abandoned railway bed

[joemyakka]

Last summer while hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina, I came across an abandoned railway bed running several miles through the woods. All of the rails and ties are gone with the exception of a few ties lying off to the side. There are the remains of an old tressle that passed over a fast flowing stream ( wooden pilings are still protruding from the creek bed). I didn't have a metal detector at the time but I found a large metal plate that was used to connect the track to the tie. I believe the railway was used from around Civil War time until the early 1900's. I just purchased a Fisher CZ-3D and plan to return to North Carolina this summer to check the railbed out. I'm new at metal detecting. Can anyone give me advise as to how I should go about looking for artifacts? Like down the center of the bed, off to the sides, etc. What might I expect to find besides spikes and plates?

Thanks,

Joe in Florida

[WVaTom]

thats all i can help you with.good luck!!!!

[Gregory]

Hi Joe,

Its hard to say, I'd check every where you think something may have been.
I'm sure many small CW skirmishes have taken place along railways. I'd check the sides out to about 50 feet.
Just go with you gut feeling when you get there.

Good luck,

Greg

[Tennessee]

Might check any area thaty seems raised then lowers then raises again. I have seen this befor and was told at was a platform so they could load cars
just a guess hope I help a little

Thanks Will Lane