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Pastimes : Don't Ask Rambi -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Crocodile who wrote (51530)	5/31/2000 9:31:00 PM
From: Ish	Respond to of 71178

<<Supposedly you always drive the spike from across the other side of a rail... I read that somewhere recently. It's why the heads of the spikes are offset or something... >> No, the offset lip holds down the lower flange of the rail.

To: Crocodile who wrote (51530)	5/31/2000 10:34:00 PM
From: JF Quinnelly	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 71178

Railroads used to be one of my great interests. I suspect spike heads were originally offset in order to grip the bottom flange of the rails, or the tie plates they used afterwards. Sledgehammers likely haven't been used in over fifty years. Railroads use heavy specialized machinery to lay track and drive spikes, and the power machinery may be what bends the spikes. I know that in some instances the ties, or 'sleepers', are made of concrete. Here's a webpage with more than you may want to know about railroad roadbeds: dnaco.net