Mapping the Rails of Southwest Wisconsin: New Digital Tools Reveal an Old Railroad Landscape

Mapping the Rails of Southwest Wisconsin: New Digital Tools Reveal an Old Railroad Landscape
 
The railroad landscape of Southwest Wisconsin has changed dramatically over the past century. Lines that once connected communities, served industries and carried passengers and freight have disappeared, leaving behind traces that can be difficult to see—unless you know where to look.
 
On Friday, October 16, at 7:00 p.m., the Southwest Wisconsin Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society will present a special program at the Mineral Point Railroad Museum, 11 Commerce Street, exploring how modern digital tools are helping bring that lost railroad landscape back into view.
 
The 60-minute presentation will center on the Rail Map of Southwest Wisconsin, a digital project documenting the rail lines that once crisscrossed this corner of the state. Jeremy Peplinski, one of the map's creators, will provide an inside look at how the project began, the historical sources used to reconstruct the region's railroad network, and the technology that has made it possible to transform those discoveries into an interactive map.
 
But the evening will be about more than lines on a map.
 
Researching Southwest Wisconsin's railroads has uncovered unexpected stories, surprising connections and new questions about places that may look very different today than they did when trains were running. The presentation will share some of those discoveries while demonstrating how digital mapping and other online resources can open new avenues for researching and learning about railroad history.
 
Attendees will see the project develop through several stages, from historical maps and raw geographic data to the publicly accessible Google-based rail map. The presentation will highlight how these tools can be used not only by researchers and railroad historians, but by anyone interested in exploring the history of their community.
 
The program is being held during Fall Art Tour weekend, making it an opportunity to add a bit of local history and technological discovery to the weekend's activities in Mineral Point.
 
The presentation will also be recorded and published following the event, allowing the project and its research to reach an even wider audience.
 
Whether you have spent years studying Southwest Wisconsin railroads or have simply wondered what used to run through your town, this program offers a fascinating look at how today's digital tools are helping uncover yesterday's railroad world.
 
Friday, October 16, 2026 • 7:00 p.m.
Mineral Point Railroad Museum
11 Commerce Street, Mineral Point, Wisconsin
There is no charge to attend.
 
Visit the map page: https://goo.gl/maps/ei87xEfQnjcXuLXY7