🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Narrow Gauge Rail Used As An Anvil?

[USNFLYR]

I found this chunk of metal in the shallows near ruins of a wharf where quarried stone/salmon were shipped downstream. I believe once in operation, there were several outbuildings as I have found pieces and parts of tubs, ovens, sinks and electrical debris. I have not yet seen full rail sections (they probably were broken down and removed when the wharf shut down?). I can imagine maybe they had narrow gauge laid down to move items from the shore to boats on the pier? Further research indicates that rail pieces can be used as small anvils. Maybe I am overthinking and this was purely a row boat anchor….

The interest in this relic is that someone tried to saw through it. It then looks to have cracked, and almost splinter off. Are there any experts in narrow gauge rail pieces on the forum? Please chime in

 

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[ticndig]

it looks to me that the cracked piece was cut out and replaced to repair the rail line. then chucked aside as they seem to always do on the railroad. as a side note they make poor anvils , you see lots of them made but they really don't work well as one.

 

[RTR]

Perfect Material for making a Anvil .There is info on making one from a RR rail on line

 

[smallfoot]

Depending on what you're trying to do, sometimes they do a fine job as an anvil. I have one that looks like the found object. I use it regularly along with other anvils here.

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Considering you found it near water, it may have been repurposed as a boat anchor.

 

[pepperj]

To determine the approx. age of the piece of 6" rail, is to weigh it, then X 6 that will give you the weight per yard.
Rail size has always been measured lbs/yd

Rail profile - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Gare]

One thought might be because it was found in water maybe someone cut it down and used it for a boat anchor ?

 

[USNFLYR]

To determine the approx. age of the piece of 6" rail, is to weigh it, then X 6 that will give you the weight per yard.
Rail size has always been measured lbs/yd

Rail profile - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

View attachment 2048337

Thanks Pepperj!

 

[USNFLYR]

it looks to me that the cracked piece was cut out and replaced to repair the rail line. then chucked aside as they seem to always do on the railroad. as a side note they make poor anvils , you see lots of them made but they really don't work well as one.

Good theory! I thought the cut was due to someone sawing through the metal. If it was cracked, and removed from a rail track, then it could be a simple boat anchor (not anvil). I need to dig some strong (long) iron signals (usually piping) at the shore that I ignore to see if there are more rail sections buried near the pier. I have found a few RR spikes that I thought was used for the wharf construction. I can imagine a cart track on top of the wooden planks.

 

[ticndig]

yep dig those long iron signals , I found a nice sword doing just that. most likely your piece was torch cut , sawing would be non productive for a track crew. a boat anchor is a fitting use for such a piece.

 

[boogeyman]

Considering you found it near water, it may have been repurposed as a boat anchor.

My first thought too. Or a weight for a crab/lobster pot/buoy

 

[sprailroad]

Yes to all above. Most all rail today, on Main Line tracks are 136lb rail, as pepperj has shown. (Nice chart there pepperj) . Years ago while still on the job, during the times I was saw operator on steel or new construction gangs, there were a number of rail ends from say 12 to 18" I had given to a few fella's to be used as anvils. Boat anchors? with the bolt hole in that piece and size, it could make a dandy boat anchor. That piece was most likely saw cut. MANY years ago, they did have a reciprocating rail saw, it was slow, it was noisy, and it was heavy, four handle's, two guys to carry it and set it up, it worked. A torch cut rail shows. It being a 6" piece, another piece of used rail most likely had been trimmed off in order to replace the broken rail itself, then drill new holes for the track bolts, the rail then would be in 33' lengths? (Jointed rail) then after drilling, reinstall the joint bars. (Holding the rail ends together) New rail today on main line tracks come in 1/4-mile lengths. (Whole story in itself) 5" width base, small rail, 119lb or smaller. Still used in many older small rail yards today, much from early 1900's. Cutting rail today is much better. Instead of gas-powered saws, (back killers) they are hydraulic now, Faster and better in general, good for trimming rail and used on smaller crews, and "Bear" saws, for production gangs. (Another story there). That piece is toasted, but on jointed rail, on the side of each piece, they will show the year and month and place or company of manufactory. If you see ////// those are the month that rail was made, those six slash marks being June. Whew... Too much information fellas I know. It's just that SELDOM does something comes up that I can actually contribute to, except pull tabs and foil perhaps.

 

[AKSasquatch]

Agree with ticndig, on a cut out section of cracked track even though the upper crack is very straight, it looks more like a crack than a saw mark to me, just opened up more when the track flexed and then heat changes near where the hole was made caused the crack to change direction. Any commercial operation like that would have a large anvil around more likely to be used. Small rail anvils are normally shaped a bit to allow different radius bends. They do work for light gauge work, but actually work better if a 3' length or so is used vertically, smaller pounding area but more resistance, you want as much mass as possible under where the hammer falls.

 

[releventchair]

Stress fracture wouldn't be a surprise.

Folks been discarding stuff in the water a long time.

Repurposed the piece could have been used for lots of things. From tightening lose rivets or fixing dents as a backer plate to a weight for lots of things.
Holding a tarp or canvas down . Anchor for a tiny craft or to keep a single anchored small craft from turning.
A weight for a small buoy or marker.
A drown set for a trap.
Trotline weight.
Heck , a weight to submerge a bag or box of perishables or rope to chill some beer.