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I am a newcomer to the L A area, consider myself a "track freak", and am trying to figure out the UP/SP mainline and branchline network which I see running all over Orange County and the San Gabriel Valley areas, particularly on maps issued by the Auto Club. The official U P website system map shows no rail line detail of this area. Does anyone know of a comprehensive, perhaps unofficial rail map of L A? Has any local railfan ever compiled one? Please respond, anyone?
------------------ Donn
Posts: 4 | From: Orange County CA | Registered: Aug 2000
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Check out Thomas Bros. LA metro area map books of various counties in region. ID RRs by name & w/ enough detail to do some serious "track cracking" Available at many stores for around $20 or try libraries. Also check USGS Topograghic maps available at stores & libraries. Check yellow pages for map stores.
Posts: 249 | From: Downey CA USA | Registered: Jul 2000
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You might also check the DeLorme Atlas of Southern California ($17), which (I think) uses USGS Topo maps to create its maps. It is available at Borders and other stores. There is incredible detail, including all spurs and sidings, but the type is very small. Also, it is not up-to-date, for example there are many lines shown in the El Segundo area that have been torn up for years. For specific details of the lines themselves, Altamont Press publishes a "timetable" ($15) for California (and other states) that lists stations, control points, mileage, speed limits, siding capacity, etc. and gives the 'formal' names of the branches. It also has some color-coded maps, and shows some of the new trackwork on the Alameda corridor. Timetables can be purchased by mail or at some hobby stores (I go to All Aboard in Torrance). MP
Posts: 874 | From: South Bay (LA County), Calif, USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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Also, try Sam Pottinger's Steel Rails West. He has a link to trainweb on the home page. He publishes a guide with selected topo maps from certain high density areas in LA, and includes topo maps with trainwatching spots, and safety warnings about some of the neighborhoods. MP
Posts: 874 | From: South Bay (LA County), Calif, USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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You might also try the California & Nevada volume in Steam Powered Video's Railroad Atlas of North America series. It shows all lines, extant and abandoned.
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