Spike

[IronSpike]

Had left this 4' spike along 'flat track trail' as not sure whether it was a recent drop by workers.

Any thouhgt as to usage this spike?

 

[Montana Jim]

Pry bar me thinks... especially left next to the tracks.

 

[DCMatt]

A digging bar?

DCMatt

 

[IronSpike]

Could be pry or digging bar. I'll green check on that. Thanks

I thought it may had been used to hold temporary fence barrier for dirt, but a little big for that.

 

[ivan salis]

when replacing rails on a rail line --its used to shift them in place for proper alinement before their being "locked" into place -- a type of prybar of sorts.

 

[IronSpike]

when replacing rails on a rail line --its used to shift them in place for proper alinement before their being "locked" into place -- a type of prybar of sorts.

That makes perfect sense. Thanks ivan salis. Pry/dig bar for rail replacing

 

[johnnyi]

Spike, for what it's worth DCMatt got this one right. It is called a "pencil point" bar and it is used for digging. (I've layed trolley rail for a while in my younger days...). They're pretty weak for jockeying around rail unless you have a gang, and even then the round tip slips. Usually to set rail you'll use a crew of several men with tongs to carry and lay it, and usually a spike puller which has a flat angled tip and an offset a foot above the tip to grab the bottom lip of the rail to position it, or use another bar with the same offset and a flat angled tip to position it.

 

[IronSpike]

Spike, for what it's worth DCMatt got this one right. It is called a "pencil point" bar and it is used for digging. (I've layed trolley rail for a while in my younger days...). They're pretty weak for jockeying around rail unless you have a gang, and even then the round tip slips. Usually to set rail you'll use a crew of several men with tongs to carry and lay it, and usually a spike puller which has a flat angled tip and an offset a foot above the tip to grab the bottom lip of the rail to position it, or use another bar with the same offset and a flat angled tip to position it.

Thanks johnnyi I see your points and worth getting the right ID (pencil point it is). Maybe it was used in connection with work on the rails and how it ended up with the bend Thanks all for solving this spike question.