Rail spike, also known as a cut spike or crampon, is a large nail which is used to fix rails fastening system to railroad in the track. The main function is to keep the rail in gauge.On smaller scale jobs spikes are still driven into wooden sleepers by hammering them with a spike maul. Thought this manual work has been largely replaced by hydraulic tools and machines. 

Dog spike, also called cut track spike, is often used to fasten T-shaped railway track to wooden sleepers, to secure a rail tie plate to the ties in track, which has a pointed penetrating head with square shank, and the underside of the spike head is sloped to compromise the top of the rail base.

Rail spike is roughly chisel-shaped and with a flat edged point; the spike is driven with the edge perpendicular to the grain, which gives greater resistance to loosening. The main function is to keep the rail in gauge. When attaching tie plates the attachment is made as strong as possible,whereas when attaching a rail to tie or tie plate the spike is not normally required to provide a strong vertical force, allowing the rail some freedom of movement. 

Dog spikes is functionally equivalent to a cut spike and is also square in horizontal section and of similar dimensions, but has a pointed penetrating end, and the rail head has two lugs on either side, giving the impression of a dog's head and aiding spike removal.

At our Rail Spike factory, Dog spikes of various sizes are available to meet the customized requirements of penetrating length of the spikes. The most popular track spikes are the 5/8” ×6” and 9/16” ×5-1/2” for smaller rail sections, especially in North America, especially US market, and they are usually packed in either 200lbs, 100lbs or 50lbs kegs.

AREMA road spike sizes: 5/8"×6", 3/8"×3",3/8"×3-1/2",1/2"×4-1/2 ",5/8"×5-1/2" and so on.