Strange request: Where to find historical maps of train routes?

[iamwiz82]

I'm investigating the Paulding Light right now and was interested in finding out if the road it takes place on was indeed a railroad track at one time. It is a 9.5 hour drive, so going to the county records is out of the question.

 

[Bootprint]

This collection historical maps might at least give what possible railway it was.

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

Best look to the old railroading buffs for that info.

Here in the south western States that info is suppressed because of all the archaeological artifacts around the water wells that the trains required. There was competition with the native peoples for the wells. Their villages, hunting,
farming, tool making and petroglyph's were all near these wells.

Pre-WW2 maps are what you are looking for. An old desert rat, dirt bike rider, I know has maps of Calif & Nevada from the 1930's. Even with the track missing the rail beds stand proud and make off roading by bike or 4wd a snap

These maps are highly prized, good luck in your quest.

 

[kranky]

This is a perfect question to ask a librarian at your library's reference desk. They are great at tracking stuff like that down.

 

[iamwiz82]

I have ridden down old railroad grades before, interesting stuff. Hold on, I believe I have a picture of one.

http://www.infinitemile.com/gallery/twotrack/IMG_0894

It is amazing that so long after this track was torn up, you can still make out the path.

EDIT: I saw that David Rumsey link before, but didn't find anything. I just checked it a second time (110 maps of Michigan :Q) and found one. There were no railroads in the area until the 1860s, and even then, the railroad was way up in Ontonagon. In the 1890's there was a railroad running from Paulding to Watersmeet, but it did not take a direct route, instead it hit Barclay Pond and Interior, both to the east. Unfortunately, I cannot find any newer railroad maps to check on.

 

[Bootprint]

More maps from the Library of Congress. 1828-1900.

 

[Linflas]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
I have ridden down old railroad grades before, interesting stuff. Hold on, I believe I have a picture of one.

http://www.infinitemile.com/gallery/twotrack/IMG_0894

It is amazing that so long after this track was torn up, you can still make out the path.

EDIT: I saw that David Rumsey link before, but didn't find anything. I just checked it a second time (110 maps of Michigan :Q) and found one. There were no railroads in the area until the 1860s, and even then, the railroad was way up in Ontonagon. In the 1890's there was a railroad running from Paulding to Watersmeet, but it did not take a direct route, instead it hit Barclay Pond and Interior, both to the east. Unfortunately, I cannot find any newer railroad maps to check on.

There is one locally that figured in the Second Battle of Manassas. It was called the unfinished railroad because track was never put down before the war began. It is pretty easy to spot in the battlefield park and I was talking to an old train buff that said traces of it still exist all the way in to Alexandria still.