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May, 2025

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Midwest Urban Rail Map

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Pman13a
Posts: 3800 - Karma: 452
I've had this idea for a little while but never really started it. We at Thirdward know a ton of urbans around the Milwaukee area, but not really anywhere else. We have most of them on a google map showing their locations and pictures of the rails/features. Because its google maps, we are able to zoom in, see them with satellite pictures, get directions to, and even look at a lot of them in streetview.

What we want to do is get together a massive collection all over the midwest (WI, Ill, Minn, Mich, Oh, etc) but we need everyones help. I've asked a few people to help out but we need a lot more rails before we can release it. This will be a public map, where everyone can see it so we are asking that everyone who would potentially use it contribute. Ask your buddies where there spots if you don't know any. Tell them in return they are getting a wealth of info. I know a lot of people are pretty protective with their urban knowledge, but I think a huge resource of spots will be better then just knowing a few yourself.

What I would need from you would be a picture of the rail, and the exact location of where it is. Go tohttp://maps.google.com/, zoom into the exact spot of the rail, right click and select "what's here" , from there copy down the two latitude and longitude numbers that comes up, and send me those two numbers along with the picture/description of the rail.

Here are some pictures of what is coming along so far, but I'm waiting until I get a lot more rails until I release it, so please help out if you can

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--Far Out View--

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--Close Up View--

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--Street View--


Cliff notes, We need your help with more spots for a public midwest urban rail map, to be released in the near future.
15 years ago
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snowking249
Posts: 1452 - Karma: 34
this is an awsome idea you got goin, for some reason i can only think of one urban spot right now. there is a perfect rail in the middle of the cass county fairgrounds in michigan. granted you have to hop a fence but the rail is so trickable
15 years ago
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nts
Posts: 230 - Karma: 160
you sound lazy. part of doing urban is going out and finding. but if you still want to be lazy just watch the last few level 1 movies. they hit just about ever good in the midwest
15 years ago
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Pman13a
Posts: 3800 - Karma: 452
Click for larger image

this teaser map is from my personal collection, and there is about 50 on there, so i wouldn't call myself lazy when it comes to finding urbans. I just think it would be a great service to have a large collection that anyone could look at and learn about the urbans in their area. If 4 people in your area or surrounding area submit rails, chances are you would find some you didnt know about, so its a give and take thing. However i need rails in order to have a collection in your area, so think of it as a service to you, not to me.

as far as rails in the ski movies, how cool would it be for people to know where those are, and hit them. and you will actually see some of my rails in this years level 1 movie, so no i am not being lazy
15 years ago
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kyle-decker
Posts: 1489 - Karma: 1,516
I like where your heads at on this, I'm down to contribute a few rails, I might know of 1 or two.
15 years ago
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ILoveOhio
Posts: 1793 - Karma: 253
Cool idea.  When I find fresh spots I don't give them out but rails that are kind of "played" I'm willing to contribute.
15 years ago
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bp.lando
Posts: 9297 - Karma: 1,494
know of any good spots in Madison, WI ?
15 years ago
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byrne
Posts: 367 - Karma: 91
yea me too, ill try and find coordinates and get them to you
15 years ago
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R.Fahey
Posts: 8602 - Karma: 539
Someone needs to go back and hit that huge dub kink in Portage that we spent hours at. 
15 years ago
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kyle-decker
Posts: 1489 - Karma: 1,516
nope, not without you! ha
15 years ago
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willyg0808
Posts: 4231 - Karma: 1,365
Click for larger image
Click for larger image
15 years ago
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willyg0808
Posts: 4231 - Karma: 1,365
small but fun!
15 years ago
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gingersteeze270
Posts: 358 - Karma: 784
hmm wonder where some handrails are....
15 years ago
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Pman13a
Posts: 3800 - Karma: 452
the site is coming along, ive got about 10 rails in all of Ohio so far, and would like to get some more.  PM me if you would like to help.  I figure summer is easy for people to get pictures and take a bit of time to get some rail info together
15 years ago
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Big5hifty
Posts: 3243 - Karma: 1,253
great idea and well put together from what ive seen so far. i have to train my "urban eye" again
15 years ago
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heFF
Posts: 5786 - Karma: 4,457
there's actually that college in dublin i think or somewhere around there that has a dopeee quad kink...scoped it over winter break on my way down to mad river with brad but not enough snow at the time...rail is real sick need drop in right foot forward would need to lipslide hopefully i can find a pic or a google earth spot soon and post it
15 years ago
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heFF
Posts: 5786 - Karma: 4,457
it's actually in delaware at weslyn university on like south henry street or something but yeah if you drive aorund the college a bit you'll find it
15 years ago
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bjp
Posts: 16 - Karma: 68
Dayton has bunch of urban rails
This Spot in Walnut Hils Park is Fun. A bunch of short rails in a row and its all down hill <iframe width="562" height="314" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=45405&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=49.757664,135.263672&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Dayton,+Montgomery,+Ohio+45405&t=h&layer=c&cbll=39.741609,-84.161477&panoid=Jr39zCQGaLg8B3P4JtJFHQ& Heres one at the Krogers on Wayne <iframe width="562" height="314" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=45405&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=49.757664,135.263672&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Dayton,+Montgomery,+Ohio+45405&t=h&layer=c&cbll=39.746644,-84.17121&panoid=gbwPK3jeD6cq4GNyXwKkdg&cbp=13,273.16,,1,-0.8&ll=39.790945,-84.21207&spn=0,0.048237&z=14&output=svembed"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=45405&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=49.757664,135.263672&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Dayton,+Montgomery,+Ohio+45405&t=h&layer=c&cbll=39.746644,-84.17121&panoid=gbwPK3jeD6cq4GNyXwKkdg&cbp=13,273.16,,1,-0.8&ll=39.790945,-84.21207&spn=0,0.048237&z=14" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small>, The next is an ariel view. The rail runs from the creekside trail to the parking lot of Kmart. The rail is heavily painted but slides. <iframe width="425" height="350" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=45405&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=49.757664,135.263672&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Dayton,+Montgomery,+Ohio+45405&ll=39.790945,-84.21207&spn=0.000747,0.002064&t=h&z=14&output=embed"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=45405&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=49.757664,135.263672&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Dayton,+Montgomery,+Ohio+45405&ll=39.790945,-84.21207&spn=0.000747,0.002064&t=h&z=14" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small> , Dayton Also Has some really gnarly rails. This one is on the road side of the levy. on the other side going towards the river, is several 40+ stair rails, both kinked and unkinked. Too much for me, but good for someone. <iframe width="562" height="314" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=45405&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=49.757664,135.263672&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Dayton,+Montgomery,+Ohio+45405&t=h&layer=c&cbll=39.766034,-84.196402&panoid=XYRJxwY1DM_gnXIyKO32NQ&cbp=13,247.15,,0,-2.39&ll=39.790945,-84.21207&spn=0,0.048237&z=14&output=svembed"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=45405&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=49.757664,135.263672&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Dayton,+Montgomery,+Ohio+45405&t=h&layer=c&cbll=39.766034,-84.196402&panoid=XYRJxwY1DM_gnXIyKO32NQ&cbp=13,247.15,,0,-2.39&ll=39.790945,-84.21207&spn=0,0.048237&z=14" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small>... There are tons more around Dayton, i just cant get a clear view with google earth. If you would like more locations for the map, reply and I can snap some photos when I am driving around town. I also know a bunch in Columbus area check out this sign on 315... Its not very long but is a pretty fun and would work in a video. <iframe width="562" height="314" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=43081&sll=39.784258,-84.065744&sspn=0.001494,0.004128&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Westerville,+Franklin,+Ohio&t=h&layer=c&cbll=40.122859,-83.036087&panoid=Og9VNXx6XUSmVw4dyDBU6g&cbp=13,291.92,,0,-6.86&ll=40.101404,-82.89636&spn=0,0.048237&z=14&output=svembed"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=43081&sll=39.784258,-84.065744&sspn=0.001494,0.004128&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Westerville,+Franklin,+Ohio&t=h&layer=c&cbll=40.122859,-83.036087&panoid=Og9VNXx6XUSmVw4dyDBU6g&cbp=13,291.92,,0,-6.86&ll=40.101404,-82.89636&spn=0,0.048237&z=14" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small> ...I don't think the html will work on here so you might have to paste the HTML. I grew up hitting rails like this, now we have Capital Park. All the rails you could ever want all in one place.
15 years ago
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bjp
Posts: 16 - Karma: 68
I guess you can't paste HTML directly into this site.
15 years ago
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willyg0808
Posts: 4231 - Karma: 1,365
work?
15 years ago
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Midwestjibski
Posts: 1676 - Karma: 77
There are some crazy rails at Everest Academy in Clarkston Michigan.   Like Level 1 quality haha.  I've been there to play soccer before and they are like quad kinks or more.
15 years ago
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JahJahBinks
Posts: 3567 - Karma: 461
I've seen like two good urban rails around and one of them isinproject housing.
15 years ago
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VanMelle
Posts: 1277 - Karma: 1,141
anyone know rails/features/bomb drops in west michigan, or along the west side of the state up to even harbor springs? looking for features for my movie next year... hit me up if you know of anything for me.
15 years ago
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s.miller
Posts: 268 - Karma: 95
yup, lots around the Grand Rapids area, just didnt have the ideal times and people to hit things with.  lots of rails all around, some other cool ideas to try, and of course the rockford meijers drop needs to be done.
15 years ago
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All times are Eastern (-4); Currently it's 9:26PM