Get some Fire Ant bait at the hardware store. Follow directions, which are essentially to spread some Around although not directly on top of the ants on a warm sunny day. Ants will bring the food back to their nest and kill the queen.

One important point; you don't want to kill any old ants. You want to kill these nasty biting ants and fire ants if you find those high mounds of red ants; but not just regular black or red ants because they are territorial and will attempt to keep the nasty ants away. They are your friends.

If the ants are destroying railway ties, they might be carpenter ants which most people would not want close to their house for obvious reasons... Best advice is to call in an exterminator. Next best would be the ant bait that was already mentioned. This is a bad year for ants and bugs in general because we've had a steady supply of rain for several months. It's great for the roses, though!

.....had a steady supply of rain for several months. It's great for the roses, though!

Yes, just in time for the Japanese Beetles that have just shown up in my yard in Chatham County.

Vinegar is said to keep them away