Central Vermont Railroad

[djkeev]

Vacationed in North Eastern Vermont this past week and stumbled upon this hacked off piece of rail. I think it had been used as a boat bouy anchor in the Lake but now was cast aside in a pile of debris awaiting Mother Earth to reclaim it.

I figured the good Mother would appreciate me having an anvil in my garage!

The railroad hasn't operated since 1995 and began in Operation in 1848.

My rail is well worn, must have been on a curve maybe? The top edge is chewed away on one side and mushroomed over on the opposite side, "flow" is the accepted term for the deformation.

It is the end piece with holes drilled through for the track joint plates.

I don't think it is real old for it has what I believe to be a grounding lug fastened to it.

Now to decide how to modify this find into an anvil that suits my modest needs......

Dave

 

[mercman86]

Thats a pretty neat find. If you're going to use it as an anvil, make sure you use hearing protection! The resulting noise from a rail getting struck by a hammer or other metal instrument will make a ring that can cause hearing damage due to its overall construction vs a real anvil.

 

[Provincial]

Here is an example of what you are shooting for. I found this one in a scrap metal yard. It has some rust on the top that I'm going to machine off, then polish. Other than that, it seems pretty sound.

Whoever made it knew what they were doing. I think the flat was machined below the area of the horn and the horn was ground to blend in. The horn is higher than the working flat. Notice the hardy and pritchel holes are very well done.

It has a nice ring to it. I can see why you'd want ear protection!

The base of the rail is 6" wide and the original rail would have been at least 7" high.

I can email you high resolution photos if you would like.

Jock

 

[Outlawmws]

Provincial, that one was Very well done! I like how someone also put in a Hardy hole! that's rare for a rail anvil!

If you are going to go for the new machined top you might put a central piece on it by adding a steel plate (anvils often had the horn lower than the top surface) and round the horn a bit.

 

[Provincial]

If you are going to go for the new machined top you might put a central piece on it by adding a steel plate (anvils often had the horn lower than the top surface) and round the horn a bit.

That would be nice, but then I would have to match up the hardy and pritchel holes!

 

[Outlawmws]

Or just stop the stepped top just short of the hardy hole.

 

[Provincial]

Or just stop the stepped top just short of the hardy hole.

Yeah, but that wouldn't look like a REAL anvil.