The Gold Spike on Your Model Railroad

Golden Spike ceremony reenactment at Golden Spike National Historic Park at Promontory, Utah, August 2019. —Otto M. Vondrak

The Gold Spike on Your Model Railroad

April 2023The mere mention of a “golden spike” conjures up myriad images: men in top hats and women in their finery; a band playing upbeat tunes; children frolicking; and dignitaries making speeches. And, of course, trains. Typically nose-to-nose, signifying completion of railroad construction — or at least part of it.

The same holds true for our scale model railroads. The completion of a main line in real life or in our basement is a major accomplishment. And just like the prototype, many modelers celebrate the occasion of connecting the segments with a ceremony and a gold spike. Friends are invited to witness the driving of that special spike and a feeling of convivial solidarity is pervasive. Even if your main line – or the layout itself – is complete, you can still have a gold spike ceremony and your own monument to mark the spot.

Our operating group is fortunate to have among its members a retired jeweler from one of the oldest firms in central Ohio. Richard Argo is not only a knowledgeable operator and authority on Chesapeake & Ohio history, but he also crafts special spikes on request. And these aren’t just any spikes: They’re made from 14-karat gold!

“I find the easiest way to make a gold spike is to start with a pierced earring post,” Argo said. “There’s a notch in the post that allows it to engage with the back and that’s my starting point to bend the post to a 90-degree angle for the spike head. Then I flatten it by squeezing with pliers.” A post is typically 5/16” long, so drilling a #70 hole is suggested to drive the spike. “That will be snug to the rail so no glue is needed,” he added. Since gold is a soft metal, it’s a good idea to push gently so as not to bend it.

One of those spikes is featured where Pennsylvania Railroad modeler Chris Walsh joined his 212 feet of main line. “After discussing it with my wife Deborah, we decided to make this milestone a celebration, not just of the layout but the modeling crew who helped me make this possible,” Walsh said. Crew members and their wives were treated to the ceremony and light refreshments, along with good conversation.

Marking the site of the golden spike is an HO monument made from a Bachmann Center Square model (no. 42218). Chris intends to add a large railroad spike, painted gold, on top of the monument which will be painted to look like marble. Also at the site is a surprise from crew member Howdy Lambrecht – a scale replica of the one at Promontory Point, replete with a 48-star American flag which is consistent with the era Walsh is modeling (1947-1952). But unlike the Promontory one, this strip wood model features a prominent Pennsy Keystone.

From the time Walsh installed his first piece of benchwork to the gold spike, it took only 14 months to finish the main line. “This could only happen because of the tons of help I got from a group of talented modeling friends who pitched in during weekly work sessions,” Chris said. “This is a monument to the guys who made this happen.”

Another modeler in the group who had his own gold spike ceremony is Mike Wolf, whose West Valley Union Railroad was the cover story in the November 2015 issue of Railroad Model Craftsman. Since the WVURR has a strong PRR presence, Pennsy steam and diesel locomotives met nose-to-nose at the site where the gold spike was driven.

“The gold spike, made by Dick Argo, signified that the main and most of the branch was finished, and I wanted to share it with the guys who helped with the construction and planning,” he said, adding he held the ceremony during his regular Tuesday night operating session.
Mike used a monument base from Preiser for his HO scale marker after removing a figure from on top and replacing it with a spike made from styrene, painted gold. As scenery progressed, he added a commemorative park at the site, complete with fencing, picnic tables and a place for visitors to park.

When the most notable gold spike ceremony took place in May 1869, the nation was entranced by the event. Church bells rang, whistles blew and crowds surged around telegraph offices to hear those famous dots and dashes spell out, “Done.” It was an event covered by newspapers across the country. While we can’t expect that our own gold spike ceremonies will receive such attention, we can invite friends and family to witness the event. It may not match the original 1869 ceremony, but it’s your railroad, so celebrate your way.

—Scott Williamson


April 2023This article appeared in the April 2023 issue of Railroad Model Craftsman. Subscribe Today!

This article was posted on: March 17, 2023