Reamer / Drill from Railroad

[How Lucky]

Found this last week in a rail yard and was wondering if I could get some information on it. Its a double ended bit and its 6 1/4" long. You can see markings on it in the photos.
So my questions are, is it a reamer or a drill? What kind of drill press would use a bit like that. Anyone recognize the makers logo?
Thanks

 

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[cudamark]

Could be the end of a star drill or jack hammer bit.

 

[stephaniekadman]

Looks like the cutting tip of a boring bar to me. The center channel would allow the cutting fluid access.

 

[desertexplorer]

It appears to be a raised bead or rib instead of a channel running the length of the bit...

 

[Jim in Idaho]

It's a 'D' bit for drilling through the tracks. I found one exactly like it a couple of years ago. very hard tool steel.
Jim
EDIT.....actually I got that wrong. The shape is more what's typically called a 'gun' drill. But, the purpose is the same. The railroad must use a special drill that the bit can be easily removed and replaced...some sort of clamp mechanism to hold the bit.

 

[stephaniekadman]

Looks like this but bigger. I can't find the book I seen it in before. But it's a portable clamp drill one was steam powered and the other had a belt system and combustion engine for its power source

 

[How Lucky]

I would assume a flat bit was for cost savings over a round bit. They got a double ended bit and must have been a breeze to sharpen.

 

[Jim in Idaho]

They are easy to sharpen, but not double ended. The chuck that holds them isn't round, like the one pictured. I sharpened the one I found, and got it razor sharp. Good tool steel. I'm sure it wasn't old. Steel was too good. The reason they get away with no flutes is that they're made for drilling through relatively thin steel...like the web of a railroad track. Don't need to evacuate chips.
Jim

 

[Gambrinus]

What JiminIdaho said, they are for drilling the head or web in railroad rails.

https://www.icscuttingtools.com/Railroad.htm

 

[Tnmountains]

When I worked for the rail road we had a large drill that would clamp to the rail after we marked the holes for the plate. The drill could be slid sideways for the 4 holes of the plate. We used round bits and lots of oil as it was one slow speed.
Interesting find..