Simply brutal!

     Since 1970 I put in over 200 railroad ties in my gardens.  They generally last from 20 to 30 years, so this year I figured 60 ties needed replacement.  I hired some people to do most of the heavy lifting, but I still had to do a lot of hard work.  Ties, seven inches by nine inches and eight feet long, weigh 180 pounds.  Many have to be cut, and I usually use an antique four-foot cross cut saw.  After I broke the handle, I resorted to using a chain saw.  I don't like using it as it gives a rougher cut, and I can usually only get 4-5 cuts before the blade gets dull, probably due to the creosote in the ties.