I have posted my updated maps (now 47 of them) here:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2I7Nv4 ... edit?pli=1

Comments, additions and corrections are welcome.

Pete Schmidt

Wow, you continue to astound with the thoroughness, cleanliness and accuracy of these maps. I have used them informally at SMRS to describe how we could lay out railroad museums on our new land.

Now, you asked about errata.
Indiana railway museum. In Google Earth, Layers, if you enable "More...Transportation...Rail", it shows a lot more track north of your map. I can assure you it is all present from Red Quarry to W Sinclair St. I walked it last year and it is full of cars. Also, I believe they own the Dubois County Railroad, and thus, the line all the way to the Class I connection at Huntingburg.

KyRM: I have been told by staff that the tracks along the south side of their "triangle" property are 3 tracks not two. This surprised me because when I looked from the ground level, it looked like two.

WRM: Just south of Little Honker Bay Rd., a siding peels off to the west side. We absolutely deny changing it recently just to throw you off, yep it was there all along, that's our story and we're sticking to it! The station nearest the "9" glyph is deprecated, as that track is no longer used for revenue. There is a station on the northwest corner of Car House 3. I may be wrong but I believe the Birds Landing station is much closer to Birds Landing Rd.

I suggest to swap label numbers so, if buildings are numbered (e.g. Car House 7) the label is the same number. That eliminates the cognitive dissonance of label 13 being carhouse 7, label 7 being carhouse 3 and label 3 being the gift shop.

The station sign for Bird's Landing is about 20 feet north of Bird's Landing Road.

The station symbol on the map is correctly located at the site of our new passenger unloading area. The Board is currently discussing what to name this site since it was never any sort of railroad facility.

We had to build a new unloading facility since the Bird's Landing Road crossing is on a fill and there is no safe place to stop and unload a train. Historically, the Sacramento Northern could use the road as a flag stop to load or discharge a few passengers, but it is not satisfactory for unloading a whole train.

What a tremendous project! These maps are fascinating; it's obvious how much work and research has gone into them. And I'm particularly impressed at how up-to-date they are - the connector track at IRM is shown as electrified and that only happened about two weeks ago! Thanks for all your work on these, Pete!

The Museum of Transportation near St Louis has opened a new visitor center building on the lower level near the miniature train loop. The small building next to this loop is the maintenance building for it, next to the streetcar/interurban storage building. The former visitor center is a second entrance and exhibit building now.

Fantastic work, Pete. Might I suggest for your consideration the Georgia State Railroad Museum, fka Roundhouse Railroad Museum, in Savannah, GA as a future project? Also, the Heart of Dixie in Calera, AL. Savannah has particular significance as the most intact antebellum railroad repair facility in the country, if I'm not mistaken. (And that's not intended to start a hijack of this thread.) Additional track has been laid for short passenger runs on the property, so it's no longer just the turntable and a few short radial tracks plus the roundhouse. I'm sure you already have a lengthy list of other museums you plan to do, but just thought I'd toss those out for consideration.

Pete, what software do you use to create these maps?

Your map of The Bluegrass Railroad Museum looks great!

In August we completed the first Display track, which leads from the eastern switch back to the station. There's a chance that more tracks will be built next year.

James

Amazing work, incredible details and it's obvious a great amount of effort went into this. Very cool!

It would be nice to see a label hotlink at some point, i.e click on "Shop" and the associated building lights up. I don't think that's possible with PDF, but they keep adding features, so who knows what the future may hold.



How many other rail museums can lay claim to having a House of Ill Repute on site? Could be an interesting display, I know of several "red light district" tourist attractions, including Creek Street in Ketchikan, AK. They see loads of cruise ship tourists.

I don't know how they pull that off. We evaluated that at WRM, but ran into severe entitlement problems, particularly with the sheriff's department.

The local chapter of E. Clampus Vitus did put a commemorative plaque on the building.

(For non-Californians, Google will explain who the "Clampers" are.)

Thanks for everyone's kind comments about my map project. I will get into each specific suggestion as soon as I can, including those received by PM., and respond to each of you.

I draw the maps in Corel Draw, which allows for easy batch conversion to a multi-page .pdf document, which is easiest for me to post periodically. Several organizations have asked for minor changes to meet their own needs, so they can print multiple copies of their map for their own use. I am willing to make such changes and can send them as single sheet .pdf's. Copying the maps for non-commercial use is fine with me.

There are many more museums worthy of maps and I intend to keep going with at least a few more each year. I generally won't do a map until I have visited the location myself. So since I live in Baltimore I tend to do more Northeast museums. I estimate their are about 100-150 museums/tourist railroads in North America that would fit the format I am using, so I have lots more to go!

Thanks again