How to correctly install a railroad spike?

To correctly install a railroad spike, drill a pilot hole, place a small amount of glue in the hole, gently tap the spike in with a hammer, and use a feeler gauge to set the correct height so it's level with the surface and won't buzz the string. After setting the spike, clean up any excess glue and check that the fifth string can slide under the head of the spike.

• Place safety isolation facilities, it is above all. Each worker should be in the scale of safety areas during the whole process of dynamic construction, whether it is a new road construction and or traffic trunk road. The proportion of security personnel and installation personnel should be 1:1 in road traffic trunk road, while the proportion should be 1:3 in safety areas.

• Make sure the installation position and ensure the installation position is smooth and flat. If the installing surface is on a scalable, cracks and uneven surface, the workers need to make the road flat.

• Clean the installation position with brush and ensure the installation position is dry.

• Take appropriate amount of glue and put it on the surface of rail spike. Press the spike firmly in the right installing position. Remember to clean the glue if there too much glue.

• If the spike is aluminum-made spike with pin, ensure that the hole depth is 1cm deeper than the depth of pin and the diameter of hole is 2mm larger greater than the diameter of spike pin.

• After the installation of rail spike, make an inspection tour to ensue if there are spikes with anti-installing direction, crooked installing.

Remove the safety isolation facilities after spikes are solidified on the sleepers for 4 hours.

Screw spike

The screw spike is usually made of steel No. 3. Because the surface of the nail rod is threaded, it is called a screw spike. Its pull-out resistance is 0.5 to 1.0 times larger than that of ordinary railroad spike, but the thrust resistance is 50% less. Due to the inconvenience of disassembly and assembly, it is difficult to adjust the gauge distance, and it is generally applied to the railway switch.

Dog spike

Common railroad spikes, also known as hook spikes or dog spikes, are mainly used for the connection of rails or rail pads and wooden sleepers. Ordinary railroad spikes are made of No. 3 hot rolled steel(GB standard). The cross section of the shank is a square of 16 mm on each side and the nail length is 165 mm. The head of the spike is in the shape of a mushroom, and the shape of the lower part of the nail head is adapted to the shape of the bottom of the rail.

The surface of the shank shall be smooth and clean, the flash edge shall not exceed 2 mm, and the displacement of the shank relative to the center line of the nail head shall not exceed 1 mm in any direction. There must be no cracks at the joint between the nail head and the shank. The top of the spike is chisel-shaped, and the chisel is perpendicular to the wood grain to avoid splitting the wooden pillow. The tip edge is straight, and the top end does not allow burrs or folds that affect the use. There should be no air bubbles and excessive burns and cracks that hinder the use on the surface of the spikes.

GNEE rail spike are manufactured in accordance with a series of international standards such as GB, AREMA or ASTM, BS, UIC, material using either carbon or stainless steel. GNEE fabricates railroad spikes in varying sizes to suit each customer requirements at economical prices.

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