Old Rail roads long gone?

[baspinall]

Just curious if you guys hunt old railroad beds? I have an old track bed that runs through my township.
No stations along here at all. Would just the tracks be worth it? Here is whats in my area.


Pennsylvania Railroad (far northwest corner of the county)
The East Brandywine & Waynesburg Railroad opened in 1854 to connect Downingtown to Honeybrook Borough along the Brandywine Creek. It was acquired by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1861 and extended to New Holland (Lancaster County) and eventually to Lancaster City where it joined the Pennsylvania Main Line.

Brian

 

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[re-tek]

think you'll find old spikes and squashed pennies. i would check areas that had switches or turnouts. you may find an old railroad padlock. many of them where brass and hold up well.

 

[kindafoundabuckle]

Some people used the railroad tracks as a "path" to get from one town to the other. I think it may have promise but be ready to dig some big iron in tough conditions. If there is gravel from the railroad bed itself it may be some tough diggin. Let us know what you find.

KFB

 

[ivan salis]

military camps sites around the civil war were often near cities by the railroad tracks -- to pick up or drop cargo if there was no "offical" station the trains would just stop near the camp area --- so yes indeed check by the tracks -- esp if theres a switch out spot (switch outs were used to make up / break trains-- they were often supply dump spots) or big "empty" feild that might make a good military camp site area near by.

 

[txkickergirl]

I attempted it once but did not get too far. I no sooner got out of the car, strapped on all my equipment, walked over to the site, turned on the detector and started digging the first signal and bam! The rain came. The digging was hard with all the gravel, the pinpointer decided to go on strike, as there was so much iron in the ground and I ended up soaking wet. (moral of this story) When you spend a lot of time and research into a place and drive a good distance to get there...make sure you check out the weather forecast.

I do intend to return and give it another go when I am back in that town. For me the reason is that unlike you the place I went to was an unloading place where wagons pulled up. I would say its worth a shot, you never know.

 

[tac512ltd]

Definetly - Check the ties for "Date Nails", very collectible items

 

[baspinall]

Quess I'll give it a shot. No track left here just the hilled ground. Let you know what happens.

Brian

 

[thompy]

should be plenty of spike left, some had the dates on the heads

 

[drywasher]

I have over the years md old rr track rite-of-ways , a tip for you: don't forget to do the sides of the cut banks (where the r-o-w cut thru hills, i have found old float copper Indian artifacts in such places. these were lost from 2000-10000 years ago and would be deeper that you would ever be able to get to with a md......but after the rr cut thru the hill you have access to this time.
it's there just waiting for you to find it........

 

[deepskyal]

1911d has a point, especially in pa... a lot of the pa turnpike was built along the same trails the indians used to walk for years. Same goes for some of the rr's.

Also, keep in mind the flat areas along the trcks. possibly old camps from those that built the rr and long gone houses, etc.

You'll be suprised by what you can find just randomly detecting a flat area without anything indicating the possibility that something was there 150 years ago....time makes a good eraser of visible landmarks.

just because an area LOOKs blank, doesnt mean it is.
Keep an eye out for those ever-so-slight depressions along the old rail lines.....people lived in all kinds of weird places in pa.

Al

 

[Lady_Huntress]

that sounds like a good idea, I wonder if you could find info on old pony express lines and camps?

 

[baspinall]

Well I plan on heeding out tomorrow morning. With a SWEATSHIRT, ouch....not ready for the cold weather yet.

 

[CanUDigIt]

Hey BA,
There was a great link in another post courtesy of TeddyB1967. There is a Downingtown Station listed.

http://www.west2k.com/pastations/pastations.htm

I am a bit east of you and see an old rail line through Phoenixville also. Good luck!

 

[trash n cash]

They can be gold mines. Lots of times if there was a train wreck or derailment they would just bury everything that spilled out. I know from personal workings of them lots of trash there also.

 

[baspinall]

Re: Old Rail roads long gone? ***** Updated*****

Well, I went out but didn't stay long. To many deerstands & lots of pickups parked around certain access areas. Don't need to take an arrow for a RR spike. I'll wait. So I heeded to a field where they hold a strawberry festival. Found a nice large silver ring w/pink cut stone and six (maybe but I don't think so) diamonds

Brian

 

[baspinall]

Hey poorinpottstown my daughter lives in Pottstown. We should hook up some time.

 

[CanUDigIt]

Hey BA,
Would appreciate the help from an experienced MDer. I don't know if I even qualify as a newbie since I don't have a MD yet but that is being rectified... My wife is actually ordering my Christmas/Birthday present as I am writing.
I have been a lurker for about a month and recently joined to post. I could just about hit Pennhurst with a golf ball if I was any good at golf. Didn't want anyone getting busted poking around. People still do it but I try to stay on the good side of the law. I have been a rock hound since earlier this year and thought it would be the perfect compliment. I have a lot of research as I'm pretty literate on the web. I am the one my friends go to when something needs to be found. I am not in Jeff's class though. I actually PMed him about beginner detectors, going between a Walmart BH and White's Prisms. The catalog came from my neighbor's brother and then I added a Garrett 250 into the mix. I read all detector reviews and it made my head spin. I finally realized that it is the best if you own it just by reading the posts. My wife finally started looking on the web and after about an hour agreed that my present would be a Minelab Xterra 30. I'm blown away. She just hit the checkout on Kellyco. Would love to get together after it arrives. There are some local spots I am dying to search. I am also sure we will run in to each other at the GPAA show as she just agreed that we could go. It's Ok, she cool. It's only an hour away and had to be great time. By the way, my sister is in Downingtown and I have worked in New Holland.

 

[CanUDigIt]

Almost forgot (I am a newbie), thanks for updating your post with your find. Pretty cool! The purple stone may be amethyst. We will have to try the Phoenixville area of abandoned tracks.

 

[Stinger]

Whenever I get around to getting a MD ill be hitting up an old railroad near wear I live. Not sure how old the railroad is but there's an old station on it that almost gone! It's ghostly so ill check it out in the spring 8). Oh and it's really close to the St Lawrence River, right were there was a big battle around 1779 I think (not sure on the year the battle was) but I might find some good war relics there anyway