info on where to find maps of RR's no longer in use

i am resarching a RR in NC which was torn up when i was a kid. locally it was called the 'Pee-Vine" and ran through Mcdowell County, NC. i have followed it from satellite photos and can find no other resources to show where it ran in the past. any help would be greatly appreciated.

Far as I know, the "Pee Vine" ran only in Tennesee.
However, the Clinchfield did run N/S through McDowell Cty NC right through Marion (crossing the Southern there)

Some web sites:
http://www.wiringfordcc.com/clinch.htm
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=35. ... =-82.00944

If you center a Topozone map on Marion, you can direct it North or South of Marion to see the ROW. It ran from Spartanburg, SC up through Forest City, NC, Marion, Spruce Pine, crossing into TN at Flattop Mtn in Yancey Cty. NC, and on up to Johnson City, TN.

Thanks for the websites. However, after looking at Topozone and following the Clichfeild and Southern southwards, the names that they have delegated to each line seem to be reversed. I know this because I grew up in the area and know for certain which set of tracks were demolished. I also know this because I have driven across a trestle in Glenwood, NC (to the south of Marion) in my Landcruiser on this particular track bed. In actuality the western track line (when looking down from above) is the one I assume is the Clinchfeild, and is gone, and the eastern track is the Southern which still exists. The western track no longer exists all the way down through Rutherford County and beyond. I have followed this line (and still have further to go) using 'terraserver.com' and 'terrafly' which allows you to actually 'fly' over the land using satellite images. I reccomend this site to everyone. I do appreciate the link to Topozone, though, because I had forgotten all about it. It shows even the roads that have been abandoned which is another area of my research.
As far as to where the lines connect to the E/W Southern line in Marion, the Clinchfeild is the one on the west side of the map. The one on the right connects to a bridge that crosses over the E/W Southern line and another that crosses NC Highway 70( it also connects to the E/W line by a siding), and is still in use (at least it was 5 years ago).
Unless I am loosing my mind (which is totally possible) it seems Topozone has made a mistake.

The maps on the Topozone website were not prepared by Topozone. The maps used by Topozone were prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey at !:24,000; 1:100,000 and 1:250,000 scale. The most detailed maps prepared by the U.S.G.S. and used by Topozone are the !:24,000 7.5 Minute Topographic Quadrangle maps. If anyone made a mistake in what information is depicted on the maps, it was the U.S. Geological Survey. Topozone doesn't alter these maps, it just uses them.

Also, another good website for detailed maps is Maptech. This site also uses U.S. Geological Survey maps, simply because the Survey is the only source for a uniform and comprehensive coverage of detailed maps across the U.S.

ACLfan

I appreciate the reference to Maptech, it looks like a very good site. If I appeared to be condescending, I apolgize. That was not my intention.
What do you think? Should I inform the USGS of this or not?
I am wondering if there are resources that the RR companys have that would be freely accessable to the pulic. If you (or anyone else, for that matter) know of any, please let me know. I have been on a few of their sites and have also emailed a few and so far have not had any luck. It might be that this info is not accessible by the public.
Either way, The Search Continues.

Two or three interesting points.

Maptech also has Historical Maps dating back to the 19th Century, unfortunently they don't cover NC or Tenn.

Terraserverusa.com has the topo maps in all the USGS scales, and you can also get arail (sp?) photos there as well.

Globexplorer.com has the same photos, but sometimes in color. Unfortunently they are in business selling these photos so they are fairly obsucred with water marks.

old topographical maps (pre 1940 printing), old state road maps, county maps, official guides, local historical societies and histories, NRHS or NMRA or any other railfan group, railroad histories in libraries, on line inquiries to specific locations, etc. Just have to keep thinking of questions, asking them first of yourself then to others, then go out and dig!

Often a County Clerk or other agency has old tax maps, etc. that may be of help.

Look for the SPV Railroad Atlas there broken up into regions (3 or 4 states) with all past and presant lines along with former and current railroad names.

here is an amazing source for historic topo maps for:

Connecticut
Delaware
Massachusetts
Maryland
Maine
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Vermont
West Virginia

http://historical.maptech.com/

most areas have a map set from around 1902, then another set from the 1950's! I use these all the time for New York state..
Scot

and here is a beautifull Aerial photo resource for New York state..
the resolution is amazing!
its all current, but still usefull for tracing old ROW's..

http://www1.nysgis.state.ny.us/MainMap.cfm

Scot

Anyone find a site for Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado?

Keep in mind that cartographers (a.k.a map-makers) often mis-represent one or two certain details on a given map that may not be of importance to the casual user. These "mistakes" are used in a manner similar to watermarking or copyright to provide a unique characteristic to the map. This allows for unique identification by the cartographer.

IFAIK the USGS never puts or put disinformation on their maps. You are right about commercial publishers such as DeLorme (highly recommended state atlas series), Bartholomew's etc. Any errors in USGS maps are uninentional. There is no way to correct them because t the maps are "as published" on a certain date. If the USGS updates a map with a new edition, then they can incorporate the correction. For example, RR's change names, the USGS tries to get that right.

I once needed to find an old railroad map (valuation map) in order to locate the property line for a railroad that reverted back to the original property owner after the rail line was abandoned. I was able to find the original maps filed by the railroads in 1916 with the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC). The ICC required all RR's at the time to file engineering and real estate maps so that the property could be "valued". These original maps are on file in the National Archives in College Park, Md. They have a limited online search. You can't actually view any of the maps online. They were very helpfull when I emailed in a specific request. They found the relavent map and hooked me up with someone local who would make copies and mail it. Not for the hobbiest - it cost more than $100 for the copy. But it was accurate and lead me to the actual deed info I needed. Saved a lot of wasted time otherwise.

National Archives at College Park, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740-6001 PHONE: 301-837-3200, FAX: 301-837-3622, EMAIL: [email protected]

-Kevin