What was the golden spike ceremony?
This iconic photograph records the celebration marking the completion of the first transcontinental railroad lines at Promontory Summit, Utah, on May 10, 1869, when Leland Stanford, co-founder of the Central Pacific Railroad, connected the eastern and western sections of the railroad with a golden spike.
Where is the railroad golden spike?
Palo Alto
Where is the “real” golden spike? It is located in Palo Alto, California. Leland Stanford’s brother-in-law, David Hewes, had the spike commissioned for the Last Spike ceremony. Since it was privately owned it went back to California to David Hewes.
How many actual spikes were used at the ceremony and what materials were used to make them?
More Than One Spike? A little digging will reveal that there were in fact four precious-metal spikes used in the ceremony: two of gold, one of gold and silver, and one of silver. None of them, however, was actually “driven” into the tie to complete the job, and for good reason, as we’ll soon see.
What did the golden spike have engraved on it?
His gold “Last Spike” was engraved with the inscription, “May God continue the unity of our Country as this Railroad unites the two great Oceans of the world.”
Who nailed the Golden Spike?
Governor Leland Stanford
In an early example of a staged media event, two locomotives sat a mere rail tie apart from each other as crowds of people looked on. Railroad financier and former California Governor Leland Stanford drove a single golden spike into the final tie with a silver hammer.
Is it illegal to have a railroad spike?
No. In the US, Railroad Police would consider spike removal as theft and as criminal damage to rail property. Because it could lead to a derailment, a typical charge in other countries might be “Rail Sabotage”. Certainly not – it’s theft for starters and would lead to you being prosecuted if you were caught.
Is the original transcontinental railroad still in use?
Population and cities began to boom along the tracks. While much of the original transcontinental railroad tracks are still in use, the complete, intact line fell out of operation in 1904, when a shorter route bypassed Promontory Summit.
Are railroad spikes worth anything?
If you buy them online, used railroad spikes cost ROUGHLY (it will fluctuate) $. 80/spike to $1.30/spike – this doesn’t include shipping. Buying in bulk will get you a lower per unit price and will generally save you money on shipping.
Is it illegal to sell old railroad spikes?
Scrap metal yards are forbidden by state law to accept these items at our facilities. Common utility scrap includes materials such as: Railroad track materials or railroad equipment such as railroad spikes, angle bars, tie plates, signal housing, control boxes, switch plates, or rail tie junctions.
Is it illegal to own railroad spikes?
Since it’s illegal to be on the tracks – CP/CN could charge you with trespassing for being on the tracks so it’s pretty much a certainty that it’s illegal to take spikes too. You could always try and contact a local CP shop to see if they would give you some.
What was the purpose of the railroad spikes?
The plate has a very wide horizontal base, usually with four holes on each side for spikes to hold the rail and then fasten everything to the tie. Once forced into place the plate provides more lateral support and also helps hold the rail to correct gauge.
Who was on the train that carried the Golden Spike?
The Jupiter leads the train that carried the spike, Leland Stanford, one of the “Big Four” owners of the Central Pacific Railroad, and other railway officials to the Golden Spike Ceremony. This section needs additional citations for verification.
Where did the Golden Spike ceremony take place?
The Golden Spike Ceremony, which took place May 10, 1869, was held at Promontory Summit, Utah Territory. During that Ceremony, four special spikes were presented.
When did the wedding of the rails take place?
Their agreement called for the transfer, for a price, of 47.5 miles (76.4 kilometers) of track east of that point from the Union Pacific to the Central Pacific, and for the building of a jointly operated terminal. The actual “wedding of the rails” took place on May 10, 1869.