Proposal:Surface between and beside rails
| surface between and beside rails | |
|---|---|
| Proposal status: | Draft (under way) |
| Proposed by: | TrainTraveller |
| Tagging: | between_rails:surface=*, beside_rails:surface=* |
| Applies to: | way 
|
| Definition: | Proposal to describe the surface of different areas of a railway track |
| Rendered as: | * |
| Draft started: | 2025-02-23 |
| RFC start: | * |
| Vote end: | * |
Introduction
This proposal introduces tagging methods for specifying the surface material between and beside the rails of embedded railway tracks in OpenStreetMap. While the existing surface=* tag can describe the overall surface of roads or embedded railway tracks, it does not provide enough granularity to differentiate between materials used between the rails and beside the rails. This distinction is crucial for mapping pedestrian accessibility, maintenance, and urban planning.
Currently, there is no standardized way to describe these surface variations. Some mappers might use surface=* in combination with railway=*, but this does not allow precise differentiation between areas. To solve that, this proposal introduces the use of specific tags to describe the material between the rails or the material beside the rails: between_rails:surface=*, beside_rails:surface=*.
More granular tags for left and right sections: between_rails:left:surface=*, between_rails:right:surface=*, beside_rails:left:surface=*, beside_rails:right:surface=*.
This proposal ensures consistent, clear, and non-redundant tagging while maintaining compatibility with existing mapping practices.
Rationale
1. More Detailed Surface Descriptions:
The surface=* tag alone does not distinguish between different surface materials in railway tracks, particularly when different materials exist between and beside the rails.
2. Improved Mapping Precision:
The new attributes allow mappers to specify details relevant for accessibility, maintenance, and urban design, especially in pedestrian or mixed-traffic zones.
3. Flexibility for Various Rail Types:
Whether for tramways in streets, industrial railways, or rail corridors with mixed materials, the new tagging scheme covers diverse cases.
Tagging
between_rails:surface=* – Specifies the surface material between the rails of an embedded railway track.
beside_rails:surface=* – Specifies the surface material beside the railway tracks.
between_rails:left:surface=* / between_rails:right:surface=* – Allows tagging different materials on each side of the track center.
beside_rails:left:surface=* / beside_rails:right:surface=* – Allows tagging different materials on each side of the track outside.
If a railway track is embedded in a single material, surface=* alone remains sufficient. These new attributes are necessary only when differentiation is needed.
Examples
Tbd
Compatibility with Existing Data
This proposal does not alter the usage or values of surface=* where a uniform surface applies.
Mappers can continue using surface=* for general cases, while the new tags provide additional specificity when needed.
See Also
Discussion
Please share your feedback or comments on this proposal in the discussion page.
Voting
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