to the correct gauge . Railroad ties are traditionally made of wood , but prestressed concrete is now also widely used, especially in Europe and Asia. Steel ties are common on secondary lines in

1300-415: Is being employed by major US railroads in a dual treatment process in order to extend the life of wood ties in wet areas. Some timbers (such as sal , mora , jarrah or azobé ) are durable enough that they can be used untreated. Problems with wooden ties include rot, splitting, insect infestation, plate-cutting, also known as chair shuffle in the UK (abrasive damage to the tie caused by lateral motion of

1365-557: Is currently working with the City of Houston and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on a remediation plan for the existing contamination in the area). The Board suggested, to mediate between the disputing parties, the possibility that, pending merger approval or post-merger, KCS or eventually CPKC, apply to UP for trackage rights from Texarkana to Laredo via San Antonio and Austin to reroute part of

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1430-599: Is no ballast between the ties; this wide tie increases lateral resistance and reduces ballast pressure. The system has been used in Germany where wide ties have also been used in conjunction with the GETRAC A3 ballastless track systems. Bi-block (or twinblock) ties consist of two concrete rail supports joined by a steel bar. Advantages include increased lateral resistance and lower weight than monobloc concrete ties, as well as elimination of damage from torsional forces on

1495-518: Is often limited due to rot. Some entrepreneurs sell new ties. Due to the presence of wood preservatives such as coal tar , creosote or salts of heavy metals , railroad ties introduce an extra element of soil pollution into gardens and are avoided by many property owners. In the UK, new oak or pine beams of the same length (2.4m) as standard railway sleepers, but not treated with dangerous chemicals, are available specifically for garden construction. In some places, railroad ties have been used in

1560-577: The Hejaz railway in the Arabian Peninsula where the dry, hot climate made wood ties unsatisfactory. Modern steel ties handle heavy loads, have a proven record of performance in signalized track, and handle adverse track conditions. Of high importance to railroad companies is the fact that steel ties are more economical to install in new construction than creosote-treated wood ties and concrete ties. Steel ties are utilized in nearly all sectors of

1625-672: The Kansas City Current of the National Women's Soccer League announced a 10-year naming rights deal for the Current's new stadium in Kansas City , Missouri , the first stadium ever constructed specifically for a professional women's sports team. Railroad tie A railroad tie , crosstie ( American English ), railway tie ( Canadian English ) or railway sleeper ( Australian and British English )

1690-791: The Milwaukee District West Line , arguing that the projected increase in traffic would bring delays in the provision of Metra's passenger rail service, as well as a decrease in the quality of life and the negative consequences on economic development in the communities located along the line. In STB hearings, Canadian National, who had already lost KCS to CP, presented a plan to acquire the KCS line—the former Gateway Western , which linked Kansas City to Springfield, Illinois ; St. Louis, Missouri ; and East St. Louis, Illinois —tie it to its former Illinois Central Gilman Subdivision, and thus create via both Springfield and via St. Louis

1755-429: The chairs holding the rails fixed to those blocks. One advantage of this method of construction was that it allowed horses to tread the middle path without the risk of tripping. In railway use with ever heavier locomotives, it was found that it was hard to maintain the correct gauge . The stone blocks were in any case unsuitable on soft ground, such as at Chat Moss , where timber ties had to be used. Bi-block ties with

1820-647: The " Omaha /Council Bluffs-Kansas City corridor, with a further ability to move the grain traffic originating in this area to the Gulf." UP also said that it complied with the condition imposed by the ICC for the merger with Katy, "by granting KCS 'North End' rights — that is, rights to operate in the Omaha/Council Bluffs-Kansas City corridor — with ancillary 'South End' rights 'between Beaumont and Houston/Galveston' that KCS needed 'in order to provide

1885-762: The "Falcon Premium" service of UP, CN and Grupo México. Previously, and as part of preparatory moves for the day after the merger, CP and KCS launched a series of test interline services between the Lázaro Cárdenas Port in the Michoacán Mexican state, and the Bensenville Yard in Chicago. On June 28, 2023, CPKC announced the intent to jointly acquire with CSX Transportation the Meridian and Bigbee Railroad (MNBR). The MNBR creates

1950-659: The MNBR line will allow CSX traffic destined for Mexico to be delivered directly to CPKC, eliminating the need for a third intermediary railroad to move such traffic. Currently, CSX traffic bound for Mexico is exchanged with the Union Pacific in New Orleans , who then takes it to the cross-border gateway in Laredo, Texas , where it is delivered to CPKC. MNBR's Western Line, once acquired by CPKC, will be renamed Haverty Subdivision, in honor of former KCS CEO and President Mike Haverty ,

2015-640: The STB, on the grounds that the two daily train pairs that CPKC and CSX plan to interchange across the M&;B line will not cause congestion on the Speedway. In August 2023, UP and CPKC butted heads again, this time over the trackage rights that KCS once held between the "south end" in Kansas City and Council Bluffs , Iowa , over UP tracks. CPKC informed the STB that UP was blocking the trackage and haulage rights originally granted to KCS, which dated back to

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2080-577: The UK; plastic composite ties are also employed, although far less than wood or concrete. As of January 2008, the approximate market share in North America for traditional and wood ties was 91.5%, the remainder being concrete, steel, azobé (red ironwood) and plastic composite. Tie spacing may depend on the type of tie, traffic loads and other requirements, for example 2,640 concrete ties per mile on North American mainline railroads to 2,112 timber ties per mile on LMS jointed track. Rails in

2145-571: The US Surface Transportation Board (STB) blocked the CN deal, ruling that the company could not use a voting trust to assume control of KCS because it might reduce competition in the railroad industry. On September 12, 2021, KCS accepted a new $ 31 billion offer from CP and terminated its agreement with CN. KCS's shareholders voted to approve the merger on December 10, 2021. The STB had already ruled that CP's plan to use

2210-451: The US may be fastened to the tie by a railroad spike ; iron/steel baseplates screwed to the tie and secured to the rail by a proprietary fastening system such as a Vossloh or Pandrol which are commonly used in Europe. The type of railroad tie used on the predecessors of the first true railway ( Liverpool and Manchester Railway ) consisted of a pair of stone blocks laid into the ground, with

2275-616: The United States, and is the only single-line rail corporation ever to connect the three countries. CPKC is headquartered in Calgary and led by President and CEO Keith Creel . Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) announced on March 21, 2021, that it was planning to purchase Kansas City Southern (KCS) for US$ 29 billion. Thirty days later, Canadian National Railway (CN) issued a competing offer of $ 33.7 billion. But in August,

2340-490: The advantage of accepting treatment more readily, they are more susceptible to wear but are cheaper, lighter (and therefore easier to handle) and more readily available. Softwood is treated, with creosote being the most common preservative for railway ties. Other preservatives used include pentachlorophenol and chromated copper arsenate . Sometimes non-toxic preservatives are used, such as copper azole or micronized copper . New boron -based wood preserving technology

2405-517: The ballast. This is due to better damping properties of hybrid plastic ties and composite ties, which will decrease the intensity of vibrations as well as the sound production. In 2009, Network Rail announced that it would begin replacing wooden ties with recycled plastic. but I-Plas became insolvent in October 2012. In 2012, New Zealand ordered a trial batch of "EcoTrax" brand recycled composite ties from Axion for use on turnouts and bridges, and

2470-468: The companies engaged in a lockout . CPKC operates about 32,000 kilometres (20,000 mi) of rail across Canada, Mexico and the United States. As of April 2023, CPKC has around 20,000 employees. CPKC has its global headquarters in Calgary , Alberta, Canada with its U.S. headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri , and its Mexico headquarters in Mexico City and Monterrey . Company executives said that merging CP and KCS would be "straightforward" because

2535-524: The construction of homes, particularly among those with lower incomes, especially near railroad tracks, including railroad employees. They are also used as cribbing for docks and boathouses . The Spanish artist Agustín Ibarrola has used recycled ties from Renfe in several projects. In Germany, use of wooden railroad ties as building material (namely in gardens, houses and in all places where regular contact to human skin would be likely, in all areas frequented by children and in all areas associated with

2600-437: The exchange of intermodal traffic between Mexico and Chicago or further north into Canada. On May 11, 2023, CPKC launched its new service "Mexico Midwest Express (MMX)", numbered I180 and I181, which is mainly oriented to intermodal and automobile transportation, and also provides an approximate travel time of 98 hours between Chicago and Kansas City to Monterrey and San Luis Potosi , shorter travel times than those offered by

2665-716: The existing ballast, unlike concrete ties which require a full depth of new ballast. Steel ties are 100% recyclable and require up to 60% less ballast than concrete ties and up to 45% less than wood ties. Historically, steel ties have suffered from poor design and increased traffic loads over their normally long service life. These aged and often obsolete designs limited load and speed capacity but can still be found in many locations globally and performing adequately despite decades of service. There are great numbers of steel ties with over 50 years of service and in some cases they can and have been rehabilitated and continue to perform well. Steel ties were also used in specialty situations, such as

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2730-418: The first and only single-line railway connecting Canada, the U.S. and Mexico with an approximately 32,000-kilometre (20,000 mi) network. Fully integrating the two railroads is expected to take up to three years. Seven days after the merger, the company announced that it had landed its first major contract, handling Schneider National intermodal traffic between the U.S. and Mexico. On April 25, it signed

2795-709: The latter being a toxic chemical, and are theoretically recyclable. However, plastics may shed microplastics and leach other possibly toxic chemicals such as ultraviolet inhibitors. Hybrid plastic railroad ties and composite ties are used in other rail applications such as underground mining operations, industrial zones, humid environments and densely populated areas. Hybrid railroad ties are also used to be partly exchanged with rotten wooden ties, which will result in continuous track stiffness. Hybrid plastic ties and composite ties also offer benefits on bridges and viaducts, because they lead to better distribution of forces and reduction of vibrations into respectively bridge girders or

2860-679: The lease currently in place with MNBR. MNBR will cease operating between Myrtlewood and Montgomery, although it may continue to operate between Meridian and Myrtlewood and serve existing customers on that segment of the line. If the STB approves the transaction, this will provide a new direct connection between the two companies' networks (CSX and CPKC already have connections New Orleans and in St. Louis, Missouri ). In compensation, MNBR owner Genesee & Wyoming would receive CPKC properties in Alberta along with rights on CPKC lines. The connection through

2925-615: The line two trains per day in each direction, at least for the first five years. A few days before CPKC and CSX officially took over the former M&B line, Schneider National, CPKC's main intermodal partner and one of CSX's major partners, announced that a new interline service connecting the Southeast (Florida and Georgia) with the Texas and Mexico markets via the route between Montgomery and Meridian will be launched beginning in December. CN and Amtrak unsuccessfully raised objections to

2990-410: The line, always with the same intention of creating the corridor proposed in the original plan to purchase the line filed with the STB. The STB would ultimately reject plans submitted by CN to operate on the Springfield Line. Despite all the objections raised at the hearings, the final approval of the merger came on March 15, 2023, and the merger was completed on April 14, 2023. The merger created

3055-768: The merger between the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (MKT), better known as "The Katy", and UP in 1988. CPKC inherited those rights from KCS. UP quickly came out to question the presentation made by CPKC to the Board, saying that the trackage rights in question were much more narrow in scope. When UP acquired the Katy, the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) required UP, as a condition of merger approval, to grant other railroads (including KCS) trackage and haulage rights to operate in

3120-423: The name Transportadora Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM), which would ultimately become the catalyst for CP to acquire KCS and CPKC to be formed. In October 2024, the STB approved CPKC's purchase of the M&B line between Meridian and Myrtlewood, along with CSX's resumption of operations between Myrtlewood and Burkville. The agreement became effective 16 November, 2024. Both CPKC and CSX will initially interchange across

3185-638: The north-south traffic, bypassing Houston. The two companies demanded that CPKC perform construction work on new sidings on both the lines that meet in the Houston area and on Brownsville Subdivision between Placedo and Robstown , near Corpus Christi , where CPKC trains leave the UP tracks in South Texas. Metra also opposed the merger, along with a group of West suburban Chicago communities ( DuPage County , Bartlett , Bensenville , Elgin , Itasca , Hanover Park , Roselle , Wood Dale and Schaumburg ) on

3250-401: The only ones permitted by Network Rail standards. Most European railways also now use concrete bearers in switches and crossing layouts due to the longer life and lower cost of concrete bearers compared to timber, which is increasingly difficult and expensive to source in sufficient quantities and quality. Steel ties are formed from pressed steel and are trough-shaped in section. The ends of

3315-495: The original driver of the idea to acquire MNBR more than two decades ago, to tie the KCS and CSX rail networks. Haverty, KCS CEO and President from 1995 to 2015, was the driving force behind the company's expansion into to Mexico during his tenure, acquiring Tex-Mex in 1995, and then, that same year, win along with Transportadora Maritima Mexicana (TMM) the concession of the Mexican Northeast Railroad under

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3380-516: The purchase of the M&B line, fearing that increased traffic on the Meridian Speedway would cause congestion. CN required CPKC report the daily number of trains running through the Speedway to know if there will indeed be congestion on the line. Amtrak, for its part, requested that the length of trains running daily on the line be adjusted to the length of the existing sidings along the route. The CN and Amtrak requests were rejected by

3445-711: The railroads only touch at Kansas City, and interchange volumes were relatively low, with about four trains per day as of September 2021. They also cited that the two companies largely used the same back-office information technology systems. The railroad maintains its own police force, the Canadian Pacific Kansas City Police . CPKC inherited and renewed CP's existing sponsorship of the Canadian Women's Open golf tournament in July 2023, extending it through 2026. In October 2023, CPKC and

3510-506: The resistance to track movement is very good. For curves the three-point contact of a Y steel tie means that an exact geometric fit cannot be observed with a fixed attachment point. The cross section of the ties is an I-beam . As of 2006, less than 1,000 km (621 mi) of Y-tie track had been built, of which approximately 90 percent is in Germany . The ZSX Twin tie is manufactured by Leonhard Moll Betonwerke GmbH & Co KG and

3575-430: The thermal expansion gap allowed between the rail ends. Interurban railways of the late 1800s and early 1900s generally ran lighter rolling stock than mainline steam railways, but roadbeds were built to similar standards. Wooden ties were placed at approximately 2-foot (0.61 m) intervals. Various methods exist for fixing the rail to the railroad ties. Historically spikes gave way to cast iron chairs fixed to

3640-507: The tie are shaped to form a "spade" which increases the lateral resistance of the tie. Housings to accommodate the fastening system are welded to the upper surface of the tie. Steel ties are now in widespread use on secondary or lower-speed lines in the UK where they have been found to be economical to install due their ability to be installed on the existing ballast bed. Steel ties are lighter in weight than concrete and able to stack in compact bundles unlike timber. Steel ties can be installed onto

3705-478: The tie plate) and spike-pull (where the spike is gradually loosened from the tie). Wooden ties can catch fire; as they age they develop cracks that allow sparks to lodge and more easily start fires. Concrete ties are cheaper and easier to obtain than timber and better able to carry higher axle-weights and sustain higher speeds. Their greater weight ensures improved retention of track geometry , especially when installed with continuous-welded rail. Concrete ties have

3770-440: The tie, more recently springs (such as Pandrol clips ) are used to fix the rail to the tie chair. In recent years, wooden railroad ties have also become popular for gardening and landscaping , both in creating retaining walls and raised-bed gardens, and sometimes for building steps as well. Traditionally, the ties sold for this purpose are decommissioned ties taken from rail lines when replaced with new ties, and their lifespan

3835-411: The ties are laid parallel to the rails and are several meters long. The structure is similar to Brunel's baulk track; these longitudinal ties can be used with ballast, or with elastomer supports on a solid non-ballasted support. The crosstie spacing of mainline railroad is approximately 19 to 19.5 inches (48 to 50 cm) for wood ties or 24 inches (61 cm) for concrete ties. The number of ties

3900-461: The ties center due to the more flexible steel connections. This tie type is in common use in France, and are used on the high-speed TGV lines. Bi-block ties are also used in ballastless track systems. They are gauge-convertible by cutting and welding the steel bar to the dimension that suits the new gauge. Frame ties ( German : Rahmenschwelle ) comprise both lateral and longitudinal members in

3965-454: The ties, steel ties may be used with track circuit based train detection and track integrity systems. Without insulation, steel ties may only be used on lines without block signaling and level crossings or on lines that use other forms of train detection such as axle counters . In more recent times, a number of companies are selling composite railroad ties manufactured from recycled plastic resins and recycled rubber. Manufacturers claim

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4030-524: The tracks from the Kipling Bus Terminal on the west end. It is one of four GO stations connected directly to a TTC subway station (others being Downsview Park , Kennedy and Union ). The station has no parking facilities of its own (the nearby car park is operated by the TTC). Kipling has been wheelchair-accessible since 2005, and both entrances have elevators. It has a platform long enough for

4095-477: The two preceding companies. Union Pacific and BNSF Railway raised objections to the merger with the STB. Both companies were concerned about CPKC's projected increase in traffic because it would unduly congest UP owned tracks through the Houston area (Houston, West Belt, East Belt, Beaumont, Harrisburg and Glidden Subdivisions), where both UP and BNSF (the latter of which operates in the Houston area through

4160-419: The worldwide railroad systems including heavy-haul, class 1s, regional, shortlines, mining, electrified passenger lines (OHLE) and all manner of industries. Notably, steel ties (bearers) have proven themselves over the last few decades to be advantageous in turnouts (switches/points) and provide the solution to the ever-growing problem of long timber ties for such use. When insulated to prevent conduction through

4225-531: Was the first instance of plastic sleepers being installed on mainline track in the country, they have previously been used on narrow-gauge railways . Ties may also be made from fiberglass . An unusual form of tie is the Y-shaped tie, first developed in 1983. Compared to conventional ties, the volume of ballast required is reduced due to the load-spreading characteristics of the Y-tie. Noise levels are high but

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