original vintage early 20th century weathered exterior pine wood "railroad ties" advertising sign. the single-sided primitive hand painted sign was likely used with the e j & e railroad as a form of outdoor advertising. the long nine foot sign has a nice surface patina with original yellow and black letter finish. a railroad tie is a rectangular object used as a base for railroad tracks. ties are members generally laid transverse to the rails, on which the rails are supported and fixed, to transfer the loads from rails to the ballast and subgrade, and to hold the rails to the correct gauge. traditionally, ties have been made of wood, but concrete is now widely used. ties are normally laid on top of track ballast, which supports and holds them in place, and provides drainage and flexibility. heavy crushed stone is the normal material for the ballast, but on lines with lower speeds and weight, sand, gravel, and even ash from the fires of coal-fired steam locomotives have been used. approximately 3000 ties are used per mile of railroad track. ties/sleepers are set much closer together in the usa, where rails are traditionally joined to the track by a railroad spike rather than the substantial iron/steel chairs used in europe.