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Railroad Mapping Refresher

Post by dmcrandall
Due to the proliferation of Light Rail overmapping along the Wasatch Front, I am posting this information from the Wiki. Also, the latest version of the Waze app DOES display railroads on the map.

When mapping Railroad/Light Rail tracks, please keep the following information in mind:

Use the following guidelines when mapping railroad segments:
  • By default, enter "Railroad" for the street name of every railroad segment. (See here for info on Naming railroad segments.)
  • Always select "None" for the city name. This avoids city smudging.
  • Lock the segment at L2.
  • Do not map railroads below ground, as they do not serve any of the three purposes outlined above. This is especially true in urban areas where underground rail lines are common, and their appearance on the map would be confusing to drivers.
  • Set the elevation just as you would a drivable segment. When tracks junction a road on the ground, the Elevation should be set to Ground.
  • Create junctions between drivable roads and railroads.[rr]
  • Set railroad to 2-way directionality
  • Restrict turns to and from the railroad segments.
  • When mapping railroad tracks, focus on those near drivable roads.
  • Map rail yards simply, with one railroad segment along either edge of the yard's tracks.
  • Map industrial spurs only if they cross drivable roads.
  • Do not map every piece of parallel track, such as in sidings or yards, or industrial spurs that don't cross any roads. Your work may otherwise be seen as clutter, much like mapping every parking lot row.
  • Multiple parallel lines at crossings:
    • At most crossings, there should be only one railroad segment mapped and no more than two parallel railroads mapped at any crossing.
    • Parallel lines are to be at least 5m apart
    • In general, there is no reason to have multiple lines mapped. When not at a crossing, even four parallel lines can be easily mapped as a single railroad segment in Waze.
  • Keep segment lengths under 10,000 meters – the longer the segment length, the more sluggish the editor is to respond to changes.
  • Do not map railroads using a drivable road type (streets, primary streets, etc.); it could be a hazard to human life if drivers were routed to them.
^rr Note: The routing server will properly account for delays at railroad crossings through a segment without a junction. However, with a junction, the historical data for the rail crossing will be more accurate.
dmcrandall
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