Southern Arizona Date Nail Collection

[Old Pueblo]

These are my date nails, the ones in the box are from the railroads: Southern Pacific, El Paso & Southwestern and possibly one or two others, but Im not sure. As you all can see, I have different varieties, so I wanted to know if this means anything. If certain railroads used certain types of date nails. The square 1916 "diamond head" nail and the small 1940 outside of the box are from telegraph/telephone polls, but from what I understand RRs also used the diamond head nails. Any other info about date nails would also be appreciated. Thanks

 

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[Professor of Engineering]

Very interesting, congratulations on the finds!

 

[Old Pueblo]

Thank you

 

[cw0909]

cool ive found a few of those over the yrs, and it was eyeball finds near RRDate Nail Info

 

[bill from lachine]

Interesting collection you have and the RR ones are quite collectible and have some value.

Regards + HH

Bill

 

[Mudflap]

Pretty neat collection. Its surprising that you can still find them once and a while. I've got a few found along the New York, New Haven and Hartford RR tracks in CT. Most of the North East corridor has been or is in the process of upgrading to concrete ties and welded rail so there getting harder to find. a Good place to check is old abandoned sidings. Can't answer your questions but would imagine the date nails were installed by the RR tie maker and maybe not the rail road itself. Course in the old days the RRs owned just about everything.

 

[gentleone444]

Well i need to hunt these!

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[Old Pueblo]

I cleaned some of them up with a wooden toothpick, some of the oldest ones are easier to read now. I need to find another box, so Ive had to take some older finds out of this to add some "new" ones.

 

[Terry Soloman]

Very nice collection, Wow!

 

[Old Pueblo]

If any of you ever find any, do not clean them up with vinegar or any chemicals. Like any historical artifact, its best to leave them as is, and if you do any cleaning do it very carefully and with the correct materials. I mention this only because I know a lot of people who collect date nails will clean them so they look nice and shiny, but they will only come out looking good if its a really good looking nail in the first place. If they are rusty, the rust will come off and basically disintegrate in your fingers, taking much of the actual nail with it. And always write down where they were found, so that others will know where they came from after we're gone. These are just nails, but its the history associated with them that makes them special. And date nails were used all over the country and other parts of the world, so knowing where they were found can give you the probable RR they were used on.

 

[Old Pueblo]

And let me know if any of you find any. I wouldnt mind seeing some photos. Its always cool to find this old RR stuff.

 

[Terry Soloman]

We found quite a few up near Wickenburg, along the original rail line to Prescott. I gave all mine to the son of one of my prospectors who had quite a collection of Railroad and Stagecoach stuff.

 

[Old Pueblo]

We found quite a few up near Wickenburg, along the original rail line to Prescott. I gave all mine to the son of one of my prospectors who had quite a collection of Railroad and Stagecoach stuff.

Thats cool. Any really early years? (1920 and back)