Original Iron Rail

From: "Chris Graves" caliron@cwnet.com

My bride of 42 years is not comfortable with the amount of original iron rail that is currently under the bed. Accordingly, should anyone want some, I offer the following:

UNBRANDED rail, in four inch pieces, cut, polished, and ready for the desk top as a paper-weight or thingdoer:

V & T, pear rail, found near Virginia City. A limited amount is available. Cut from an UNBRANDED bar.

CPRR, original construction, 56 lb pear, found near Emigrant Gap, Cal. This rail did NOT have a brand.

CPRR, pear rail, branded W B, for Waterman & Beaver, Danville, Penna. I cannot find, today, the 1868 purchase records for this rail, however, on the CPRR Museum site there is a record of a letter sent from Huntington to WB, complaining as to short weight. That letter is dated 1874. I do not know whether the rail I have is 1868 or 1874.

CPRR, original construction, from a rail branded RIC 68, found in Eastern Nevada, 56 lb.

Pear rail from the Sacramento Valley Rail Road, running between Sacramento City and Folsom. This is the first commercial railroad in the West. The Pony Express used this railroad for transport of Pony Mail on the West Bound route, when the train and the Pony schedule co-incided. This rail found in 2000 during construction for a new bridge over the American River. This rail on the SVRR grade, found under 14 feet of fill. VERY LIMITED AMOUNT AVAILABLE.

CPRR, from the old grade, cut from a bar branded RIC 66. This rail is NOT 56 lb rail, rather is is lighter, close to 50 or 52 lb rail. While it was found on the CPRR grade, most likely it was used as side track or some other use.

For any of the above, the cost, including cutting, polishing, Priority Mail, is $50. each.

—G J Chris Graves, NewCastle, Cal.
caliron@cwnet.com
phone 916 663 3742