Hello! I had a question about the track layout in the picture above. I understand where the main, yard, and service tracks are, but I don’t understand the little siding just south of the depot. It looks like it might be for freight/team track usage, but I’m not sure. What was a track like this used for, and how? It seems like it would be a pain to use coming from the south (right side of the picture). Thanks.
Freight, team track, or both is probably right. If there is something like a lumberyard, feed store, etc. there to begin with then the track has to fit to that. A train coming from the right can either run around in the yard or just drop the car in the yard and leave it for the local switcher.
Since you know the town, a little searching in the local historical society’s records may turn up something maybe even a picture.
Good luck
Paul
If you can find a sanborn fire insurance map of the area it would likely indicate what structures are around that track, giving you a much better idea of what it was for.
That is a really old map of Baraboo. There were also other spurs going south - See http://mapper.acme.com/ - Got to the terrain, then topo views to see USGS maps.
Jim
That was also the C&NW mainline from Chicago to St.Paul.
I don’t know what that spur was used for, but being right there at the depot, I can’t help but wonder if it was used to park a sleeper or coach car.
You could contact the Chicago and North Western Historical Society. The society may be able to determine the use of that spur for you.
Rich
Maps like these may not be the most accurate snap shot of actual track layout when they were drawn. It might be more along the lines of a caricature of tracks at that time. A single spur on a map like this could represent where there were actually multiple tracks and spurs then.
Jeff
If you click on this link and scroll down to the last photo, it shows the yard, turntable and roundhouse in 1959. The depot and spur are just out of view on the lower right.
If you contact the Sauk County Historical Society, they may be able to provide additional photos.
http://www.saukcountyhistory.org/barabooaerial.html
The Mid-Continent Railway Museum is another likely source of information.
Take a look at this link.
http://www.midcontinent.org/history/history2.html
Rich
That may be a short urban industrial branch since it appears to be about 2 blocks long and crosses a street.
That wouldn’t be unusual.
Thanks for the replies. I was wondering if it was a somewhat standard design, since I’ve seen it a few other places. But I will check in with the various historical societies that have been mentioned. I keep forgetting those are out there.
Also, I was just at Midcontinent again this last summer to get a few historical booklets. Looks like I’ll have to go back again soon!