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Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Rail Road Spike Question (the number 16 on spike head)

From: "Elledge, Mark D." Mark.Elledge@va.gov

I have enjoyed looking at the fantastic web page your organization has created.

A couple years ago a friend and I were metal detecting and he unearthed a rail road spike. However, this one was very odd. On the head of the spike the number 16 was deeply stamped into it.

I have dug up many railroad spikes but have never found one with a number on it. I was wondering what it means. I have looked and searched and have failed to find and answer.

I have attached a photo of the item. ...

—Mark D. Elledge, Sheridan, WY

railroad spike with the number 16 on its head

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2 comments:

  1. Anonymous10/27/2015 8:11 PM

    See possibly related "date nail."

    ReplyDelete
  2. CPRR Discussion Group10/28/2015 6:50 AM

    From: "Kyle Wyatt" kylekwyatt@gmail.com

    What you dug up is a date nail. They were put into ties to mark the year the tie was installed – in this case I'd say 1916. Perhaps the tie ultimately rotted out before being replaced, and the date nail remained.

    —Kyle

    ReplyDelete