So, the Rochester & Genesee RR Museum is slowly working on restoring its Saxby & Farmer interlocking machine ... saved by volunteers some 20+ years ago. See Oct 2008 and Nov 2008 issues of the Semaphore for details on the machine.

In a bucket of bolts & other small hardware was this one piece as pictured below. Its about 5 inches long; is bent and flattened at the one end with a hole in the middle for bolting it down (presumably). The other end is flattened; and notched. It appears as though it may have been forged.

Possible thoughts was it was for a "kick gard" at the front, so an operator would not pinch their foot on the lever; or possibly some support for covering the logic bed with canvas.

Any ideas?