Isla Bennett
Railroad nails, also known as date nails, are small steel pieces of Americana that bear a two-digit number indicating the year a crosstie was manufactured. They were widely used by the railroad from 1900 to 1969 and were first introduced in 1897 by the Mississippi River & Bonne Terre Railroad. The number 30 on a railroad nail would indicate that it was made and installed in 1930.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | To visually identify the age of railroad ties or utility poles |
| Date of Introduction | 1897 |
| Date of Use | 1900-1969 |
| Size | Thumbnail-sized |
| Material | Steel |
| Markings | Numerical or alpha |
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What You'll Learn
- Date nails were first introduced in 1897 by the Mississippi River & Bonne Terre Railroad
- Date nails are used to visually identify the age of railroad ties or utility poles
- Date nails are typically used on the ties
- Date nails are small, thumbnail-sized steel pieces of Americana
- Date nails were widely used by the railroad from 1900 to 1969
Date nails were first introduced in 1897 by the Mississippi River & Bonne Terre Railroad
Date nails served as a quality control measure, allowing railroads and tie manufacturers to determine the lifespan of a wood timber crosstie. They are also used to visually identify the age of railroad ties or utility poles. Different railroads used different-sized nails with either alpha or numerical markings. For example, a Southern Pacific Railroad nail with the marking "01" stamped on the head of the nail would identify the nail as being hammered into a railroad tie in the year 1901.
Single-digit nails were often used as a means for numbering switches or other structural elements of the railroad as opposed to the date. Letters most often referred to tie condition or treatment methods. For instance, an "X" usually identifies a cull tie, otherwise referred to as a second. The surrounding date nails can come in handy when determining the exact age of the spikes.
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Date nails are used to visually identify the age of railroad ties or utility poles
Different railroads used different-sized nails with either alpha or numerical markings. A Southern Pacific Railroad nail with the marking "01" stamped on the head of the nail, for example, would identify the nail as being hammered into a railroad tie in the year 1901. Date nails can vary in size, shape, length, material, and rarity. They were widely used by the railroad from 1900 to 1969 and were first introduced in 1897 by the Mississippi River & Bonne Terre Railroad.
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Date nails are typically used on the ties
Date nails are also used to number switches or other structural elements of the railroad. Letters most often refer to tie condition or treatment methods. For example, an "X" usually identifies a cull tie, otherwise referred to as a second. The heads of the nails tend to be 1/2-inch to 5/8-inch in diameter, while the shank of a date nail runs 2-3" in length.
Octave Chanute, a railroad and aviation pioneer, is credited with the idea for using date nails as a way of tracking the life of railroad ties. They are among the tiniest railroad artefacts and can be found in a variety of sizes, shapes, lengths, materials, and rarities.
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Date nails are small, thumbnail-sized steel pieces of Americana
Date nails are among the tiniest items to be found as railroad artefacts. They vary in size, shape, length, material and rarity. The heads tend to be 1/2-inch to 5/8-inch in diameter, while the shank of a date nail runs 2-3" in length. Single-digit nails were often used as a means of numbering switches or other structural elements of the railroad, as opposed to the date. Letters most often referred to tie condition or treatment methods. For example, an "X" usually identifies a cull tie, otherwise referred to as a second.
Different railroads used different-sized nails with either alpha or numerical markings. An example would be a Southern Pacific Railroad nail with the marking "01" stamped on the head of the nail. The "01" would identify the nail as being hammered into a railroad tie in the year 1901.
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Date nails were widely used by the railroad from 1900 to 1969
Date nails were first introduced in 1897 by the Mississippi River & Bonne Terre Railroad, according to the Railway Tie Association (RTA). The nails varied in size, shape, length, material, and rarity. They were typically installed in each piece of furniture created by the railroad, such as tables and wine racks.
The heads of the nails tended to be 1/2-inch to 5/8-inch in diameter, while the shank of a date nail ran 2-3" in length, although there were shorter and longer examples. Single-digit nails were often used to number switches or other structural elements of the railroad, while letters most often referred to tie condition or treatment methods. For example, an "X" usually identified a cull tie, otherwise referred to as a second.
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Frequently asked questions
It means the nail was made and installed in 1930.
Railroad nails are small, thumbnail-sized steel pieces of Americana. They are also known as date nails and were used by railroads and utility companies to identify the age of railroad ties or utility poles.
The markings on railroad nails indicate the year a crosstie was manufactured.
A crosstie is a piece of wood that holds the rails in place.
Railroad nails were widely used by the railroad from 1900 to 1969, but they were first introduced in 1897 by the Mississippi River & Bonne Terre Railroad.
