The Road to Confederation: An Analysis of the Railway Spike Artifact

This essay provides an analytical discussion of the railway spike, a significant artifact used during the construction of Canada's railway system. It highlights the spike's role in overcoming construction challenges and its symbolic importance as a marker of both commencement and completion of the railway. The essay explores the spike's material composition, historical context (1881-1885), and its impact on Canada's political, social, cultural, and economic landscape. It discusses the spike's contribution to industrialization, urbanization, and the development of new markets, while also acknowledging the social issues related to labor conditions during railway construction. The essay concludes by emphasizing the railway spike's lasting legacy in Canadian history and its role in the development of a transcontinental system.

HISTORY

Introduction
The essay brings out an analytical discussion on Artefact named railway spike. This spike
was used during the construction of railway system of Canada. This spike had protected the
railway from the sinking problems and construction in rock and plain areas. Further, the first
spike was a symbol of commencement of construction and last spike was the symbol of
completion of railway that had been considered as a victory in the history of Canada. The
introduction of spike had played significant place in Canadian history. Apart from this, spike
had affected political, social, cultural, social, and environmental conditions of the country
(Armbruster, & Anderson, 1984).
A railway spike was named as dog spike which looked like an L-shaped head and a square
shaped bar. The L-shaped head was sloped in order to fit the upper surface of the rail base. In
addition to this, spikes was of various sizes that can lead to meet different requirements by
penetrating length of the spikes. The size of the railroad spike was decided by numerous
factors that included the kind of wood used for linking and to track the weight. In order to
construct the rail track, spikes used about 30 million iron for constructing the railway line. It
was made up of different materials such as Q235 carbon steel, Q345D carbon steel, GB
standard carbon steel, 35CrMoA, and 40CrMoA steel and 20MnTiB.
The railway spike was made in 1885 and it was used for the completion of transcontinental
railway. Railway spike was used when the first railway was built between the eastern Canada
and the British Columbia between 1881 and 1885 (Berton, 2010). The finance manager of
Canadian pacific railway used the last spike in 1885 in order to complete the transcontinental
line. The company had begun expanding from westward, bonfield, Ontari and the spike was
used to uplift the sinking railway tie. In 2002, Bonfield suggested to hammer the first spike in
the Canadian railway hall of fame. Further, CPR, which was headed by George Stephen and

was being constructed in 1881. Completion of railway was one of the greatest engineering
feats. The main purpose of using the spike was to support the newly constructed railway
system. The railway spike was needed as the construction was across the plains and even the
construction through the muskeg and rock of the Canadian was equally difficult as due to
presence of mountains at the British Columbia (Berton, 2010).
The use of railway spikes for the construction of railway in 1881-1885 played a crucial role
in process of industrialisation, opening new markets, or collaborating the markets with an aim
to create demand for iron, fuel, locomotives, and steel. While evaluating the social culture of
the Canada, it is noticed that entrepreneurs started investing in manufacturing almost that had
went in the operation of railway (Calder, 2017). Moreover, railways had positive impact on
the level of employment. Several small towns had become railway service and maintenance
centre on which huge population is dependent on railway shops. While evaluating the
infrastructure, railway had significant impact on physical characteristics of hotels and
industries in the Canadian cities, which were built after the construction of railways. Railway
was the central feature of urbanisation. Use of railway spike had led to changes in social,
political, cultural, and economic environment of Canada. Famous zone system helped to
overcome the confusion of clocks that differ from community from community (Carpenter, &
Lohmann, 1989). The time when Canadian pacific railway company incorporated in 1881 and
on the same side the use of railway spike was identified. While evaluating the social
condition, it was clearly visible that during construction, labourer condition was miserable
also including 15000 Chinese temporary labourers. Moreover, the railway in Canada had
availed communication and transportation to the people (Irvine, 2018).
Some of the political condition that affected the railway spike and was also being affected by
political conditions. The government was finding difficulties in constructing the railways
especially economically but the last spike was the symbol of completion of railway

construction. It was considered as a symbol of national unity. The last spike was a
conventional iron spike that is identical to many other used in the line construction but silver
spike was created for the Governor General who was to be represented at the ceremony
because he returned with a spike when the railway was facing the problems related to
drowning. Another iron spike was used to provide iron to make some symbolic jewellery for
the wives of the officials. In future, it was placed in museum; the government had faced
controversy due to potential cultural, political, and economic impact of entry of the Chinese
workers. Finally, the government had passed Chinese immigration Act that had established
“head tax” for entering to the Chinese Origin but the government had not allowed them yet to
vote (MacBeth, 1924).
The railway spike had made successful construction of railway in Canada. Further, it was
used for initial stage and at the final stage of construction that had helped to uplift the
drowning rail. The railway spike was significant for the promotion of railway system in
Canada. The purpose of constructing railways was to develop transcontinental system (Xiao,
2016). Moreover, it was a promise to the British Columbia for its entry into the confederation
because connection between eastern Canada with the British Columbia had played an
important role while developing the nation. Form the political view; it was an important day
for the country as the last spike was a symbol of finishing process. The Canadian pacific
railway had finished the laying track for the Canada’s first transcontinental railway. The
company`s director was honoured of using this spike haul (Rossum, 2001).
Conclusion
From the above informative essay, it can be concluded that the railway spike had left
perpetual imprint in the history of Canada. Socially, it was clearly seen that the country had
provided the facilities to the Chinese labourers but not the right to vote. This silver spike was

about to hammer by the Governor of Canada as a last spike as a symbol of completion of
Canadian pacific railroad (CPR) but to poor weather and business forces, the governor used
the regular iron spike.

References
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