Prototype info

Hi from the UK. I’m currently trying to research info for a modelrailroad based on the BN around 1960-1970. The area is to be between Oxford and Cambridge in Nebraska. I am looking to find details of track layouts station and yard buildings and any other useful pictures of these areas. Can any one help please.

Hello “egmodelrail,”

The first thing you might want to know is that there was no Burlington Northern until March 2, 1970. I can find Cambridge and Oxford Junction on a railroad map of Nebraska, and they were stations on one of BN’s predecessors, the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy. The CB&Q has a very active historical society that you’ll find listed on the MODEL RAILROADER Web site, so if no one here can help you with specifics about that line you might want to join that group.

Best wishes,

Andy

Thanks Andy for the info. Of course your right about the CB&Q which is part of the era I intend to model. I already have a selection of loco’s and rolling stock with the Burlington route on. Thanks again.

Here’s a website called RailAmerica. They have some Rail Maps.

http://www.railamerica.com

Dave

Just saw this post. The site Andy refers to is at:

www.burlingtonroute.com

I also just received a photo CD I recently became aware of from Green Frog Productions called “Chicago, Burlington & Quincy In Transition” containing “201 color photos of the CB&Q in the 60’s and early 70’s during the transition to Burlington Northern”. www.greenfrog.com
The CD is being sold as a screen saver, but I bought it to use as a reference for modeling. There are other railroad’s screen saver CD’s available there, too.

The gent who put it together, I learned, also has a website containing more pics and railroads available. See http://www.geocities.com/gvcarson/index.html

Finally, there is a Burlington Route Historical Society email discussion list at Yahoo! Groups.
See http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BRHSlist/
If you are not signed up at Yahoo you will have to “Register” and pick a user name/password.

Should also mention I have no affiliation with any of the above businesses whatsoever.

Regards and Happy Holidays!

You could also go to terraserver.com and input the town you are interested in. It will the ask you if you want Sattelite photos that you can magnify down to 3 meters or US Coast and geodesic (sp) survey maps of the area. This allows you to see what was there at the time of the picture or the map. I have found these pretty good for overall impressions. You can easily see automobiles and track locations. You can also see where tracks were from embankments and right of ways. Granted thsi worksmuch better with a high speed connection but you can also print them out and piece them together.

Several years ago at a book shop in North Platte, NE I picked up a book titled “The First 100 Years of the McCook Division of the CB&Q”. I’ll try to remember to pull it out and see what I can find out for you. McCook used to be the division point nearest to Cambridge and Oxford (30 or 40 miles). I lived just South of McCook (30 miles in Oberlin, KS-also on the CB&Q) for several years. You may contact me off list if you wish at:
edbriley@kcweb.net
I am not an expert, but I will answer any questions I can.

Ed Briley
Independence, MO

Hi from the UK. I’m currently trying to research info for a modelrailroad based on the BN around 1960-1970. The area is to be between Oxford and Cambridge in Nebraska. I am looking to find details of track layouts station and yard buildings and any other useful pictures of these areas. Can any one help please.

Hello “egmodelrail,”

The first thing you might want to know is that there was no Burlington Northern until March 2, 1970. I can find Cambridge and Oxford Junction on a railroad map of Nebraska, and they were stations on one of BN’s predecessors, the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy. The CB&Q has a very active historical society that you’ll find listed on the MODEL RAILROADER Web site, so if no one here can help you with specifics about that line you might want to join that group.

Best wishes,

Andy

Thanks Andy for the info. Of course your right about the CB&Q which is part of the era I intend to model. I already have a selection of loco’s and rolling stock with the Burlington route on. Thanks again.

Here’s a website called RailAmerica. They have some Rail Maps.

http://www.railamerica.com

Dave

Just saw this post. The site Andy refers to is at:

www.burlingtonroute.com

I also just received a photo CD I recently became aware of from Green Frog Productions called “Chicago, Burlington & Quincy In Transition” containing “201 color photos of the CB&Q in the 60’s and early 70’s during the transition to Burlington Northern”. www.greenfrog.com
The CD is being sold as a screen saver, but I bought it to use as a reference for modeling. There are other railroad’s screen saver CD’s available there, too.

The gent who put it together, I learned, also has a website containing more pics and railroads available. See http://www.geocities.com/gvcarson/index.html

Finally, there is a Burlington Route Historical Society email discussion list at Yahoo! Groups.
See http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BRHSlist/
If you are not signed up at Yahoo you will have to “Register” and pick a user name/password.

Should also mention I have no affiliation with any of the above businesses whatsoever.

Regards and Happy Holidays!

You could also go to terraserver.com and input the town you are interested in. It will the ask you if you want Sattelite photos that you can magnify down to 3 meters or US Coast and geodesic (sp) survey maps of the area. This allows you to see what was there at the time of the picture or the map. I have found these pretty good for overall impressions. You can easily see automobiles and track locations. You can also see where tracks were from embankments and right of ways. Granted thsi worksmuch better with a high speed connection but you can also print them out and piece them together.

Several years ago at a book shop in North Platte, NE I picked up a book titled “The First 100 Years of the McCook Division of the CB&Q”. I’ll try to remember to pull it out and see what I can find out for you. McCook used to be the division point nearest to Cambridge and Oxford (30 or 40 miles). I lived just South of McCook (30 miles in Oberlin, KS-also on the CB&Q) for several years. You may contact me off list if you wish at:
edbriley@kcweb.net
I am not an expert, but I will answer any questions I can.

Ed Briley
Independence, MO