Datenail
Encyclopedia
Datenails were tagging devices utilized by railroads
to visually identify the age of a railroad tie
. Different railroads used different sized nails with either alpha or numerical markings. An example would be a Southern Pacific Railroad
nail with the marking "01" stamped on the head of the nail. The "01" would identify the nail as being hammered into a railroad tie in the year 1901.
Datenail use has dropped dramatically since the mid-20th century and the advent of more modern maintenance of way equipment. Ties are no longer marked in this manner in North American practice, and the nails themselves are now sought after by railroadiana
collectors. The Southern Railway
never made use of datenails.
Datenails are also found on utility pole
s, sometimes in conjunction with a nail showing the height of the pole in feet. The types of nails may have distinguishing characteristics, such as the datenail having raised digits and the "height nail" having incised digits. The pole height will be a multiple of five (e.g., "35" or "40").
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
to visually identify the age of a railroad tie
Railroad tie
A railroad tie/railway tie , or railway sleeper is a rectangular item used to support the rails in railroad tracks...
. Different railroads used different sized nails with either alpha or numerical markings. An example would be a Southern Pacific Railroad
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
nail with the marking "01" stamped on the head of the nail. The "01" would identify the nail as being hammered into a railroad tie in the year 1901.
Datenail use has dropped dramatically since the mid-20th century and the advent of more modern maintenance of way equipment. Ties are no longer marked in this manner in North American practice, and the nails themselves are now sought after by railroadiana
Railroadiana
Railroadiana or railwayana refers to artifacts of currently or formerly operating railways around the world. Railroadiana can include items such as:* public or employee timetables...
collectors. The Southern Railway
Southern Railway (US)
The Southern Railway is a former United States railroad. It was the product of nearly 150 predecessor lines that were combined, reorganized and recombined beginning in the 1830s, formally becoming the Southern Railway in 1894...
never made use of datenails.
Datenails are also found on utility pole
Utility pole
A utility pole is a pole used to support overhead power lines and various other public utilities, such as cable, fibre optic cable, and related equipment such as transformers and street lights. It can be referred to as a telephone pole, power pole, hydro pole, telegraph pole, or telegraph post,...
s, sometimes in conjunction with a nail showing the height of the pole in feet. The types of nails may have distinguishing characteristics, such as the datenail having raised digits and the "height nail" having incised digits. The pole height will be a multiple of five (e.g., "35" or "40").