A child came into the railroad museum I volunteer at today with this metal part:
The child couldn’t have been more than four or five years old. He told me he found it along the rail trail and was wondering if was was a “train part.” None of us could identify it. I was hoping some of you guys could. Thank you in advance.
Rail or tie clip?
It is a particular variety of “anti rail creeper” or “rail anchor.” One side of the rail base is inserted into the slots and the long tang extends across to the opposite side of the rail base unerneath it. Then you strike it on that rounded feature opposite the slots, and the tang snaps up and hangs onto the opposite side of the rail base. You place it touching a tie and it hangs onto the rail base. If the rail wants to move lengthwise, the retangular box feature of the rail anchor bears against the tie and prevents the rail from moving. Rails tend to move with train braking force, so they need to be prevented from moving.
Bucyrus is correct, It is an old, don’t know how old, rail anchor. The ones I have seen were on 85 or 90 # rail rolled about 1900-1912.
Mac McCulloch
Rail clip, butts against the tie, usually every tie on an outside curve, and around switches, old old version of today’s clip, which you find on both sides of every tie, or every other one, depending on the railroad.
True artifact, most of those were just tossed off in the weeds when rail was re-laid.
Anchor - They quit making the things in the 1950’s because they are a two piece assembly, labor intensive and did not have enough surface friction area.
Thanks everybody! That child has quite a find.
You might be able to beg, borrow, or buy a short section of rail - like 6" to 12" long - to install it on and demonstrate how it actually worked. To help determine the appropriate rail section (or an equivalent substitute):
What is the distance from the deepest part of the notch or slot to the inside face of the ‘tang’ or hook ? (most likely between 4-1/2’ to 6")
What was the railroad that operated along the rail-trail, and which route - between which 2 cities ?
Rail weight was stamped on the outside of the U-Shaped channel as well.