[Talk-transit] Ideas for a simplified public transportation scheme

[Tijmen Stam]

On 07-05-19 22:51, Richard Mann wrote:
> My impression is that this mess arises because bus stops are 
> uni-directional and independent from the opposite direction. So we're 
> used to having them as separate entities to the side of the road.
> 
> Whereas tram stops are often in a single location for both directions 
> (or close enough), so we want a single entity on the way, so at low 
> zooms we can have a single symbol and single name label. Just like 
> railway stations. These nodes are just labels.

IMHO tram stops are often far more complex than bus stops, as connecting 
them to a walking network. Train stops even more so.
Tram stops in certain cities are rarely directly opposite each other nor 
can have a "single symbol".

E.G.:
"Rietlandpark": a open trench railway where there is no foot connection 
between the two platforms over the tracks, you will have to walk up and 
down a set of stairs. Besides that, there is a stop at another tram line 
closeby with the same name:
https://www.google.nl/maps/place/Utrecht/@52.3730035,4.9336757,56m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x47c66f4339d32d37:0xd6c8fc4c19af4ae9!8m2!3d52.0907374!4d5.1214201

Kinkerstraat/Bilderdijkstraat, this is a so-called "windmill junction", 
with a stop on each arm of the junction, before the junction. So the 
stop for the line east is at a different place for the line west 
<https://www.openstreetmap.org/search?map=19/52.36730/4.87185>

Amsterdam Sloterdijk railway station, which has three rail lines (and 
subway and tram line): an upper- and lower-level crossing each other at 
right angles but split level, and an "annex station" about 5min walk due 
southwest.

> Me: I'd probably use highway=bus_stop for tram stops that are like bus 
> stops, and add highway=platform for stops that have them, and attach 
> whichever off-way entity seems most appropriate to the relation and let 
> the data user figure it out.

The beauty of using public_transport=platform is that there is one 
unified scheme for bus, tram and train.

The fact that it is a node makes clear it is an "ye olde bus/tram stop" 
which is just a pole or sign, while it being a line or area makes it a 
"proper" bus/tram/train platform.
In both cases, it's still "the place where one stands to board"