A rail maintenance anchor spreader/squeezer work head includes a work head frame, a pair of sliding brackets laterally reciprocating on the frame, each bracket having an anchor engaging end, and a pair of opposed fluid power cylinders secured to the frame, each cylinder connected to a respective one of the sliding brackets for laterally reciprocating the sliding brackets for any one of anchor squeezing, when both cylinders are extended, and anchor spreading when at least one of the cylinders is retracted.