Google Railview

[Waddon]

Just an idea, seeing as the whole of the UK has now been photographed by those Google streetview cars, and the crews are probably looking for something else to photograph...

Why not persuade Google to mount one of the streetview cameras on a suitable bit of kit, such as a Wickham trolley for example, and do 'Streetview' of all the preserved standard gauge lines in the UK?

Could do it on narrow gaugle lines too if a suitable vehicle could be found.

Would love to be able to cruise up and down some of these lines on Google Maps... Maybe if it was succesful we could persuade them to do National Rail routes too...

 

[maxnod]

And show thieves where there is stuff worth taking?
Don't ALL railways have enough trouble with that already?

 

[TGVDUDE]

And show thieves where there is stuff worth taking?
Don't ALL railways have enough trouble with that already?

you could say that for the streetview..

 

[wowbagger]

The reason behind Streetview is to enhance their advertising revenue, that's why Micro$oft are only going to record certain roads i.e. those with businesses on them for their upgrade to Bing maps.

Unless you could show Google a good revenue earning opportunity by recording rail journeys then they'll not be interested.

 

[50Fan91]

On the face of it, Waddon, I think it is an excellent idea! The security issues that were immediately raised in this thread are understandable, but as TGVDUDE says, the same can be said for streetview.

However, I think that if this service did ever go live, (and let's just for arguments sake say "live" for the national network as well), I think I would waste far too much time on a service like this!!

 

[Wyvern]

Can you still travel the Trans-Siberian Railway using Google?

 

[The Decapod]

Wouldn't it be better to just have a scheme to make and publish more in-cab videos?

 

[Dolive22]

Perhaps it could be mounted on an old pacer? It shouldn't be hard to fit the required kit as the passenger compartment isn't that sturdy, and it's diesel so could run anywhere.

I think it's a good idea. If I see something interesting from the train window it's hard to find it later to see what it was.

 

[Zoe]

The reason behind Streetview is to enhance their advertising revenue, that's why Micro$oft are only going to record certain roads i.e. those with businesses on them for their upgrade to Bing maps.

Streetview also gives Google data for their driverless car project.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Wouldn't it be better to just have a scheme to make and publish more in-cab videos?

But there are some routes that will never be covered though. For example FGW have banned filming from the cab.

 

[greatkingrat]

Actually NR have already done this. They even put it up on the Internet a few years ago before the website crashed and it was never heard of again!

 

[12CSVT]

Wouldn't it be better to just have a scheme to make and publish more in-cab videos?

I think Video 125 and Locomaster Profiles have covered just about every route in Britain already.

 

[Heinz57]

I think it would be a good idea. Tbh it wouldn't surprise me if they did do it. I mean by the looks of it they are trying to get as much as possible done. They did send a guy out on a tricycle to cover areas like footpaths that the streetview car couldn't cover.

However, saying all this. It would mean they would have to do it around all the train lines in all the world. Remember streetview is of the entire world, not just UK roads. So covering all the rail would be a big project, would it be worth there time? Of corse covering all roads was a big project, but thats differant. I think that was worth their time. It helps with advertisment for businesses I think.

But there are some routes that will never be covered though. For example FGW have banned filming from the cab.

Realy? Is there a reason they did this? Or is it FGW just being spoil-sports?

 

[ainsworth74]

Realy? Is there a reason they did this? Or is it FGW just being spoil-sports?

They're very keen on keep distractions to drivers to a minimum in part due to several accidents in the late 90s and early 00s that led to the death of drivers involved.

 

[DavidBrown]

The loss of FGW from cab-filming isn't a huge loss at the moment, given that 'Branch Line Video' has almost all of the old Wessex routes, and mainline routes are mostly covered in numerous DVD's. Would be nice to get some fresh footage in a few years time, though.

 

[Zoe]

No-one has filmed the Castle Cary and Langport Line section of Berks and Hants though and due to the filming ban won't likely get the chance to.

 

[CarterUSM]

I would be surprised if there wasn't a film of it anywhere.

 

[Class172]

I was on google street view the other day and went across a level crossing, looking down the railway line; this made me think, would it be feasible to have a similar version for the railways. Any thoughts?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Technically I don't see why not, after all NR are building up a video library of the entire network from all angles.

Practically... who is going to pay for the huge effort it would take to load it all up?

 

[DaveNewcastle]

When Waddon asked this question : Google Railview last year, the replies weren't very encouraging.

 

[Heinz57]

It would indeed be feasible. And indeed in my opinion a good idea, particularly for the railways that cross the more scenic areas, not just here but perhaps in the States or Australia. Across the desert like.

What about the railway on Toughest Place to be a Train Driver the other week?

Google always introduce smart new ideas for maps/earth, so who knows. Maybe sometime in the future we'll see a loco trundleing along with a 360 degree camara on it!

On a similar note, I heard talk about Google wanting to send a trike like contraption out to do street view on public footpaths. Don't think anything ever came of that.

 

[starrymarkb]

On a similar note, I heard talk about Google wanting to send a trike like contraption out to do street view on public footpaths. Don't think anything ever came of that.

I've seen a few places where it's been. I guess a lot of paths aren't suitable for the trike...

 

[Hydro]

Already exists, in a fashion. Rather than a panoramic 360deg view, it's a video library shot using multiple time and location synchronised cameras mounted on 950001. Chuck in the details of where you want to look, and it'll find the location and you can check out the still images from each camera (forward, rear, side, left rail, right rail, oblique left and right etc). The location is fixed using GPS and tacho feeds, calibrated and fixed using a very, very expensive (and hilariously accurate) laser ring gyro.

 

[Wyvern]

There is a company who have a complete record of the British lines both up and down, though only a driver's eye view. Track Access I think. They originally offered it free but the demand crashed the site so its restricted to the "trade" now.

Also Google had a complete trip on the on the Trans-Siberian Express when they first goy GOogle Maps up and running. I think it is this one now: Trans-Siberian Express. I

 

[Trog]

Already exists, in a fashion. Rather than a panoramic 360deg view, it's a video library shot using multiple time and location synchronised cameras mounted on 950001. Chuck in the details of where you want to look, and it'll find the location and you can check out the still images from each camera (forward, rear, side, left rail, right rail, oblique left and right etc). The location is fixed using GPS and tacho feeds, calibrated and fixed using a very, very expensive (and hilariously accurate) laser ring gyro.

Omnicom?

Good but the video footage is getting a bit old now,and the mileage can be a bit off sometimes.

 

[Hydro]

Omnicom?

Good but the video footage is getting a bit old now,and the mileage can be a bit off sometimes.

It's getting slowly redone, and the location data is getting more and more accurate so I'm told. Not a lot of video shifts been done recently though, presumably due to the testing workload.

 

[33056]

Street View - for railways?
Already been done on the RhB in Switzerland (see HERE )

 

[Cletus]

On a similar note, I heard talk about Google wanting to send a trike like contraption out to do street view on public footpaths. Don't think anything ever came of that.

If you look at Richmond Park in London for example, Google have Streetviewed some of the footpaths.

 

[telstarbox]

They've done it for the Swiss Alps!

http://maps.google.com/intl/en/help/maps/streetview/gallery.html#!/swiss-alps

 

[The Informer]

Omnicom?

Good but the video footage is getting a bit old now,and the mileage can be a bit off sometimes.

Then try Omnicom HD! I have the whole of wales route on a 1TB hard disk. Run it through a large screen and the detail is brilliant.
We get ours updated after each NMT or TRU run.

 

[Trog]

Then try Omnicom HD! I have the whole of wales route on a 1TB hard disk. Run it through a large screen and the detail is brilliant.
We get ours updated after each NMT or TRU run.

The main plus is that it is more recent.

The mileage quoted seems less accurate, and once you have zoomed in on the track the quality is worse, than the down facing cameras of old Omnicom.

Myself I tend to use old Omnicom first, working out and correcting the mileage against two or three mileposts. Then use HD Omnicom to check if what is on old Omnicom has changed since.