Hey Everyone,
So I'm trying to find the track plans of the Southern Pacific's Los Angeles Railroad track plans from the 1930s as I'm building a replica to the area and really could use some help finding the plans.
Thanks,
Logan Thurman
Are you talking about Shops Yard now known as LATC?
Here is a source for old usgs maps. They don't make it easy to link to, so don't be surprised if the link below sends you to some place like New Orleans.
But zoom out, pan over to the area of LA you are interested in, and then just keep clicking on the area you are interested in until a timeline appears, giving you a choice of available maps that are available, over a spread of years. You might get lucky, some of the maps are surprisingly detailed. Be sure to check all the scales for the area you are interested in, some of the scales show more RR detail than others
https://livingatlas.arcgis.com/topoexplorer/index.html
And then here is another one, little easier to navigate.
https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/topoview/viewer/#11/33.8028/-118.2616
Either of those should depict general layout, but they won't provide actual blueprint quality track plans with elevation(s) etc
LoganTMTYeah Actually, I've been unable to find any info on the track setup and some of the other yards along the coastline route too from the 30s.
Don't be surprised if what you are looking for has been locked away in the vault of some "Historical and Technical Society" which they would be only so happy to make available to you, for a small fee, or membership, or both.
These boutique businesses have become quite adept at monetizing access to "knowledge of the ancients"....and, as with all transactions. Buyer beware. Make sure you are both talking about the same thing before you send them money. You might be asking for "track charts" while what they are selling you are "employee timetables". Better if you are certain up front
Have you tied these guys? https://sphts.org/links/
Other that that, you might try going to the Los Angeles Public library and going through their "Sanborn Fire Maps"...they can sometimes be amazingly detailed about rail related infrastructure. Don't be suprised if you end up in some "collections" room with one of those old hand-crank microfilm projectors (always a fun time)
You might also check their geneology collection, my experience is that some individual with an extensive collection of records from yesteryear will die, and his estate makes a donation to the library, and the library not knowing where else to put it, stuffs it into te geneology dept "out of sight, out of mind". Photos particularly might be promising in this regard.
UC Berkley and UCLA both have libraries claiming to have extensive historical collections of maps, as well.
If your experiences are anything like mine, you likely have a long, tedious search ahead of you, that will seem like a long tunnel with no light at the end of it, and then your eureka moment will just plop down in front of you, making you wonder how you could have looked so long without finding it.
Good luck!
edit add, granted, the following is from 1992, not your target date...but it might help ger you started as far a mileposts, etc Track charts provide a wealth of information to the skilled observer.
http://www.multimodalways.org/docs/railroads/companies/SP/SP%20Track%20Charts/SP%20Burbank%20Jct-Colton%20Track%20Chart%201-1-1992.pdf
You can also try here
https://www.historicaerials.com/viewer
It is going to insist that you start in Phoenix AZ, so be sure to zoom out, then navigate over to Los Angeles, find your target with the map, and then select from the tabs on upper left of the screen "Aerials, Topos, Atlases"
I chose "Aerials" and they could get me back as far as 1948.. ("Topos" will likely take you further back). The free images you can view online have watermark type copyright protection, but you can order clean ones to be sent to you.
Convicted One You can also try here https://www.historicaerials.com/viewer It is going to insist that you start in Phoenix AZ, so be sure to zoom out, then navigate over to Los Angeles, find your target with the map, and then select from the tabs on upper left of the screen "Aerials, Topos, Atlases" I chose "Aerials" and they could get me back as far as 1948.. ("Topos" will likely take you further back). The free images you can view online have watermark type copyright protection, but you can order clean ones to be sent to you.
For SP, go to Stanford (not UCLA or Cal.). The Sanborn mapping product had pretty well ceased by the time frame desired.
mudchickenChances of anything archives being open right now and chances of anyone being there to answer right now are pretty slim. For SP, go to Stanford (not UCLA or Cal.). The Sanborn mapping product had pretty well ceased by the time frame desired.
LOL, I hadn't even thought of the "plague" barrier. I guess I can be glad that I have no immediate needs for research.
As far as Stanford (vs UCLA) you have made me curious. Was there a special relationship there? Just curious if there is a story there.
Convicted One As far as Stanford (vs UCLA) you have made me curious. Was there a special relationship there? Just curious if there is a story there.
Note that Leland Stanford Sr was one of the "Big Four" behind the CP and later SP. Stanford U was a memorial to Leland Stanford Jr, who died approximately age 6.
- Erik, a Cal grad...
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