Finding an oddly shaped rail spike in Australia was the start of a trail of discovery through a field of railway technology where hardly anybody had worked systematically before.

From many known and unknown places a huge number of artefacts were gathered which had in common that they all had to do with fastening rails to "something". Also that something on which the rails had to be fastened showed a field betraying its secrets only after precise investigations.

Who knew of sleepers made from asbestos, who should mix saw-dust in his concrete to allow trains to have a softer ride, the sleeper reinforced with barbed wire?

Thousands of inventions were developed through the years to improve the track of railways and tramways or to make it cheaper. Success was variable.

Increasing requirements such as higher axle loads and higher speed led to a series of development again, enlarging the gamut of rail fastenings.

And then the reduction of railway noise, always regarded as a nuisance and therefore always more classified as unavoidable.

During the trail of discovery a fascinating part of unknown railway technology is presented.