Railway map with routes and stations

Hi Martin,

If by "use OpenStreetMap" you mean use the OpenStreetMap data. Your steps will include:

1. acquiring the OSM data by downloading the planet or extracts
2. building a local OSM stack
3. loading your local database
4. rendering the maps to suit your requirements
5. presenting your rendered map to your audience

If by "use OpenStreetMap" you mean you want to click a few check boxes on a web service then consume that web service and present it to your audience, then the steps will differ.

1. find a base layer you like
2. find a railway layer you like
3. combine them in a pleasing fashion
4. present them to your audience

Finding available layers that you like will have to consider their terms of use, etc.

some intreating options are pre made with colour/b&w options at www.openrailwaymap.org as well as useful guides to tags tey promote.

the wiki has a lot of detail on tagging used on railways and is very helpful for navigating though raw data you get above:- http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Main_Page more than 500 entries:- http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/w/index.php?search=Rail&title=Special%3ASearch&fulltext=Search simpler starting guide:- http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Key:railway http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Map_Features#Public_Transport

It is worth remembering that contributers are increasing detail on a continious basis in the areas they cover so results can be patchy if you want lots of detail with out adding the missing bits yourself into the main database.

The Rail Infrastructure companies in the EU (or maybe the whole EEA can oftern provide additional data source that you can blend with OSM data to give more infomation on your map Links to meny such source site can resuchered through the European Railway Agency at http://www.era.europa.eu/ they also take enquires to the contacts given there in a helpful manner.

The UK has verious networks in vious states of documentation but the maimline services are available from Network Rail http://www.networkrail.co.uk/industry-partners/using-our-network-index.aspx they also has live and open data programs in addition to their layout guides.