Simplex Railroad Jacks 2

[Matt McCann]

I think these are railroad jacks.  They say Simplex on them and Chicago, IL.   They also say S325 but when I google the S325, I get nothing.  Any input would be appreciated.  Anyone collect these that could give them a good home?  I do not.

Matt

[Matt McCann]

Here is a pic. 

[jimwrench]

I believe Simplex made railroad jacks. I was a Gandy Dancer in 1950 and even then we used jacks that were aluminum alloy and I think your jack is older than that. We had some steel jacks that we didn't use unless our aluminum jacks were in for repair but as I recall they looked more modern than your jacks. I may not have total recall of 65 years ago but thats my best recollection.

[Northwoods]

I spent a couple summers replacing ties on the RR in the 60's and got really good at tamping gravel and pounding spikes.
Unfortunately, our jacks were steel.  Good times!
I keep thinking I will run across a spike hammer, but haven't yet. 

[Yadda]

That set would make a dandy matched set of lamps for some decorator.  (I know heresy.)

[EVILDR235]

I believe i have a railroad hammer in my shop. OL is 31-1/2 inches long . Head is 12 inches wide. The whole tool was painted black. It weighs 10.8 pounds according to my scale. On to of the head there appears to be some tar or creosote.  I will list it in the for sale forum if anybody is interested in it. Here is some pictures.

EvilDr235

[Aunt Phil]

OK, those ain't jacks, they're helper conditioners.

You get a helper who doesn't listen and execute, you have him (or her today) grab a pair of those and follow you around ALL day.  NEVER use the aluminum jacks for Conditioning.

On a serious note,, ALL ratcheting post jack manufacturers make 2 varietys and they look alike. 
The variety made for lifting and lowering everything ratchets the load DOWN 1 notch per stroke of the handle.
RAILROAD jacks drop the load all the way to the bottom with 1 stroke of the handle.

If you don't understand the difference, grab onto those jacks in the picture and follow me.

[Bill Houghton]

RAILROAD jacks drop the load all the way to the bottom with 1 stroke of the handle.

If you don't understand the difference, grab onto those jacks in the picture and follow me.

Which probably teaches you right fast to look where your feet are before you move that handle.

[JohnD]

The good aluminum railroad jacks are still in demand with some folks, at least they are worth buying when they turn up at auctions to sell on eBay, even with shipping cost, I can usually make $100 on one of them. There is a notch that will drop the load entirely but there is a way to go down one notch at a time with them but it involves a kind of double shuffle on the 2 control levers.