where to look for information

[CAS]

I have chose to go with C&NW, with a branch line in northern wis.

i have done a google search on C&NW railways and found a map of wisconsin railroads. Thats where i found the branch line i want to model. 1 of the sites it mentioned it then went to Omaha railroads, in the earlier years.

I then did a search on the the towns that were involved on the branchline. Some names of the towns are, Trego, Hayward, Cable, And Ashland jct. When i did my search of these towns, nothing showed up for railroads or tracks. Am i missing something in my search?

Would i be able to see or get businesses that were on that branchline? Or even the track sidings and spurs for the businesses?

Thanks, if anyone can help.

 

[MasonJar]

First stop might be the C&NW Historical Society. Google should turn them up (?).

Lots of maps do not have railways showing in part because they either 1) are not currently there, or 2) the map makers didn't bother to include them. For example, there are marked differences for some locations between maps.google.com and yahoo maps.

Andrew

 

[CAS]

thanks Masonjar,

how about the sites with a aerial view? Will that show me anything?

does anyone know of a good site, for aerial views?

 

[MasonJar]

Google maps and/or Google Earth will give you satellite views, but they typically contain more recent images. So if the track is gone, or industries torn down, you will not see anything that is useful for any time other than the present...

However, there are typically aerial photography companies and/or national/state/municipal archives that may be able to supply old air photos. I know for my area, there are views available from the mid-1970s, and the 1940s among others. Most of this information is not on the web, and sometimes you must pay a fee for a copy, etc.

One other possibility you might check is old(er) topographical maps. Depending on the scale, they may or may not help with track planning.

Andrew

 

[60103]

CAS: In a smaller town, even a current aerial photo should show where the tracks went. You may have to suppose, but there is usually a line that the streets and buildings avoid. Larger places may have built over the track bed.
C&NW was a liked road, I think, so you should be able to find books on it at the library. Certainly look for the historical society.

 

[CAS]

Thanks for everyones help. It's off to the library i go.