Aug 9, 2012 OAUSA Net Topic - Old Railroads of the West

[michael]

The OAUSA Net topic this week will be "Old Rail Roads of the West". I'll be discussing the history and importance of the various railroads in the development of the west and some of the reasons they either succeeded or went broke. I'll talk a bit about some of the better-known individual railroads and adding some information about them from various historical sources and my personal experience. There are many people in OAUSA who are more knowledgeable than me on this subject, so I'll be opening the net frequently for participants to add their knowledge to the discussion. If you've followed the track beds of any of the railroads let us know what you found and if any interesting artifacts still exist today.

Join us this Thursday at 7:30 on the Keller Peak repeater!

[michael]

Here are some maps and info to go with tonight's net broadcast on Old Railroads of the West. There are a lot of people in OAUSA that know more about the rail roads than I do, so jump in a join in the conversation!

[DaveK]

The San Diego & Arizona Railroad has a fascinating history. The remnants of the station, the construction camp and some amazing trestles are all still standing today and are easily accessible through the Anza Borrego Desert State Park. Called the "impossible railroad", it ran through some of the most unlikely terrain imaginable - the Corrizo Gorge. See the history here: http://www.sdrm.org/history/sda/history.html.

[michael]

Here is a transcript of tonight's net on Old Railroads of the West.