WikiProject Belgium/Conventions/Railways

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Railways

Tracks and lines

A Belgian "railroad line" (une ligne, een spoorlijn) exists mostly out of two rail tracks next to each other, like a street driven in two directions (For experts: VNS/CVT-sens/rijzin). Exceptions are:

• a line with only a single track, being run in two directions as needed (but prefarably not synchronous :-), e.g. line 15 Herentals-Turnhout at some places.
• two or more lines close/next to each other. E.g. L25 and L27 between Brussels and Antwerp, L36 and L36N nestled into each other between Leuven and Brussels.

Since very detailed aerial imagery is available, every track should be mapped separately. For more information about how to map railways, check these pages about Railways en railway=*.

Tagging example:

Tags	Description
railway=rail	a railway track
gauge=*	gauge=1435 for all Belgian railway tracks
electrified=*	electrified=contact_line or electrified=no
frequency=*	usually frequency=0, which means it is DC, or frequency=50, e.g. on the HSL/LGV
voltage=*	usually voltage=3000, or voltage=25000, e.g. on the HSL/LGV
maxspeed=*	probably only known by the experts
ref=*	the convention is "L" followed by the number of the line, e.g. L25
name=*	railway tracks don't have a name; perhaps the high speed railways could be given a name, e.g. LGV 3 or HSL 3. In that case the name go to the relation not to the tracks.
highspeed=yes	officially only railway lines L1, L2, L3 and L4 are highspeed lines
usage=*	usage=main for most of the railway lines usage=branch for some railway lines which are used less usage=industrial for the smaller lines servicing plants usage=military for the smaller lines servicing military domains usage=tourism for the (preserved) lines only operated with touristic trains
service=*	see service=* for more information. Tracks with this tag are drawn in a lighter colour (except service=crossover)
tracks=* or passenger_lines=*	use this tag only for (rare) occurrences where only a single track is mapped despite there are multiple tracks running in parallel. Some third-party apps use passenger_lines=* for rendering (e.g. itoworld (broken link?))
operator=*	usually operator=Infrabel (except for railway lines which are private property of an industrial plant)

A railway track under construction is tagged as railway=construction. A track which is still there but is no longer used, is tagged as railway=disused. If the track and infrastucture is removed, but the course is still recognized through embankments, cuttings, bridges or tunnels, use railway=abandoned. If every trace of the track is gone, it shouldn't be mapped at all. Railways which are preserved or restored and are used only for touristic purposes (railbikes or preserved (steam) trains), are tagged as railway=preserved.

If a track runs over a bridge, use bridge=yes together with layer=1 (or higher); a tunnel is mapped with tunnel=yes and layer=-1 (or lower). If a track goes through a building tunnel=building_passage can be used.

Where a road crosses a railroad track, use railway=level_crossing. A point where only pedestrians may cross the track, is tagged with railway=crossing.

The tag railway=junction is for a separate single node somewhere near the area where one or more switches are located. Their name should be something like name=Y.Abeelstraat (with a dot there), their reference is for example ref=YABLS without a dot.

All tracks of a railway line can be added to a relation:

Tags	Description
type=route
route=railway
ref=*	the convention is "L" followed by the number of the line, e.g. L25
operator=*	operator=Infrabel

Stations

Since all Belgian railroad stops have platforms (perrons/des quais) and trains never stop on demand, the English definition is not applicable. We propose (see the talk page why) to use:

• "station" for all stops where Infrabel or NMBS personnel is present, possibly to sell tickets OR where there is still a building used as a waiting hall (without (permanent) personnel presence). Normally these buildings are closed between evening and morning.
• "halt" for all other stops (just platforms and waiting cabins).
• "name" to be obligatory (verplicht) and following only the white text on the blue panels at that halt or station. Please observe language rules.

The page about railway stations gives a neat overview of how railway stations with all their infrastructure should be mapped.

Metro

In Belgium, a metro system can only be found in Brussels.

Tracks

Tagging example:

Tags	Description
railway=subway	A metro line which isn't underground.
railway=subway tunnel=yes layer=-1	A metro tunnel. Change the layer according to the situation.

Stations

Tagging example:

Tags	Description
railway=station name=De Brouckère	A metro station in Brussels.

Trams

Tracks

Tagging example:

Tags	Description
railway=tram	A tram line.

Halts

Tagging example:

Tags	Description
railway=tram_stop name=Museum	A tram halt in Antwerp.

Premetro

In some cities (part of) the underground tracks didn't become a separate metro network, and these tunnels have trams running through them. This means that premetro tunnels will get tagged like tram tunnels.

A premetro can be found in Antwerp, Brussels and Charleroi.

Tracks

Tagging example:

Tags	Description
railway=tram tunnel=yes layer=-1	A premetro tunnel. Change the layer according to the situation.

Halts

Tagging example:

Tags	Description
railway=tram_stop name=Rogier	A premetro halt in Brussels.