Mike Hales - Tamper inventor + fabricator in Texas

Doug Calicchio’s tamper before it was shipped to him

Mike Hales is a hobbyist and rail fan who lives in Texas. He has been using the same tamper prototype for 15 years!

Mike does not currently have a web page of his own. I put this page up to share with our club members.

Mike can be reached via :

Here is Doug’s tamper under test before all the covers were installed. Mike Ward did a loose time-motion flow study of the video below and estimates that you could tamp ~1,500’ - 2,000’ in a long day.

Mike Hales said “New track in Texas. My prototype at work.  Friend’s son doing light tamping with my 15 year old prototype.  He needs further instruction on operation. Should plunge 2 to 4 times per tie.”