Railroad "Thing"

[Noah_D]

Howdy folks! I haven't posted much lately as my pp has been at Garrett for repairs and I haven't been doing much hunting but I stumbled across this earlier today while out hiking. It was in the water near a bridge that has had a railroad since at least the mid-1800s and we eyeballed it. It's about 8 feet tall. If anyone has any ideas of what it is please feel free to share!

Happy hunting!


ALSO, this better be something good as I carried it about two miles back to the car.

 

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[pa plateau hiker]

Don't know, but I like it. I would have carried it 3 miles.

 

[ticndig]

Rail car brake stick or coupling alignment tool.

 

[DCMatt]

Rail car brake stick or coupling alignment tool.

AKA a shunting pole. Shunting was dangerous work. A shunting pole allowed the shunter to reach between wagons (cars) to fasten and unfasten couplings without having physically to go between the vehicles.

 

[Tony in SC]

For cleaning the soot and carbon from the outside of the boiler tubes?

 

[ArfieBoy]

Don't know, but I like it. I would have carried it 3 miles.

I don't know myself, but I think I might have carried it 2 and 1/2 miles! LOL!

Congratulations on such a strange find!

 

[Noah_D]

Thanks to you all! I appreciate all the suggestions, that gives me a good starting point for research! I also texted a picture to someone I know from a local historical society and she said she'd have her son look at it. I'll update y'all if she or her son has any good ideas.

 

[DCMatt]

For cleaning the soot and carbon from the outside of the boiler tubes?

I think Tony is correct. It's for pulling coal clinkers or raking ashes out of the firebox.

It isn't sturdy enough for a shunting pole.