Big Boys Hobbies

Old Rail Road Station

CTKidd

CTKidd

Elite Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2010
Messages
644
Location
Colchester, CT
Any suggestions on how to approach an old rail road station? Besides the area directly near the station, this one I am looking at in particular is surounded by woods, would you think the woods are worth checking as well?

Thanks,
CTKidd
 
The one here in Alamosa, Colorado is very close to the Rio Grande River, and there is a big park across the street........lots of people traveled by rail back in the old days. Personally, I would give it a shot. I've had good luck.

Dusty
 
CTKidd said:
Any suggestions on how to approach an old rail road station? Besides the area directly near the station, this one I am looking at in particular is surounded by woods, would you think the woods are worth checking as well?

Thanks,
CTKidd
Click to expand...

See if you can find old pictures of the station when it was in service. I would look for the most direct route to the ticket office window.

I've hiked a lot of abandonded RR trails here in CT (Airline, Canal Line, New Haven & Derby to name a few) way before the rails to trails idea came around. If you want to PM me perhaps I might have been past the station.
 
The Rebel said:
See if you can find old pictures of the station when it was in service. I would look for the most direct route to the ticket office window.

I've hiked a lot of abandonded RR trails here in CT (Airline, Canal Line, New Haven & Derby to name a few) way before the rails to trails idea came around. If you want to PM me perhaps I might have been past the station.
Click to expand...

I have found a couple of old pictures of two stations, and they are both on the airline trail. From what I can find, its ok to metal detect the trail area's and old station area's onthe trail but just not the area's next to the viaducts. One of the stations is now a lumber yard, and I don't think I am going to be able to get in there, but I have asked. The area next to it, on the other side of the airline trail is all woods and I was thinking that it might be a good place to check out. The other station is now a liquor store and an antique shop. I have spoken to the owners of the antique store I think I am going to be able to detect there, but they have mentioned that a few people have already checked.

Both of these stations were part of the colchester spur.

Thanks for the input everyone,
CTKidd
 
the board walk

i dont know about up there but down here in alabama all of the old train stations hab a board walk along the tracks where you board the train ive found lots of neat finds and lots of silver...the board walk was built pretty closed to the ground so ig you dropped something and it fell between the cracks it was gone and forgotten about i would try right next to the old rail bed close to where the station was at...its always paid off for me
 
Sta-MillersPlace2ndDepot-1915.jpg heres what im talking about if this pic will work
 
I hunted an old railroad station last summer after all the buildings were tore down. I found 4 silver coins within a 1ft square. All of them were right under where the ticket window was. I have another railroad depot that has been gone for years that i want to hunt, but there are several No Trespassing signs around the property. Its still owned by the railroad and i know for a fact that they will prosocute, so im holding out that a private landowner will buy it sometime.
 
I took a quick drive by the rail station and it does have a boardwalk where people would have boarded the train. Need to go back in there and talk to the owners of this particular spot.

The other train station I don't remember seeing the boardwalk. I am going to check the woods around this one, hit the large boulders and tree's in the area see if anyone hid something before hopping on the train.
 
In some cases all you will find will be the concrete platform by the tracks. Be ready to find A TON OF IRON! MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA TO SEE WHAT IT WILL BRING FOR SCRAP:lol:. In some cases I've found ties, rail plates & the rails still in the woods & never pulled up. I'm sure that would bring in some nice cash if I had a flatbed & a fork lift.

HH!
 
CT - In Az & New Mexico we have been to about 65 old rr sites, found a lot of goodies. Many railroads had a house or two every 8-9 miles for someone to live in and watch over and repair the lines. This arrangement frequently turned into 2 or more houses, dumps, etc. Get an old Rr atlas - like the one I use shown here - and see all the names along the lines. Then go to an online site to get the GPS numbers and go to the sites. Couldn't be easier, steve in so az


RRatlas.jpg
 
I have been searching along an abandoned railroad spur. Trees are growing between the rails. There is a metal frame lying on its side from an old water tank. so far I haven't turned up anything except r r spikes. The other day I saw a post on this site about railroad date nails. They seemed interesting and the next time I'm "working on the railroad" I'll be looking for them also.
 
Absoultely be good search. Alot of old railroad stations are remodeled and mondernized. To get one that is still in the woods is great search.
 
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