What are old railroad spikes made of
Old railroad spikes were primarily made from low-carbon and medium-carbon steel to ensure they would bend instead of crack under impact when driven into wooden ties. Older spikes, from before the 1890s, were made of wrought iron.
Steel types
- Low-carbon steel: This was the most common material, chosen for its ability to withstand shock and bend without breaking.
- Medium-carbon steel: Some spikes were made of medium-carbon steel, which is harder and can be heat-treated. The term "HC" on some spikes means "higher carbon," though they are still a type of medium-carbon steel, not the "high-carbon" steel used for tools and knives.
- Structural steel: A broad category that includes many of the steel types used for spikes.
Older materials
- Wrought iron: Spikes made before the late 1890s were often made of wrought iron.
dog spike from GNEE RAIL
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.
| Specification | Material | Surface | Standard |
| 5/8*6 '' | A3,Q235, 45#,55#, etc | According to customer needs. |
According to customer's drawings or samples.
|
| 9/16*5-1/2 '' | |||
| 3/8''*3-1/2 '' | |||
| 1/2*3-1/2 | |||
| Other kinds |
GNEE RAIL can supply railroad spike with customization, as a professional railway fastener manufacturer, we also provide steel rail, rail joint bar, rail clip, rail pad, rail bolt and other part of railway fastening system.
