STB Releases New Rail Heritage Map

The Surface Transportation Board’s Office of Environmental Analysis (OEA) has updated its Rail Heritage Map.

The map provides the locations of 1,596 rail-related structures, buildings and sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places as well as estimated boundaries of 3,105 National Register-listed historic districts that overlap mapped active or abandoned rail lines or have a known historical connection with railroads.

OEA has also included information about other rail-related historic properties, such as historic railroad bridges and historic districts that OEA researched and evaluated in cases requiring historic review under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.

OEA intends to use the Rail Heritage Map as a repository for historical documentation produced during the Section 106 process for railroad abandonment and construction cases, according to the STB. The map can also help inform Section 106 consulting parties, other stakeholders and the public about railroading history.

“Our new Rail Heritage Map was a painstakingly detailed project conducted by Environmental Protection Specialist Joshua Wayland,” STB Chairman Martin J. Oberman said. “We all applaud Josh’s impressive work to create and present this critical data in a user-friendly format for interested parties.”