Rails past and present

February 17, 2016 7:57 AM

Rail Map Online Maps showing all rail lines both past and present. Currently covered areas: UK & Ireland and Western USA.
posted by jontyjago (15 comments total)

The dismantling of the Irish rail network in animated form
posted by kersplunk at 8:10 AM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]

Always knew there was an old railway line (and station) near where I used to live - great to see where it actually went (a long with some crazy wiggling, presumably, goods trains lines nearby)
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 8:17 AM on February 17, 2016

Also OpenRailwayMap.org, which shows alot of rails and is also based on Google Maps. The mobile site is great for, uh, um, traveling.
posted by eclectist at 8:19 AM on February 17, 2016 [6 favorites]

When I used to hop trains I carried the analog version of this--a rail atlas by a railfan/foamer called Harry Ladd. The bad jokes wrote themselves, I tell you.
posted by tapir-whorf at 8:58 AM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]

This is great. It even shows the long defunct, removed line at the end of the street where I grew up where we used to play when we were kids.
posted by wallabear at 9:11 AM on February 17, 2016

Weird when things can be awesome and depressing at the same time.
posted by mrbula at 9:22 AM on February 17, 2016

Beeeeeeechiiiiiiiiiiing!!

*shakes fist*
posted by fordiebianco at 9:28 AM on February 17, 2016 [4 favorites]

Fun! Shame the rail lines aren't labeled (at least on the Western US map).
posted by notyou at 9:33 AM on February 17, 2016

And, they are, actually. You just have to click them.
posted by notyou at 9:34 AM on February 17, 2016

But can you play Ticket To Ride on this site.
posted by grumpybear69 at 9:38 AM on February 17, 2016

This is great. Not only does it show the dismantled railway close to my house, closed in the 60s, it also shows the routes of the old tramways used for transporting clay to the coast, the old Army tramway at the gunnery school, and some short stretches of quarry rails from the 19th C. Amazing detail.
posted by dowcrag at 10:24 AM on February 17, 2016

Luckily the sequel Beeching II, never got made....
posted by Helga-woo at 1:54 PM on February 17, 2016

What! No Sodor?!
posted by Spatch at 8:08 PM on February 17, 2016

The dismantling of the Irish rail network in animated form

Wow. What the hell lead to that?
posted by jacquilynne at 11:50 AM on February 18, 2016

Reminds me of the folks who rode the old Salmonberry River rail route here in Oregon on fat bikes. They apparently had a really rough time bushwhacking through the reforestation and working around damaged bridges and tunnels. I think the conclusion for those interested in exploring abandoned rails is that in a forested, mountainous area, you're better off backpacking than biking. Short article. Longer article that's more interesting but only available via a Flash-based magazine viewer.
posted by sibilatorix at 12:24 PM on February 18, 2016