Tie Clamps

I always thought they kept ties from shifting around.  Interesting.  Or perhaps we are talking about different things?  The parts iny my pic are like curly staples on each side of the tie.  I have also seen bars attached tightly to both rails.  Not common around here.

Mike

Wyhog is correct. The rail anchors help keep the rail in place thru all the train traffic and also help with rail shrinkage in the winter and expansion in the summer. Without them, the track would be all over the place.

Usually the the pattern is every tie for for a specified number of feet or ties in by directions of fixed objest in the track. The fixed objects are by not always limited to, switches, some bridges, railroad diamonds, some curves and road crossings over a certain length.

Gene

So what is the advantage of uses the curvy spikes that bolt to the wooden ties through plate?

The anchors I see are often loose...not sure how that keeps the rail from sliding.

The "curvy spikes" are Pandrol rail clips.  The Pandrol plate is bolted into the tie, the rail is laid onto the plate, and the clips are driven through raised bands on the plate.  The clips then fasten the rail to the tie, instead of doing it with spikes.

Pandrol clips are particularly liked on curves, where the lateral force placed on the rail does not cause progressive loosening as it does with spikes.  Usually, once installed, they are maintenance-free for the lifetime of the tie.