Anyone know where I can get information, as to when certain railroad track was layed, what RR companys used it, when it became exempt, etc., etc.
im doing a project for college which is on the history of RR tracks and Rail companys within the minneapolis, st.paul area.
any help would be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks, Eric.
(1) Head sheet on the ICC Val Maps for each railroad company as it existed in 1920.
National Archive$ -Rockville, MD…and the mounds of DV-107 Land Schedules. Look at the initial Valuation Report in the ICC dockets between 1916 and 1927. Find David Pfieffer’s excellent little epistle at the national archives, especially the last section. http://www.rrhistorical-2.com/rlhs/research.htm (Appendix B)
(2) Time spent in the local library and railroad museum libraries. Excellent histories of the CB&Q (Richard G. Overton), Hill Lines, CM&O -The Omaha Road , CRIP , Milwaukee Road and others already exist.
(3) Try the railroad records section of your State’s archives. Look for pre 1920 records of the Minnesota Tax Adjustment Board, Minnesota PUC and Railroad Board.
(4) Look at the railroad map collection of American Memory from the Library of Congress & Smithsonian on the web.
(5) The Early Grantor-Grantee Indexes in your local county courthouse clerk & recorder’s office, say 1870-1910. (stay away from the tax assessor maps - usually garbage, clueless about railroads)
(6) Local state office for the BLM (MT-Plats and BLM/GLO Serial Files)…Find the closest thing to an archivist, railroad expert that that office has…BLM packrats keep everything including early railroad R/W maps and GLO Filing maps. call ahead, talk to the people that staff Minnesota’s “Public Room”.
(7) Professor George W. Hilton’s " American Narrow Gauge Railroads"…Page 428
Minneapolis, Lyndale & Minnetonka Railway…Minneapolis to Excelsior 15+ miles…later part of the Minneapolis Street Ry./ Twin City Rapid Transit Co. 1887-1954[;)]
Get out and look, there is no slam dunk answer here. Researchmanship! If you wait till the last minute on a project like this, you’re already doomed to fail.
Work on the spelling and grammar as well.
[banghead][banghead][banghead]
The first resource you should find is the October 1986 issue of Trains magazine (yes the same magazine that has produced this web site). Starting on page24 of this issue is an excellent article writen by Steven Glischinski called “A Tale of Twin Cities”, everything you ever wanted to know about the Twin Cities rail infrastructure is in this in this artcle (including an excellent map). Remember however that this article is nearly 19 years old so you might want to check out more current resources to make your research project up to date. I remember my college library had back issues of Trains Magazine dating back to the 1950’s so check out your school’s periodical section to see if they have this magazine available. If they don’t have it, check out the local Public Library or request someone to mail you a photo copy of the article.
Scott218