Short Walk Through Time

[J.B. Books]

I used to going hiking with my daughter when she was little on some abandoned lines (and a few active) of the old Boston & Maine RR. We use to look for and collect date nails in the ties. Date nails were used to date the age of wooden ties so that various methods of wood preservation could be determined. The B&M stopped using date nails in the 60's. I can't recall the oldest one I found, definitely have some from the 20's, maybe a few from the teens.

I have not seen a date spike in a tie plate so that may be a unique practice on the RR that ran through your area.

The poundage on the rail is the weight per yard. 85lb is light rail by todays standards. As trains got bigger rail weight got heavier. Lighter rails is still used on sidings and yards where trains are moving slow. I think the standard wieght today on continous welded rail is 139lb. Todays trains can still operate on 85lb rail but they will be going slow.

Along with the Steel Company name you will often see month and year the steel rail was produced. Older rail might be 10 1923 for October 1923 and newer rail might be I I I I 1999for April 1999.

In 2001 the new owners of the B&M mainline completely replaced the rails, most ties and added more stone to the entire line from Boston to Portland Maine. This was done to allow for high speed Amtrak service, 79mph. I was surprised to find a tie in the mainline after this was done with 1925 date. Like our guns the nail was in interesting time traveler to me.

It will be a sad day when we see rails stamped "Bejing Steel and Foundry I I I I I 2011"