Spike maul

Description

Spike mauls are akin to sledge hammers, typically weighing from 8 to with handles 30 to long. They have elongated double faced hardened steel heads. The head is typically over 12 in long to allow the user to drive spikes on the opposite side of the rail without breaking the handle.

Some spike mauls have symmetrical heads, but most have a slightly longer thinner side and a shorter larger diameter side of equal weight. The long side allows a user to spike over abnormally tall rails, and to drive spikes down next to highway crossing planks. The shorter side provides more surface area which requires less accuracy for normal spiking.

There are two typical patterns of spike mauls:

• Bell: The more common, bell spike mauls are mostly cylindrical in shape.
• Standard: Which feature a square cross section, and a squared tapered end opposite the normal driving face.

Handles are often ash or hickory, but lesser wood species in economy handles, and nonconductive fiberglass (valuable in work on electrified track), are also found.

Almost all modern spike mauls take a standard 36 in oval eye sledge hammer handle.

Use

Brands

Brands of spike mauls include Slug-Devil, Tamco and Warwood.

References

• Tartman, E.E. Russel, Railway Track and Track Work, McGraw-Hill 1909
• Camp, Walter Mason, Notes on Track, Self Published 1904