Re: Anyone know what what this is?

The rail brace proceeded the common use of tie plates permitting more spikes to hold the rail. Early photo of Veta Pass track show a brace on field side of every second or third tie. There is only room for two spikes against the field side of the rail, but the rail brace is built for 3 spikes and it was desired on sharp or any curves. Using the brace, each tie could handle 10 spikes to hold the rail in position. The most common brace was for 30# rail and were cast with shape that fit snugly between the rail base and the head and help prevent the rail from turning over. When the ties got bad they were also added to the gage side of the rail as the spikes could find better wood and boxed the rail in with solid braces on both sides of the rail. This all preceded the design and purpose of the tie plate. A tie plate is not only to spread the weight of the equipment on more surface of the wood tie, but is to provide more places to add spikes that would increase the hold of the rail to gage. Tie plates were invented by thousands of patent holders hoping to find the best design. The recent plates have a cant, and double shoulder lips that fit against the base of the rails and many places for spikes positions as the conditions require.