Dog spikes and screw spikes are the two most common railroad spikes in the market.
Equipped with an offset head, a railroad spike is a large nail used to secure and fasten rails in a railway system. The rail spike was invented by Robert Livingston Stevens, and was first used in 1832.
The main function of the railroad spike is to ensure a correct gauge position. Common sizes are usually between 9-10 / 16in and 5.5-6in long. With a flat-edged point, the chisel-shaped spike is more resistant to loosening. During railway transportation, the spike does not need to provide a strong vertical force, which allows the railway track more freedom of movement.
Analysis of their railway fishplate market reveals that North America has a great demand for railway materials. There are many various international standards such as AREMA ASTM, UIC, GB, BS for different kinds of railway tracks. Total exports sales in 2014 reached $251,334,709, with a growth rate of 15.5%. For the US, ASTM A65 is the common standard used for different carbon steel contents.
First introduced in France in 1860, the screw spike shortly became the most common railway material in continental Europe. Also called the rail screw, it is a large screw used to fasten any two railway tracks. It is also used to fix tie plates, or fix into a hole bored in the sleeper.
The cost to manafacture screw spikes is higher than the rail spike due to a greater fixing power, and a feature allowing it to be combined with spring washers. Screw spikes are mainly used in heavy rail applications, as well as in peat works, garden festivals, and leisure parks.
Screw spikes are usually used to fasten ribbed base and sole plates to wood sleepers, and play an important role in railway fastening systems with the help of a plastic dowel. In order to meet the different use standards for railway tracks, the screw spikes can be classified into several types.
Through specific requirements such as length, diameter, drive head and thread profiles, the railway screw spikes can be classified into four types, including the Ss series sleeper screw, the square-head screw spike, the hexagon screw spike, and the double-head screw spike.
Dog spikes are another important component of railroad spikes. Because of the two lugs on either side, the dog spike resembles a dog’s head. Dog spikes have similar dimensions to screw spikes, but have a pointed penetrating head.
Among dog spikes, the dog screw is a special one. Invented by AJAX fasteners, the dog spike is usually a rail screw with a shallow double-pitch thread. In order to fix rails straight to rail sleepers, it is necessary to have a flange with a radius. During insertion, with the help of the patented wave thread form and better pull-out resistance, the dog screws can reduce damages to railway sleepers.
Screw spikes can provide more than twice the fixing power of dog spikes. Because of the greater power, and the feature that can be combined with spring washers, the cost of manafacturing screw spikes is higher than dog spikes or dog nails.
Railroad spikes are used to ensure the safety of railway fastening systems and transportation. If railroad spikes are used in the right place, it will have a striking effect.