Welding methods and articles are disclosed for securing railroad rails to supporting surfaces including a retaining stud, an arc shield for use in welding the retaining stud, a rail clip for securing the rail and tools for installing and removing the clip. The retaining stud is a T-shaped stud with a rectangular stem and head, the under surface of which forms an arcuate reaction surface. The stud is welded by the arc stud welding technique in which the method of controlled time and current controls the ultimate weld height and angulation of the stud. The welding is in conjunction with an arc shield, the face of which is complementary to the surface being welded and which includes a weld fillet cavity configured to provide constant weld fillet volume. The rail clip is generally U-shaped with a straight backed heel. In a preferred embodiment, the upper and lower limbs overlie one another and are bifurcated and straddle and cooperate with the stem of the stud. The upper toes include depressions which engage the head of the stud. The outer extremities of the lower toes are reaction surfaces which engage the rail and include upward deflections which engage the arcuate depressions upon deflection to provide a spring rate change.