In Minnesota and Montana, the act of hand hewing railroad ties was referred to as "hacking ties." Generally, this involved using a broad-axe or an adze to flatten at least one side (usually two opposite sides) of a log. Some men did it all with a regular two-bitted axe. It would have been a rare woman, indeed, to do that work in the first half of the 20th century. Hacking generally required the woodsman to fell the timber first and then hack out the tie. (It sounds a bit like the old recipe for hasenpfeffer, doesn't it? First catch your rabbit....) Mike Poston Rockville, Maryland To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html