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This is a photo of the actual steel rod driven by John Henry and his steel driving crew mentioned in the story by E. L. Voyles.  Notice the portal of Oak Tunnel in the background.  Columbus and Western opened Oak Tunnel for service on July 1, 1888 when train 61 rolled through steaming for Birmingham.  A construction train pulled by locomotive number CRR 112 hauled newspaper reporters through Oak Tunnel on June 20th, 1888 to cover a story on driving the "Silver Spike" 400 feet west of  Coosa Tunnel.  This marked the first time anyone besides railroad employees had passed through the tunnel made famous by the race between John Henry and the steam powered rock drill.  The Silver Spike symbolized the completion of the railroad from Savannah to Birmingham.  This picture was published in the "Right Way" magazine in October of 1930.  The "Right Way" was the employee magazine for Central of Georgia.