Railroad Forums 

  • Need help identifying this railroad tool

  • General discussion about locomotives, rolling stock, and equipment
General discussion about locomotives, rolling stock, and equipment

Moderator: John_Perkowski

 #1435986  by StuffMcGruff
 
I found this while walking along a abandoned stretch of track in Western PA which was about 50 yards from an active RR line. The abandoned tracks are on a map from 1910 (oldest map of the area I found) as being active but in 1955 the map shows that the line is abandoned. The tool was broken in two when I found it and is stamped barely legibly "ALLE ? ? ? ? Y" which I guess is "ALLEGHENY" The tool has seen a lot of use and has no seams where it would be cast from a mold. I remember finding this tool very close to the surface next to a small pile of old bricks.

I'm wondering what this tool is for and how old it is?

Here is a link to a picture

http://imgur.com/a/YiTaB" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 #1436250  by John_Perkowski
 
Clearly, it's handmade.

I'm guessing here. It's a combination tool, made by either a trackman or a signalman. It appears to be made of three steel spikes (not suprising, they'd be readily available, and not of bad steel). I see a hammer face, a pulling face on the back side of the hammer, and a wire hook or a relatively fine pulling hook at the base of the handle.

As I said above, my guess is it was handmade, probably to solve a specific worker's need.