[OSM-talk] Element on OSM which don't exist in real life

[Greg Troxel]

Richard Welty <rwelty at averillpark.net> writes:

> there is some bad data in the GNIS import. when i encounter obviously
> bogus objects from the GNIS import, i just delete them. just the other
> day i deleted a GNIS object which suggested someone had a heliport in
> their back yard a little south of Albany NY. i didn't see a heliport.

There is some bad data.  But old place names are usually actually ok (if
misplaced a bit).  Foo Station or Foo Depot is often where the railroad
(or some highway in the 1800s) came close to a town, and it may still be
a name locals know even if currently no one lives there.  For an
unpopulated place name:

  http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Locality

It's worth remembering that in the US the GNIS (well, the Board of
Geographic Names) is the definition of place names, at least for Federal
purposes.  So it being in GNIS is a measure of reality, because they are
the naming authority.

For heliports, I agree with Richard - I've seen a fair number of
questionable ones.

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