General question about railroad spikes

[LostinGeorgia]

Have been detecting for about 8 months now in north central ga. On the acreage that I detect there are 4 old homesites which I believe have been there since the mid 1800’s. Have been finding quite a few railroad spikes. The sites are at least 3 miles from any railway. My question is what were they used for. My thoughts are for splitting logs or being used like large nails. Was there any other uses that explain why I have found so many? 20 or more so far

 

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[ARC]

Could be a many number of reasons for this.
Can you please post a picture of the spikes.
Spikes that have been "reused" over and over will bear the indicative look of such.

 

[pepperj]

Have been detecting for about 8 months now in north central ga. On the acreage that I detect there are 4 old homesites which I believe have been there since the mid 1800’s. Have been finding quite a few railroad spikes. The sites are at least 3 miles from any railway. My question is what were they used for. My thoughts are for splitting logs or being used like large nails. Was there any other uses that explain why I have found so many? 20 or more so far

When they did track work spikes were picked up by locals for various reasons.
For securing something to beams in a barn.
Spikes were used also in blacksmithing. Good steel to be hammered into another shape.
I have found Spikes also at sites that weren't close to a track.
Then I found also abandoned lines that the track used to run. Then removed and returned to farmland, roadways, trails.
So this might be the reason also, track removed and lots of free picking.

 

[Blackfoot58]

We used to walk the rail beds when we were kids. Often found a few spikes laying off to the side. They were ones that got pulled and replaced. We always took them home. No reason for me other than a fondness for railroad history. Kind of like collecting old insulators.

 

[LostinGeorgia]

Could be a many number of reasons for this.
Can you please post a picture of the spikes.
Spikes that have been "reused" over and over will bear the indicative look of such.

Don’t have them all with me right now. But I believe most of them show much use. Originally thought they were used in construction of buildings like nails. Thanks for your input.

 

[LostinGeorgia]

When they did track work spikes were picked up by locals for various reasons.
For securing something to beams in a barn.
Spikes were used also in blacksmithing. Good steel to be hammered into another shape.
I have found Spikes also at sites that weren't close to a track.
Then I found also abandoned lines that the track used to run. Then removed and returned to farmland, roadways, trails.
So this might be the reason also, track removed and lots of free picking.

Thanks for the input. Was thinking along those lines but thought maybe I was missing something.

 

[LostinGeorgia]

Could be a many number of reasons for this.
Can you please post a picture of the spikes.
Spikes that have been "reused" over and over will bear the indicative look of such.

Smaller one may not be spike but original RR than went through area was smaller gauge rail.