Is there a link to go to on the web to follow the different rail lines in WI and industries they would go to? I know google earth works but it dont label the the different RailRoads eh Thanks
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Chad, there are railroad atlases, but print versions can be expensive, and they may not be up to date. Try Googling railroad atlas. you could also try the websites of each railroad. I'm sure CN has a system map.
This is the SPV atlas that covers Wisconsin.....Great Lakes West...
I wouldn't pay more than $30 for a copy, though.....often less at train shows, used book markets, etc.
If you're really interested, we (LHS) may yet have a copy of this volume. They had been available through Carstens Publishing,...now defunct...and we've not re-established a source as of yet. Other LHS's may be in the same pickle.
KD
BTW...some of the later editions of the midwest volumes, in particular, had been updated to include former interurban lines, also.......very nice touch!
This thread has one that might be interesting: A cool and free in interactive US Railroad Map
I use this to zoom in on various track. Here's a sample of what it looks like, but it can be zoomed closer.
http://www.openrailwaymap.org/
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rtr12 posted:This thread has one that might be interesting: A cool and free in interactive US Railroad Map
I get an error when I try to open the link.
Hmmm...not sure what happened there? It was just a permalink to the thread, simple cut & paste. Anyway I think it's fixed now. It's a thread about the same map that you posted.
It's fixed. I figured that's what is was, but couldn't be sure. I used that just the other day to look for some prototype reversing loops.
That's one of the best maps I have seen, I am glad I saw Mike W.'s thread about it. That was the first I learned of it.
Glad it's working now and thanks for telling me. Not sure how one can screw up a copy & paste, but it seems I have been a success at doing so!
All good suggestions Thanks eh. I wonder if Barnes & Noble would have theses map books so I could see if its what im looking for before I buy it online eh
rtr12 posted:This thread has one that might be interesting: A cool and free in interactive US Railroad Map
That is awesome!!!! 
Not sure how I missed that topic the first time around.
chester7 posted:All good suggestions Thanks eh. I wonder if Barnes & Noble would have theses map books so I could see if its what im looking for before I buy it online eh
Not likely in stock, maybe special order.
After looking at RTR's link, Google maps is kind of lame. Earth is still useful.
If it were not for Mike W., I wouldn't know about it either. As for the books, I have a couple of them and they are not current. I think they are from like the early 2000's or so. If you do find them, check the date of issue.
Mike's map is the best I have personally seen. There is also a CD (maybe DVD?) of RR maps which is also a bit out of date as well and not as good as Mike's map.
rtr12 posted:If it were not for Mike W., I wouldn't know about it either. As for the books, I have a couple of them and they are not current. I think they are from like the early 2000's or so. If you do find them, check the date of issue.
Mike's map is the best I have personally seen. There is also a CD (maybe DVD?) of RR maps which is also a bit out of date as well and not as good as Mike's map.
You are absolutely correct to credit Mike with this gem. I spent a couple hours examining the area that I model, as well as some of the surrounding region, and found the track itself to be quite accurate.
I do have some reservations as to some of the track ownership as displayed. Examples: Soo Line and Wisconsin Central, if I'm not mistaken, those should say Canadian Pacific and Canadian National. It's not as if those acquisitions happened very recently either. Perhaps those railroads still exist on paper, but not in the real world.
Over all, I would give this website a solid A for accuracy, clean up some minor details to earn an A+.
Chad, I'd say forget the hard copy books, everything you need to plan your layout is right on that site. You can also use it to go railfanning.
This is great thanks for the link!
Big_Boy_4005 posted:rtr12 posted:If it were not for Mike W., I wouldn't know about it either. As for the books, I have a couple of them and they are not current. I think they are from like the early 2000's or so. If you do find them, check the date of issue.
Mike's map is the best I have personally seen. There is also a CD (maybe DVD?) of RR maps which is also a bit out of date as well and not as good as Mike's map.
You are absolutely correct to credit Mike with this gem. I spent a couple hours examining the area that I model, as well as some of the surrounding region, and found the track itself to be quite accurate.
I do have some reservations as to some of the track ownership as displayed. Examples: Soo Line and Wisconsin Central, if I'm not mistaken, those should say Canadian Pacific and Canadian National. It's not as if those acquisitions happened very recently either. Perhaps those railroads still exist on paper, but not in the real world.
Over all, I would give this website a solid A for accuracy, clean up some minor details to earn an A+.
Chad, I'd say forget the hard copy books, everything you need to plan your layout is right on that site. You can also use it to go railfanning.
You are a lot more knowledgeable than I on these things, so I defer to your grades! Good to hear from someone that knows though. From what I have looked at in my area it is also pretty accurate, although I don't know all of the tracks around here. I will look some more and see if I can note any errors in with the track owners. I don't know how often the maps are checked, corrected or updated?
Probably just errors as you say, but I wonder if CN could have kept those as Soo and WC for some reason? Taxes, track rights or something like that maybe?
I agree on the books. I wish Mike would have found an d posted this link before I bought the books. Could have saved a few bucks myself.
RTR, my area of expertise really only consists of most of the track within a 50 mile radius of where I live. Beyond that, my knowledge gets fuzzier and fuzzier as the distance increases. I do know where all of the mainlines in and out of the area go for the 3 major railroads. This is due to the fact that I model the railroads in my area, so I'm fairly well versed. Knowing that detail within my area, allowed me to give that grade. I can only assume that they are equally accurate around North America, and for that matter the rest of the world.
I've got to check out Europe! Lots of cool trackwork in Britain and the continent. Passenger terminals are huge and complex.
rtr12 posted:Big_Boy_4005 posted:rtr12 posted:If it were not for Mike W., I wouldn't know about it either. As for the books, I have a couple of them and they are not current. I think they are from like the early 2000's or so. If you do find them, check the date of issue.
Mike's map is the best I have personally seen. There is also a CD (maybe DVD?) of RR maps which is also a bit out of date as well and not as good as Mike's map.
You are absolutely correct to credit Mike with this gem. I spent a couple hours examining the area that I model, as well as some of the surrounding region, and found the track itself to be quite accurate.
I do have some reservations as to some of the track ownership as displayed. Examples: Soo Line and Wisconsin Central, if I'm not mistaken, those should say Canadian Pacific and Canadian National. It's not as if those acquisitions happened very recently either. Perhaps those railroads still exist on paper, but not in the real world.
Over all, I would give this website a solid A for accuracy, clean up some minor details to earn an A+.
Chad, I'd say forget the hard copy books, everything you need to plan your layout is right on that site. You can also use it to go railfanning.
You are a lot more knowledgeable than I on these things, so I defer to your grades! Good to hear from someone that knows though. From what I have looked at in my area it is also pretty accurate, although I don't know all of the tracks around here. I will look some more and see if I can note any errors in with the track owners. I don't know how often the maps are checked, corrected or updated?
Probably just errors as you say, but I wonder if CN could have kept those as Soo and WC for some reason? Taxes, track rights or something like that maybe?
I agree on the books. I wish Mike would have found an d posted this link before I bought the books. Could have saved a few bucks myself.
The SOO and WC are most likely shown as the correct Legal Entities for various purposes of the parent railroads. On paper they still exist. You will find the same thing for Missouri Pacific and Illinois Central, which are carried on the books as legal entities, primarily for accounting purposes.
Greenrail, thanks for confirming my suspicions on that ownership issue. That being the case, full marks for this website, A+.
Big_Boy_4005 posted:Greenrail, thanks for confirming my suspicions on that ownership issue. That being the case, full marks for this website, A+.
I asked that same question, actually, early on in my railroad career. When we allocated costs they went to the individual subsidiary companies shown as the legal entities. Thank goodness for the age of computerization as this made the task much easier over time.
