Railroad Curves - follow up to Railroad Surveying 101 (Seminar from 2009)

[mbstanton]

I attended the Railroad Surveying 101 seminar in 2009. Like many others there I was somewhat disappointed that we didn't learn the proper method of establishing right of way curves for railroads (since that was the whole reason I attended the seminar). We did learn from Charlie Tucker that the R/W centerline of curve is NOT the same as the Taper Curves centerline curve of the track. Mr. Tucker implied that we had to do research at the National Archives to get the curve data. Mike McGee, PLS solved the mystery and wrote a short article in the lasest issue of California Surveyor. All of the information you need to establish the right of way curve can be aquired from the Southern Pacific Taper Tables. I've attached a cheat sheet for anyone who is interested.

Michael Stanton, PLS 5702