RKFarmsYes and when Garmin bought them they took very little time to drop the Delorme software with no real substitute, and ther is still nothing I have found that does all that could be done with Delorme Topo software. I am still using my 2010 copy to plan trips. Most rail info on there hasn't changed too much so when I am in a strange area I can usually figure out what RR I am looking at. The paper based products are still available but using both when traveling was ideal.
Garmin Base Camp can be used to plan road trips.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Yes and when Garmin bought them they took very little time to drop the Delorme software with no real substitute, and ther is still nothing I have found that does all that could be done with Delorme Topo software. I am still using my 2010 copy to plan trips. Most rail info on there hasn't changed too much so when I am in a strange area I can usually figure out what RR I am looking at. The paper based products are still available but using both when traveling was ideal.
xploringrailroadsI have just subscribed to Model Railroader's and FineScale Modeler´s magazine :)
If you need any help with HO Scale DCC I had to learn it from scratch recently and while the online Model Railroader Forums are a nice place to ask questions, sometimes the answers can be confusing. My first trainset was DC in the 1970's, my current is DCC and I am learning as I go. It sounds really complicated electronically but most of it is plug and play (connect with wire and solder), you just have to know what components to buy and impliment where to overcome issues with the electronic circuitry.
I have just subscribed to Model Railroader's and FineScale Modeler´s magazine :)
Stéphan
xploringrailroadsFinally, I decided to take a step further in the trains world by getting into the model railroading hobby :)
Wonderful! May I suggest you take a look at the "Classic Toy Trains" magazine website? You can find it under "Trains.com Sites" up on the heading.
A good second choice? "Model Railroading" magazine. You can find it the same as the other. If you HAVE to.
Hi everyone. Thanks again for your help.
Finally, I decided to take a step further in the trains world by getting into the model railroading hobby :)
Plenty of railroaders and surveyors alike are annoyed with the obsessive-compulsive modelers that think the railroad engineering departments are there to satisfy their every whim for val maps. Makes it harder on surveyors and engineers that have a legitimate need for the information on the val maps.
One might want to look into RIP-116 from National Archives if you're really into this stuff.
Select List of Publications: Reference Information Papers (archives.gov)
casey56Good source for on-line OLD topo maps: https://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/
http://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/topo/topo_us.html
1) Often a long-abandonded ROW can be followed on Google Satellite view by subtle changes in tree coloration, etc. (assuming one knows that the tracks once were there).
2) Good source for on-line OLD topo maps: https://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/
DR DENNIS GORDAN As a teenager I bought 3 topographical maps, encompassing the area of the Jersey meadowlands, from what was then the US Coast and Geodetic Survey, and regret that I don't have them now. They depicted 16 or 17 turntables and roundhouses, along with the yards and trackage of a host of fallen flag railroads. I found only one of the bronze benchmarks noted on the maps in a North Bergen sidewalk. Another agency took over C&GS.
As a teenager I bought 3 topographical maps, encompassing the area of the Jersey meadowlands, from what was then the US Coast and Geodetic Survey, and regret that I don't have them now. They depicted 16 or 17 turntables and roundhouses, along with the yards and trackage of a host of fallen flag railroads. I found only one of the bronze benchmarks noted on the maps in a North Bergen sidewalk. Another agency took over C&GS.
The C&GS worked with the USGS on topo maps. As I mentioned before, you can find all the old topo maps at:
https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/topoview/viewer/#4/39.98/-100.06
tree68 BaltACD Locals know hundred block of a street, railroaders know Mileposts of track. Two different languages trying to describe a common point. We were going to do that with the appropriate county dispatches, but it never came to fruition. With us, it's less an issue of squaring up the locations civilians try to provide than it is figuring out what the appropriate response agency might be. This is important in that we can tell the dispatchers where we'll meet medical if we have such an emergency.
BaltACD Locals know hundred block of a street, railroaders know Mileposts of track. Two different languages trying to describe a common point.
We were going to do that with the appropriate county dispatches, but it never came to fruition. With us, it's less an issue of squaring up the locations civilians try to provide than it is figuring out what the appropriate response agency might be.
This is important in that we can tell the dispatchers where we'll meet medical if we have such an emergency.
Over my career I had to deal with where 'here' is in the metropolitan areas of Atlanta, Baltimore, Savannah, Jacksonville, Tampa, Miami, Montgomery, Birmingham, Mobile, New Orleans, Washington DC, Richmond, Nashville, Pittsburgh and Philadelpia as well as the 'rural' territories in between (I worked on a number of different CSX Divisions over in my 26 years in Dispatching). Figuring out where HERE is becomes critical.
Delorme was great .. Did something similar to releate power transmission towers to fiber splices and street addresses.
Interesting to see they were bought by Garmin in 2009
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeLorme
BaltACDLocals know hundred block of a street, railroaders know Mileposts of track. Two different languages trying to describe a common point.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
RKFarmsAnother map source if you want paper maps is the Delorme Atlas series. They have an atlas for each state, and it is broken down according to a grid shown on the first page. They are not consistent from state to state in how things are shown, and the scale is different between states, but they do pretty well at showing railroads in most areas. Also these are topo maps so you can see how the surrounding countryside is laid out. When we travel, I stock the maps fo the states we will be going through, use Google earth and maps while moving, then review from atlases when stopped. These are generally available on ebay, some also on Amazon, and sometimes can be found in truck stops.
Back when I was working, CSX purchased the DeLorme US Atlas program to be installed on the computers used by Chief Dispatchers to assist in communicating with 'the locals' to determine where 'here' actually was. CSX also created a overlay program that would mark the CSX Milepost designations of every mile of CSX track on the DeLorme screens. Helped immensely in having intellegent conversations with non-railroaders calling in to report something.
Locals know hundred block of a street, railroaders know Mileposts of track. Two different languages trying to describe a common point.
Another map source if you want paper maps is the Delorme Atlas series. They have an atlas for each state, and it is broken down according to a grid shown on the first page. They are not consistent from state to state in how things are shown, and the scale is different between states, but they do pretty well at showing railroads in most areas. Also these are topo maps so you can see how the surrounding countryside is laid out. When we travel, I stock the maps fo the states we will be going through, use Google earth and maps while moving, then review from atlases when stopped. These are generally available on ebay, some also on Amazon, and sometimes can be found in truck stops.
Dr. Gordan, seeing what maps you purchased I have to ask, did you buy them from a map store that used to be in Ridgefield NJ? I went there myself years ago for some topo maps of the Moosehead Lake ME area since I was going there on a fishing trip.
Like you, I wish I still had them!
Aerial photos from Google Maps, Google Earth, Bing, and ESRI are very useful, but you can have trouble chasing a line through trees.LIDAR is the best for finding still-existing railroad grades, but the quality varies from state to state, and from place to place within a state. Pennsylvania has VERY good LIDAR and is working to improve it. https://maps.psiee.psu.edu/ImageryNavigator/ and use the Display Imagery drop-down on the left to switch to Statewide LIDAR Hillshade. New York can have good or poor LIDAR. Only way to find out is to check. https://orthos.dhses.ny.gov/?Extent=-8717965.087394483,5308395.666964959,-8708864.30371404,5312977.111347923&layerGroups=AdministrativeBoundaries,DEMIndexes,Orthoimagery&baseMap=hillshade#
A nice user-contributed GIS dataset is in OpenStreetMap.org, but you can only see the abandoned railroads via OpenRailwayMap.org.For field work, you cannot beat OSMAnd. Supported both Android and IOS. Same data as OSM, but shows you where you are on the map. Invaluable.Caltopo.com is also good.
NielsenSLC I'm a fan of https://www.openrailwaymap.org/ . Some good details here when you drill down to a specific area. It can be a little sluggish to respond at times...but it's not too bad.
I'm a fan of https://www.openrailwaymap.org/ . Some good details here when you drill down to a specific area. It can be a little sluggish to respond at times...but it's not too bad.
The older topo maps are handy for figuring out the lineage of a rail line, as they do usually show who owned the line. Even some map sites that don't include multiple older images are handy as they aren't always up to the latest generation of maps.
MidlandMike ilroads indicated, just they'd indicate any geographic features. I haven't kept up with where you get them, but it shouldn't be too hard for you to find out. For topo maps, the best place is the USGS site for historic maps (they show current maps also, but the newer maps within the last ten years seem to show less railroad detail). The 1:24000 scale maps show the most detail. https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/topoview/viewer/#4/40.01/-100.06
ilroads indicated, just they'd indicate any geographic features. I haven't kept up with where you get them, but it shouldn't be too hard for you to find out.
For topo maps, the best place is the USGS site for historic maps (they show current maps also, but the newer maps within the last ten years seem to show less railroad detail). The 1:24000 scale maps show the most detail.
https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/topoview/viewer/#4/40.01/-100.06
These maps are especially good if you look at several different decades of the same areas. Years ago I spied what appeared to be an abandoned RR ROW. Search of SPV and questions around that area got response "no RR". :Searching old topo maps that are on USCGS maps on web site proved otherwise. Walking Land searches turned up old RR track parts.
Has Historic topo maps pdf downloads are free.
https://store.usgs.gov/
Click "Find Maps by Location" "US Map Locator"
I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.
I don't have a leg to stand on.
Semper Vaporo I use Google Earth and RRs start showing up at an eye altitude (listed in the lower right corner) of around 130 miles. That allows me to see roughly 1/2 of the state of Iowa on my laptop screen. The lines are black (not blue). Granted they are thin at that altitude, but they get thicker as I zoom closer to the ground, but they are quite evident to me in my bifocals (that I have to remove to play a game on my smartaleckphone). The lines tend to be the thickest at an altitude of around 75 miles which allows me to see at least 6 counties centered around Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I can see the Union Pacific main that crosses the state, Canadian National from Cedar Rapids, to the north toward Manchester, Iowa Northern from Cedar Rapids north toward Waterloo, CRANDIC from Cedar Rapids to Iowa City and to the connection with Iowa Interstate near Amana and the Iowa Interstate line that spans the state. Granted, at that level only 2 cities are labeled, but there is no loss of orientation given the labeled major highways. One step closer in zoom level (approx 60 Miles) and 18 city names show up, if I do lose orientation.
I use Google Earth and RRs start showing up at an eye altitude (listed in the lower right corner) of around 130 miles. That allows me to see roughly 1/2 of the state of Iowa on my laptop screen. The lines are black (not blue). Granted they are thin at that altitude, but they get thicker as I zoom closer to the ground, but they are quite evident to me in my bifocals (that I have to remove to play a game on my smartaleckphone).
The lines tend to be the thickest at an altitude of around 75 miles which allows me to see at least 6 counties centered around Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I can see the Union Pacific main that crosses the state, Canadian National from Cedar Rapids, to the north toward Manchester, Iowa Northern from Cedar Rapids north toward Waterloo, CRANDIC from Cedar Rapids to Iowa City and to the connection with Iowa Interstate near Amana and the Iowa Interstate line that spans the state. Granted, at that level only 2 cities are labeled, but there is no loss of orientation given the labeled major highways. One step closer in zoom level (approx 60 Miles) and 18 city names show up, if I do lose orientation.
Interesting. I'll definitely check it out. Thanks.
Mark
mudchickenIf you have the room and need the height and long spans...
There are a couple of good engineering reasons why this type isn't used more often. If the minimum material is to be used in the structure, either a through truss or an inverted deck truss allow less material in the truss members themselves and don't require the heavy deck girder to span between upper chords. As noted there can be some interesting moment arms from loading on the deck girders, particularly laterally where the bracing system might be nominally underdesigned, carried all the way down to those shoes on the pierlets. Perhaps it is easier to accommodate the 'resultants' in the truss over the years than the equivalent in taller piers and their necessarily better footings; MC and diningcar would have experience there.
If I remember correctly, a whole line of the Grand Trunk in Canada was raised near the turn of the 20th Century (I think during double-tracking?) and many relatively shallow bridges were constructed on this general plan to re-use existing bridge abutments and piers quickly with the new, higher track.
exploring: I misunderstood your request, sorry. mudchicken's response above is the best source for the answers you seek.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.