To further this suggestion, I've prepared a draft copy of the replacement section on my user page of the wiki, here:
https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/User:Nathhad/TaggingNADraft Please feel free to use that draft as a basis for feedback. Thanks! Chuck Virginia On Thu, Jun 4, 2020 at 6:16 PM Chuck Sanders <[email protected]> wrote: > There was substantial discussion on the OpenRailwayMap/Tagging in North > America talk page back in May-October, 2018 (with a brief copy to this > list) trying to sort out a better means of differentiating usage=main from > usage=branch appropriately. However, this prior discussion never really > came to a consensus; I believe, from going back over it, that may be in > part because no one was proposing relatively clear-cut guidelines to go by. > I would personally say the wiki guidance is still very unclear as > implemented now, since folks are still asking this question. > > Coming from a tiny bit more of an industry perspective, and a little > better defined, I'd like to propose the following set of basic guiding > characteristics that I think will probably work for at least 95% of cases, > and clear up the confusion. If you have any interest at all in rail tagging > in NA, please let me know if the below makes sense to you, as I'd really > like to have some feeling of consensus before implementing it. > > usage=main characteristics: > - Route connects multiple localities. > - Predominant traffic is long-distance through traffic. > - Local industries and customers are very likely to exist, but local > service is clearly secondary to the through service. > - Routes are unlikely to be dead end, and usually (but not always) connect > to other main routes at both ends. (Frequent exception: routes that are > long but dead end routes, where the route is generating substantial blocks > of traffic from major customers, most of which are destined for > interchange. Typical example of this exception is a mainline servicing a > major port or industrial area, where the majority of traffic generated is > bound for long distance travel at the connected end. However, one or two > industries generating unit trains do not automatically make the route main). > - Most, but not all, main routes in the US will be owned by Class I > railroads. (Exception example: Florida East Coast is a Class II regional > generating substantial port intermodal traffic, and unit trains of stone, > most of which is bound for interchange; its mainline is a good candidate > for usage=main). > > usage=branch characteristics: > - Route connects multiple localities. > - Predominant traffic is locally generated by on-line customers. Multiple > small to medium customers along the line are typical. > - Route serves multiple customers. > - Route may be dead-end or connected at both ends; this does not affect > branch classification. > - Some through traffic may exist, but under ordinary circumstances does > not represent the predominant source of traffic. For example, route may be > parallel to a main route, and may take through traffic when the main route > is overloaded or blocked. > > usage=industrial characteristics: > - Route serves a single locality, port, or industrial complex (including > one large or multiple adjacent customers), OR > - Route connects multiple localities, but serves a single large customer > (exception). > - Predominant traffic is locally generated by on-line customers. Multiple > small to medium customers along the line are typical, though not required; > an industrial route may equally serve a single, dispersed industry's > complex. > - Route may be dead-end or connected at both ends; this does not affect > branch classification. For example, many port railroads connect to multiple > competing mainline railroads, to allow the cluster of customers to get > better price competition. Conversely, many port or industrial railroads > are part-owned by multiple larger railroads in partnership, to help promote > fair competition and allow all participating railroads to access all the > customers equally. > - Route has some sort of discernible primary route through the locality or > complex it serves. A cluster of non-independent spurs immediately off > another railroad's main or branch track is not a good candidate for > usage=industrial, as all of its individual tracks are better represented by > service=spur. > > Overall, I would definitely say AAR Class does *not* serve as a useful > determinant for usage tagging. However, it can sometimes point the user in > the right direction to start, if considered in concert with the other > characteristics as noted. > > I'm hoping this might be a start to helping clarify the Wiki, and would > really appreciate any feedback. I'd love to incorporate as much good > feedback as possible before I consider trying to put this in. > > Thanks, > Chuck > Virginia > >
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