Introduction
When you think about railroad infrastructure in 2013 of course right of way, bridges, track, and signal systems come to mind. In the 1950s and throughout the history of railroads up to that time you would have thought of the above mentioned but also buildings of all sorts - depots large and small, ticket offices, freight houses, shops, roundhouses, towers, shanties for section men, yards and yard offices. Much of the second list are gone no longer needed in the twenty-first century and long torn down in order to lessen the local tax bill. They were no longer needed because of the transition from steam to diesel, demise of the passenger train, computerized automation eliminating clerks and tower operators, centralized track maintenance and the list goes on.
The railroad footprint is now mostly made of right of way and far flung rail yards. Structures you will still consistently find dating back to earlier days of railroading are the bridges and other right of way improvements constructed over the last 160 years. For example 1900 Columbus was crisscrossed with dangerous at grade street crossings. The city fathers pressured the railroads as well as partnered with them to elevate the railroad tracks in Franklinton and eastside Columbus eliminating those at grade crossings. The Franklinton project was complete by 1911 and the East Columbus elevation of the N&W was complete in 1931. A hundred years later we are still indebted to those farsighted Columbus politicians who made that happen.
The Infrastructure page will explore construction projects and structures of long ago including some that are still with us in 2013 like the grade elimination projects.