Elastic Spike Extractor - experiences?

We don't use 'macbeth' spikes. Our are the inverted 'J' variety.

 

Most of what you describe we have now already learnt the hard way One thing I'm looking into is a way of fettling the plates to remove the rust and crud from the holes before attempting to hammer the spikes back in after changing the sleeper. A 3/4 in broach is looking favourite at the moment unless anyone has a better (tried and tested) method.

 

As has been said a couple of times, don't do it, scrap them and put in pan baseplates.
I know the answer is money but after a few years in the track you will not be able to Tamp them with the spikes loosing grip.

There was a conversion kit to enable an AS screw with springs and a steel plate to be inserted in one hole with a spike in another.
Not sure what it is called as we got rid of all spikes years ago and not needed to know about them now.
Just checked in a maintenance manual an LC - low cost clip was developed but not sure if it is available anywhere.

 

Would it be possible to use a Hi-lift farm jack with an adaptor to remove the spikes?

Have used them for lifting/moving some fairly big bits of machinery and trees in the past- also as a winch?

Regards

Chris

 

Possibly but the correct tool exists and we have one.

 

Yes that would be lovely but requires £££ we don’t have.

 

Hi, I ordered one of those steel wedges on Tuesday and it has arrived today. If all goes well I will try it on Saturday and let you know if it’s any good.

 

We use the J spikes too at Jameson Rd. We’ve only just started to fettle the track so we haven’t got much money to throw about either!

 

Yes we already have the wedges too - they come with the puller device and will free about 80% of the jammed spikes that the puller won't shift. The few that we can't get out we work around - either spin the plate out from under the rail, or pull the sleeper out and remove the plate after - all depends on how many seized spikes you have and in what combination.

 

Page 32 of this booklet describes the clip.
https://www.thepwi.org/technical_hu...eral_guides/creep_in_jointed_track_guide_2000

 

Thanks Bryan - rather like the RD clips we have elsewhere in concrete sleepers with wooden inserts. Unfortunately the spikes we extracting are from life-expired sleepers. In fact one way around some of the seized spikes is simply to split the sleeper apart.

 

Iv'e printed it out as there is quite a lot useful information contained on various subjects, cheers pal.

 

It is a false economy to fit scrap obsolete baseplates and elastic spikes to brand new sleepers, it sounds like your real problem is not being able to afford to maintain the track in the first place.

 

In an ideal world we would rip up the entire track and replace it with new rails and sleepers, however the cash available does to extend to that.

In the real world we have to to do the best we can and the sleepers we are replacing have been in place for 50 years. If our work means it remains safely usable for another 20 years that sounds good to me.

 

We have all got to start somewhere, after all BR seemed to think it was alright to run mainline locos on it in the past. I can't see the problem in using them if the base plates and pins are ok aswell as the sleepers being fit for purpose.

 

Changing out life-expired sleepers IS maintaining track.

 

Quite so, but if you have to reuse that track fastening system you can buy brand new elastic spikes which are a low cost item and fit them in the old baseplates after cutting out the old ones if they are stuck or have lost their spring.

 

Hi Sheff,

If you want a few spare BR1 plates come and see us at Wirksworth when you can. We've got lots, got anything to swap?

Tim

 

Hi Tim,

Thanks, I’ll pass that on.

What sort of stuff are you looking for?

Hopefully be back on track next month, can’t remember the last time I was there!

Sheff

 

Hi Tim,

We have a few BR1 in stock but we generally use the Pandrol clip type now. Thanks for the offer though.