A rail crow bar is a tool specifically designed to pry up and remove spikes. Its shape and size allow the user to easily pry or remove spikes from the road surface. Generally, one end of the rail crow bar has an opening that matches the size and shape of the spike head so that it can be firmly clamped. The other end is a lever that the user can use to pry up or remove the spike.

When using a rail crow bar, the user needs to first clamp the head of the spike with the open end, and then use the principle of leverage to pry up or remove the spike by applying force. The lever part of the rail crow bar usually has a certain length, which can increase the force applied by the user, making it easier to pry up or remove the spike.