I decided to look through the old railroad drawers at the office today. It turns out we have a Standard Guide to Southern RR among all of the track geometry car designs. This wasn't a tourist guide...it includes a map of the system (with clear indications of single vs. double track as well as noting all of the major interchanges), but it also includes schematics for everything from RR tie placement/spacing to putting up the official Southern RR billboards (with a company slogan about "Every Employee's Fist Duty is to Safety" or something similar) and placing lettering on their stations facing the tracks. It's impressive to see that amount of detail in one place (and I'm left wondering if Santa Fe or the NY Central had an equivalent). Quite the interesting guide from the operational side...especially since it dated from 1942 or thereabouts.
Now, how it ended up in the Conrail drawer is very likely a story for another day...
Now, how it ended up in the Conrail drawer is very likely a story for another day...
