ECE 480: Design Team 4
Cracked Rail Spike Detector

Project Description

Railroad spikes occasionally break over time due to the immense amount of tension on the tracks. The spikes tend to break one to two inches from the head of the spike making it difficult to detect visually because the flaw lies within the railroad tie. When the crack goes completely through the spike, the bottom of the spike has to be driven out through the bottom of the tie causing more work and making it harder to fill the hole in the tie with a new spike. These spikes are replaced constantly to ensure the safety of the tracks.

The current system of testing consists of hammering the top of the spike lightly and listening to the sound produced. This method is very efficient at detecting if there is a complete crack through the spike but it does not address the issue of the presence of a minor crack. The goal of the cracked rail spike detector is the determine if there is a crack in the spike that has not broken all the way through as well as detecting complete breaks in the spike. This device would allow for railroad technicians to pull the spike before it cracks completely through.