[OHM] resuming work on the OHM Ghost Tracks project

[Warin]

There are quite a few old historic race tracks that have moved over time, or been disbanded due to expansion of residential areas.

Possibly the Isle of Man TT original course may be different from where it is now. Would need some research.

Certainly there are a number of race tracks in my area that are no more, one dates to before I raced, 2 others I have attended, one I even raced on.


On 24/07/19 05:51, Richard Welty wrote:
> [this is longish, so i'm putting my request for thoughts, comments
> and suggestions up front]
>
> i'd been doing a bit of work gradually adding race tracks that
> are no longer with us to OHM. it ground to a halt with the crash,
> but i have been inspired to relaunch it.
>
> because it's expanding into a media effort of which OHM is an important
> component, i thought i'd discuss some of what i'm doing here. a key
> element is that there are a lot of folks in the racing community who
> are interested in "Ghost Tracks", and they are worth reaching out to.
>
> things i've done within the past month
>
> 1) identify a couple of tracks whose data was lost in the crash, and
> started to restore them
>
> 2) fixed my interactive track map widget - the URL for overpass
> changed on the revived server, a point that i missed on
>
> 3) picked Thompson Speedway in NE Connecticut as a focus; Thompson
> is a track of considerable historic importance that isn't as well
> known as it deserves to be, plus i get there a couple of times a year,
> usually as a race official, but more recently driving a little bit.
> but Thompson isn't a Ghost Track, you say? well that part of the fun
> of the history. there have been 4 distinct Road Courses in service
> since 1952, none exactly the same (and one of the 4 extremely
> different). the older circuits can be mapped, and traces of them
> may be found on the current site. my interactive map of Thomposon
> is a work in progress, more research is needed, but it's getting
> there.
>
> 4) i have created a Facebook Page and Group ("Ghost Tracks on
> OpenHistoricalMap") as well as a Patreon Page, and because of the
> Thompson work, i've collected a few interested folks.
>
> 5) a week ago, when i was there working as the Chief of Tech
> for an SCCA Majors race, i led a Sunday Morning track walk
> directed towards finding evidence of the first three road courses.
> It was tremendously productive. In fact, I'm roughing out a video
> for a planned Youtube Channel using the interactive map intercut
> with video clips to show various signs of the old tracks. The
> first draft of the video has been published on the FB group only.
> I'm debating launching the Youtube Channel with a draft clip.
>
>
> Interactive OHM/OSM Thompson Speedway map:
>
> http://www.na-motorsports.com/test/Thompson.html
>
> Facebook Page:
>
> https://www.facebook.com/GhostTracksOnOHM/
>
> Facebook Group:
>
> https://www.facebook.com/groups/1618875298343172/
>
> Patreon Page:
>
> https://www.patreon.com/GhostTracks
>