Railroad item?

[rjsupersonic]

Anyone know what this is? Found in the Arizona desert near RR tracks.

 

[daroofa]

Maybe a surveyors pin?

 

[Davo]

Don't think so. The top looks rounded over from being hit. A tent stake? Can't really see how big it is...

 

[rjsupersonic]

size

Don't think so. The top looks rounded over from being hit. A tent stake? Can't really see how big it is...

It's approx 9 inches long.

 

[kuger]

looks like a short picket pin

 

[tennessee digger]

I think Kuger is right, that would have been my guess. Tennessee digger

 

[creskol]

Technically, it isn't a picket pin, as picket pins were made to be driven into the ground, and the tether ring was made to allow for 360º movement. However, your item is an early hitching pin made to be driven into a post. One exception to that would be if it was found around a body of water – the same type of pin was driven into the dock post and used to tie up boats.

 

[kuger]

Great point Rob....I didnt even notice that....and I have used em before!!

 

[old digger]

Old tent, rope tie down stake. Fell of of the train that was carrying the traveling circus.

 

[Paleopilot]

Might have been used as a picket, here is a dug Cavalry picket...

 

[cudamark]

Anyone know what this is? Found in the Arizona desert near RR tracks.

Looks like a rock climbing piton to me. Like this one.....
Rock Climbing Piton Same as U s Military Uses not Marked Mint Unused | eBay

 

[Paleopilot]

Maybe it was used to hold the bucket on a Maple tree when harvesting sap....