Alexander writes:
I was trying to say, "Let's not duplicate work." It's not a waste, but I wanted to let you know I was going to be remapping that segment anyway.
Thanks. Good to be working with you! (And other OSM railfans in the USA). I'll stay away from / not edit this segment, but I'm beginning to better utilize your tagging inclinations as they seem to be correct OSM tagging and render better with ORM. ORM's tagging guidelines (on OSM's wiki) are clear that there are three distinct components in its section Railway Lines: "Railway Lines are mapped with relations, and split between three categories that should not be mixed up: infrastructure, railway route, and train route." I had to re-read this part of this very comprehensive wiki a few times to get the hang of how to do these three relation styles (well, as a "first cut" in the USA, way tags for infrastructure, possibly a Railway Line relation -- some overlap here -- for physical infrastructure as well, and then two relations for "Railway Route" and "Train Route.")
This tagging scheme is extremely rich: it is well thought out and seems to work very well for Germany where it was developed (together with the ORM renderer), though there are provisions to make country-specific tagging schemes, too. Excellent! While I don't think we need to do this (yet?) in the USA, good that we can.
So, a "simplified first step" is to tag ways (railway=rail, railway=tram, railway=light_rail, railway=subway...) with physical infrastructure tags (usage=main if true, service=siding if true...) and name=Subdivision Name (where known), possible with owner= and/or operator= tags as well. The richness of potential tagging includes signalling, interlocking, electrification, crossings... but while we should strive to enter these where known, they seem less important than this "simplified first step." A "complete first step" would be to then get "infrastructure relations" complete. The second and third steps of Railway Route and Train Route (relations) can come later, but if there are routes known, they can proceed directly to relations -- though the physical infrastructure (whether as ways or relations) really must come first to do that. Clear as mud, right?
(I think OSM finally has Caltrain "about correct" in California's Bay Area, but only perhaps these first two steps or so).
The upshot/short version? I strongly believe this should be better worked on here in the USA to our rail, and that we have a LOT of work (research, surveys, editing...) to do to achieve this.
Excellent project we have mapping our beautiful home planet, here: Go, OSM! SteveA California _______________________________________________ Talk-us mailing list Talk-us@openstreetmap.org https://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/talk-us
