[Tagging] [OSM-talk] Should we map things that do not exist?

[Paul Allen]

On Thu, 31 Dec 2020 at 17:38, stevea <steveaOSM at softworkers.com> wrote:

> Even a century or more after a railroad has stopped running trains on its
> tracks, even long after tracks and ties have been removed, the effects on
> the landscape, human development, transportation, recreation, land use and
> more that its right-of-way continue to have into the present and future are
> indisputable.
>

I'm currently dealing with such a thing that was partially mapped (with
errors) in the past.  Originally a branch line that closed and the track
lifted.  The right of way and a Light Railway Order were acquired by
a local preservation society, light railway track was laid along part
of it and trains ran.  Difficulty and mismanagement ensued, part of
track was lifted to allow access to forestry workers before the
owner went bankrupt.  It's slowly being restored, and I can
see track along about half the previous operating route
in aerial imagery.

It's a windy trackbed with several cuttings, a few embankments,
and several bridges.  Tedious to map from scratch.  It would be
frustrating and annoying if somebody simply deleted the part
of it that has currently had the tracks lifted but for which the rights
of way still exist and for which there are plans to lay track once more.

Another section, the other side of a collapsed bridge over a river,
looks like being taken over as a path for walking or
biking or some such, as it would probably cost to much to
replace the bridge.

The rights of way persist long after the tracks have been lifted
and may eventually be used for other purposes.  Simply deleting
the whole thing just because the tracks have been lifted is
unhelpful.

-- 
Paul
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