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A number of early California maps were reviewed as part of piecing together the history of
the RRC and related local area railroads. These maps (for example, those from Source
2 on the History page) were used to
place the roadbed in relation to Randsburg and the surrounding mining district area as of
about 1899. Automobile road maps from a later time period, such as 1949, were used
to locate the mining district relative to Mojave, Barstow, and the connecting AT&SF
mainline. Later period maps also illustrate the evolution of certain wagon roads
into automobile highways.
Randsburg Area Map (circa 1899) |
Expanded Area Map (circa 1949) |
Roadbed Map
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A
reconstruction of the roadbed location was performed using two chaining surveys performed
by the AT&SF of the "Randsburg Branch" after it acquired the RRC.
Copies of the remeasurement field books documented by the surveyors (dated February 8-11,
1904 and March 5-12, 1913) were obtained from Source 9. First, an end-to-end plot of
the roadbed was created from the 1904 surveyed length and angular (degree of curvature and
subtended angle) dimensions. Using an electronic drawing application, each segment
(starting at Kramer) was drawn to scale to establish the starting point for the next
segment. This resulted in a total of 37 straight segments (Sn) connected by 36 arc
segments (Cn, with varying degrees of curvature) to reach the Johannesburg terminus at a
total distance of 28.6 miles. Next, the drawing was verified against the 1913 survey
and early recorded plats (from Source 9). Finally, the drawing was overlaid on USGS
topographical quadrangle maps (1967) to establish the spatial position of the starting
point at Kramer. The resulting roadbed map (see drawing at right), to the credit of
the surveyors, produced a Johannesburg depot end point location within 100 feet of its
original location.
The two surveys were also useful in
establishing the existence and location of sidings, spurs, and structures that once
existed along the branchline as listed at the end of this page.
The solar power plant shown along S3
on the roadbed map is a modern feature shown for correlation with the original roadbed
location. Excellent aerial views of this plant, including some views showing the
RRC roadbed "scar," can be found at the
KJC Operating Company web site. |
Roadbed Elevation Profile |
The roadbed map
overlaid with topographical maps then enabled plotting an elevation profile, which showed
a maximum sustained grade of 2 percent between S17 and S33. |
The following are sites that existed along the
branchline:
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Kramer - a small depot; house
track siding, 684 feet long (south of and parallel to S1 on Roadbed Map) with a crossover
to the mainline; and "Y" turnaround spur east of S2 (pre-1904) |
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Penshaw - a spur, 579 feet long
(west of and parallel to S6) with turnout at north end (post-1904 and pre-1913) |
| Fremont - a spur,
453 feet long (west of and parallel to S9) with turnout at south end; section house; tie
house; water cistern; and other small structures (pre-1904)
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St. Elmo - a curved spur, 500
feet long east of S21 with turnout at south end (pre-1904, turnout inoperative by 1913) |
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Atolia - a spur, 324 feet long
(west of and parallel to S24) with turnout at north end; and elevated loading drive (post
1904 and pre-1913, although one pre-1904 map refers to this site as "Black
Hawk"); spur subsequently extended southward and
converted to a siding (about 1915) |
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Osdick - a spur, 228 feet long
west of S33 with turnout at north end (post 1904 and pre-1913,
became Red Mountain in 1929) |
| Johannesburg - a
two-story depot with warehouse and platforms; house track spur, 1950 feet long north of
and parallel to S37 (at rear of depot); oil spur, 787 feet long south of S37 near end
point; "Y" turnaround spur north of C35 (with engine house and ash pit); and
several other structures (pre-1904).
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