![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() A wedge-like device, the chair held the rail to the crosstie/sleeper. These were often used on early English railways which employed basic "T"-shaped rails without a wide base. It came to be known as a spike, sometimes referred to as a cut spike or crampon, and was a great improvement over earlier nails or "chairs." It was the first use of "T"-rail in the country and eventually caught on with other railroads.Ĭolonel Stevens also invented a large, hooked nail to hold the rail to the tie via the elongated base. These would later arrive in Philadelphia that May and placed into service on the Camden & Amboy (the C&A later comprised part of Pennsylvania Railroad's four-track Northeast Corridor, which remains an important artery under Amtrak today), a company which Stevens was president at the time. So, he sailed to England and had 500 pieces of rail, 15 feet long (weighing 36 pounds per yard) rolled in early 1831. Stevens initially ran into problems trying to prove his concept since there were no iron works then in operation within the U.S. It was a simple but ingenious setup that came to be known as flat bottomed rail but today is commonly known as "T"-rail (flipped upside down it resembles the uppercase letter "T"). At the time England was the only country producing rolled/solid iron rails.Īfter testing various techniques from wood and stone to iron straps the B&O decided upon the latter system (thin pieces of iron nailed to wooden blocks) held in place longitudinally with wooden crossties. Similar issues were encountered in figuring out what materials to use for the track structure and its width. As it turns out, steam locomotives could handle stiffer grades but required easier curves. They decided upon an easy 0.6 percent ruling grade with a maximum curvature of 14 to 18 degrees. In particular was the B&O.Īs our country's first common-carrier the fledgling company's engineers and surveyors often had to guess and use their own intuition regarding how to lay out and construct the right-of-way.Īccording to the book, Baltimore & Ohio Railroad by Kirk Reynolds and Dave Oroszi, this task fell upon surveryor Lt. The earliest companies such as the Baltimore & Ohio, Camden & Amboy, Mohawk & Hudson, and Delaware & Hudson Canal Company paved the way in setting these future precedents. Other helpful materials and tools that are needed include a wooden handle, chisel, spring swage, and a ball peen hammer.Īlternative tools and techniques are offered in the original video tutorials, so as long as you have the basics, you should be able to complete the following projects.The spike is one of the most widely recognized pieces of railroad equipment by the general public whether you work in the industry, enjoy studying it, or even have no interest in trains at all virtually everyone understands what a spike is and its basic function.ĭuring the industry's early years, however, developing today's railroad spike took some time since there was no established practices in regards to either rail fastening systems or much of anything else related to the operation of trains. ![]() For some of the projects listed below, vices and grinders are also helpful. Working with railroad spikes requires all the basic blacksmithing equipment: a forge, anvil, hammer, tongs, and punches. What Tools Do I Need for Railroad Spike Projects? Photo by U.S. If you are a beginner blacksmith wanting to create some functional pieces out of railroad spikes, or a seasoned smith who needs some project inspiration, check out the following project ideas and their corresponding YouTube videos. The shape of railroad spikes is also very accommodating for different types of small projects like the ones detailed below. Why work with railroad spikes?įor beginners wanting to refine their hammering technique and get more comfortable with the blacksmithing process in general, railroad spikes are a very forgiving, inexpensive material to practice with. Although nontraditional, railroad spikes are common items that are reworked by blacksmiths. Like other crafts, there are no true rules that dictate what materials blacksmiths use. 1.2.10 10) Railroad Spike Wizard Face Railroad spikes are very cheap to acquire and quite forgiving for beginners looking for smaller projects. ![]()
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