Uploaded on 2017-06-26 by Fernando Ceña Martínez

CASE: New York City Transit, Subway SOURCE: https://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/10/moving-to-get-tropical-wood-out-of-the-subway/?_r=0 It is officially estimated by the New York City Transit that at least 3% of the wooden track ties for New York's Subway come from tropical rain forest, although that figure is higher according to some other agencies. Tropical wood is preferred in some cases because they can endure higher wheel loads and stresses, they behave better in flooded areas and portions of track exposed to the exterior. Surprisingly, the use of tropical woods for sectors open to the air is not justified any longer, as there are already alternatives like plastic composites ties, that are already being used in cities like Chicago for elevated trains. However, it is also true that the domestic wood that can be found in the United States cannot match the performing qualities that the tropical wood provides. Since 2011, the estate of New York has put into practice different bills to reduce the use of track ties made out of tropical wood.