Driving Spikes
From: pobasted@hotmail.com
I am wondering exactly how the spikes were driven into the ties. It seems to me that the easiest way would be to have people go through with small hand hammers to get them in place and started and then a second group would come through with the big sledges and drive it home. Can you confirm if this is how they did it, and if not can you please explain the process?
—Brandon
posted from CPRR Discussion Group at 7:31 AM
15 Comments:
From: "James Mark French" fireside31298@sbcglobal.net
Correct me if I'm wrong guys, but it was my understanding that the Laurel Tie was predrilled so the various spikes being used could be dropped into place by hand. The only spike I know of that was driven in with a spiking maul was the last spike and it was a common iron spike that was polished. This is the spike that was connected to the Transcontinental Telegraph line.
As far as the Gold Spike goes, I understand that the Officer in charge of the Cavalry Marching Band that was present at the ceremony was invited to tap the Gold Spike with his sword. He supposedly tap it with the pommel of his sword, hence the reason for the dents in the spike head.
—Mark
He may be asking about the details of spiking during routine 1860's construction, instead of the Promontory ceremony.
From: "James Mark French" fireside31298@sbcglobal.net
I suspect they used spiking mauls just like they do on railroads of today. At least that's what I see laying around in the construction photos.To drive a spike in with a smaller hammer would be tedious and time consuming at best.
—Mark
How was each spike driven? What he seems to want to know is the detail of how each spike was held vertical in position to get it started into the wooden tie. The spike maul is a specialized hammer used to drive the spike, but was there some other tool, perhaps used by a second person, that held the spike in position to get it started?
Which construction photo's do you have in mind that illustrate mauls or spiking. The two end of track construction photo's that come to mind are Hart stereoviews 317 and 333, but if the spiking method is evident in these photo's, please point it out.
Are there any detailed 19th century descriptions of the how spiking and other aspects of laying track was accomplished?
From: "James Mark French" fireside31298@sbcglobal.net
You hold the spike by hand. To start the spike, you use one hand to hold it and then you choke up on the spiking maul with your other hand and tap it several times to get it started. Once it's in a secure, upright positon, you then pound it in the rest of the way with the maul. It's like putting a nail in a piece of wood. I'm sorry to sound testy but it is not a hard one to figure out. This is a time honor way of spiking rail.
—Mark
From: KyleWyatt@aol.com
My suspician is that (in normal track laying) the spike driver sets his own spike before driving it. Staged record setting events are likely something else.
I don't have any good 1860s photos of actual spike driving. The best photos that come to mind are:
J. Carbutt
Stereo #209 – Laying Rail - from the Union Pacific 1866 excursion.
Stereo #233 – Construction Train of the UPRR (This has been presented in the past as showing Blind Tom the horse in the past, but the stereo does not have any such identification on it. Unless the news accounts from the trip mentioned it, I remain skeptical.)
A. Gardner (on UP Eastern Division – later called Kansas Pacific)
Imperial Print – Westward the Course of Empire Takes Its Way
(there is a great set of Gardner's UP-ED views form the Kansas Historical
Society.
Unknown photographer
Unmarked stereo of rail laying, appears to be on the UP, or maybe UP Eastern division.
(note horse with blaze on face – does not appear to be horse in Carbutt view.) ...
—Kyle
From: "B P" pobasted@hotmail.com
Thanks for the info but I just want to follow up with a question. Mark said:
"You hold the spike by hand. To start the spike, you use one hand to hold it and then you choke up on the spiking maul with your other hand and tap it several times to get it started. Once it's in a secure, upright positon, you then pound it in the rest of the way with the maul."
There is no doubt that the above method would work but to me choking up on a full length spike hammer and then using it with only one hand seems clumsy and would probably cause an awkward swing. It seems to me that they would have saved a lot of time if they had split it into two jobs. So my question is simply if you are sure that Mark's explanation is the exact method? And if possible do you have a source you can cite?
—Brandon
From: "Randy Hees" hees@rcn.com
In my experience (at various railroad museums) we start the spikes with a small 5lb sledge and then use the mauls to drive them home (three blows to the spike.) I recall reading an account of 19th Century track workers having workers called "starters" who's job it was to start each spike in advance of the spikers. As I remember that account they were young boys. Other young boys might be assigned to carry water to the workers.
I have also used the choke up on the maul style. Its do-able, but not as easy as a separate sledge.
Also, if the rail does not sit tightly on the tie, you need a person with a pinch bar to hold the tie tightly against the tie.
I think to a large extent the division of labor depends on the size of the project and number of workers. In a large project like the transcontental, there were grading crews, bridge crews, and track crews. The track crew might be divided into those carrying ties, those carrying rail, those distributing material (spikes and joint bars), those making the joints (if using fish plates they are made prior to spiking) starters, spikers, and tampers to follow and pack dirt of ballast around the ties. There would need to be foremen on hand to keep everyone moving the same direction, and probably a surveyor and or engineer to maintain location, curvature and gauge. It would have been a grand thing to watch.
—Randy Hees
From: "Chris Graves" caliron@cwnet.com
Original construction CPRR spike hammers weight just a tad under 7 pounds, excluding the handle; these can still be found along the old CPRR original grade, many stamped "CPRR."
—Chris Graves
From: KyleWyatt@aol.com
Although I suspect Chris' hammer may be from somewhat later than original construction – perhaps 1880s or so. If you look at Hart stereo #356 – Stanford in the center with the silver spike maul (which we know was a silver plated shipbuilders spike hammer) – Durant next to him with what looks for all the world like a normal slege hammer, which would likely have been fine with the original height rail, but would not have served as replacement rail got taller (thus Chris' hammer design).
—Kyle
From: "B P" pobasted@hotmail.com
This is all extremely helpful. Thanks again.
—Brandon
Brandon,
Thanks for initiating an interesting discussion. Hopefully someone will locate an 1860's primary source which can confirm the details.
From: Hsweetser@aol.com
The November 30, 1878 Arizona Sentinel (Yuma) described how the Southern Pacific laid track on its new line through Arizona:
"Two or more of the little track-laying cars are loaded with rails, ties, etc., from the piles beside the track and ahead of the train. On top of the load perch the twenty-odd loaders. To each car is attached, by a long rope, a horse which drags it along at a brisk trot. Arriving at the end of the rails, the men alight and rapidly bear the ties along on their shoulders, dropping them across the road-bed between ropes stretched on stakes, as nearly convenient at regular intervals. A man with a pick pulls and turns them into proper position. Other men follow and with tongs drag a pair of rails end-wise from the car, and lay then into temporary position across the ties; on these the cars advance until their load is discharged, when the loaders jump on, and the horses drag them back, at a trot, for more material. As rails are laid over ties one man sets them with a measuring bar, and two Chinamen at once join abutting ends with fish-plates, inserting bolts, and loosely placing nuts. These two are the only Chinamen now employed in track-laying; they are professional "strappers," as their peculiar occupation is called, and have been with the company's service, at the same business, for about ten years; they are considered experts. After the strappers come two men with wrenches and hammers, who tighten nuts and bolts; they are accompanied by a man with bar and measuring bar, who keeps just ahead and pries the rails into unvarying distance apart. Following these come two men who lay four spikes on each tie, two near each rail. Then come another with measuring bar and two with hammers who drive spikes, two-thirds down, into every third tie. After them come others setting spikes into the intermediate ties. They are followed by still more men, who drive the spikes home, each being attended by a man who shoves a lever under the end of the tie, and steadies it to receive the blow. Behind all of these are scattered small gangs of men who straighten out little bends in the track, level up little depressions and cut down little elevations from under the ties. The track is still far from finished, but it allows the construction train to be moved along nearer to the scene of operations. While we were out there such a move was made. The whistle gave a signal for hauling step-ladders aboard and loading on everything about camp; not a bit of lumber nor a nail was left behind. The train come slowly along to amost the last rail. Then the ties, rails, etc., were dumped off, and the train was slowly drawn back till the little cars at its head were left opposite the piles of materials. Then track-laying was resumed as before."
What I don't understand is how once the little track-laying cars were unloaded, how could horses "drag them back, at a trot, for more material" when there other of the little track-laying cars waiting behind them to be unloaded.
—John Sweetser
On the railroad I work for we typically choke up on a spike maul right up to the head for setting a spike. It only takes a few taps to set a spike so it will stand on its own. The position of the spike in the hole in the plate is important. If you spike to the front or back of the hole in the plate you will draw the plate and rail that direction, slightly.
Once a spike is lightly set, most safe workers take one or two light swings to set the spike a little deeper. Finally, once the spike is securely set you can pound away on it.
The old C&NW railroad right up into the 70's just issued sledge hammers, and no spike mauls. Some parts of the illinois central still only use sledges. You have to spike along side the rail instead of over it or you will break the handle. Taller spike mauls allow you to spike over the rail, but many people are more comfortable spiking alongside.
You can spike using two different swings. One is the ol' axe swing, where you choke up to lift the maul for each blow. The other is the "windmill technique" where you hold the spike maul with both hands together at the end of the handle and whip it over your shoulder for each blow.
Most railroads have their own pet method of spiking. You could look at old patents to see what tools were available in the 1860's for spiking, and it is plausible that any of them may have been used by some railroads.
There still is no tool for holding a spike to be set other than the human hand. recently small spike setting hammers have been advertised for use before a hand held hydraulic spiker. You can't set spikes with a hydraulic handheld spiker safely.
Hope some of this has helped
Never pound a spike across the rail....one slip of the mail head the handle hits the rail and breaks off. Always pound from the same side of the rail.
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