Google Maps Vs Google Satelite?

[ljstott]

Hello Everyone,
I have a question or 2 in reguards to Google Maps vs Google satelite.
When using maps you do not get the total picture of whta is there on the ground. But when you change to satelite you get a better picture.
I have truoble printing to satelite picture so I can follow them. The maps show only one track and the satelite shows many tracks.
Is there a better way of getting maps and picture to do routes with. Because I can print the maps, but have trouble with image from satelites.
The 2 routes that I'm doing with this type of layout is, BNSF Yard at Galesburg, Union Pacific yard at North Plates
Any help would be appericated.

 

[ljstott]

Hello Everyone,
I have a question or 2 in reguards to Google Maps vs Google satelite.
When using maps you do not get the total picture of what is there on the ground. But when you change to satelite you get a better picture.
I have truoble printing to satelite picture so I can follow them. The maps show only one track and the satelite shows many tracks.
Is there a better way of getting maps and picture to do routes with. Because I can print the maps, but have trouble with image from satelites.
The 2 routes that I'm doing with this type of layout is, BNSF Yard at Galesburg, Union Pacific yard at North Plates
Any help would be appericated.

Here is what this is all about.
Each time I go to Google Satelite and veiw a area of the route I'm doing it shows me a single track.
Then you go to Youtube and watch the same area on there you see a duoble track.
What I'm looking for is a better to get maps and above picture of the area that I'm working on.

 

[patchy]

G'Day,
I think you have answered your own question
Google earth is a good tool and depending how good the photo is, you can see everthing
But if you feel you can't see everything Other resources are out there such as youtube ,websites ,images, etc
Case in point,I'm doing Kingaroy and google earth is a good tool,i also found Stations Past website which also helps
It's a case of getting as much imformation as you can a go for it,other than acually being there to take photos yourself

Cheers,
Patchy

 

[ljstott]

G'Day Patchy,
On Google satelite the picture is not real good. I did look at Google Earth but could see the detail I was looking for.
Being there is a bit hard due to the fact that I live in Australia. And the 2 routes are in the USA.
Thank you for your advise. I hope all goes well with the recreating of QR Kingaroy as route.

 

[schweitzerdude]

Don't overlook the usefulness of "street view" within Google Maps to get a closeup of what is really there. It's not everywhere, but where it is, it can be very addictive to tour a neighborhood in a city you have never visited in a country on another continent. And here is something I came across: "train view". They put the street view cam on a flatcar on a railway in Switzerland:

http://www.gearthblog.com/blog/archives/2012/03/ride_the_railroad_with_google_stree.html

 

[bl4882]

Hello Ljstott,

You're only looking at one of a number of resources that can be of use in solving the detail problem you are having. One excellent source is the USGS maps that are available. MSR Maps offers these on line here http://msrmaps.com/CTile.ashx?P=0. These will show you not only a lot of detail of the location of track and buildings, but also the terrain including contour lines and terrain features such as cuts and fills, rivers, creeks, and many man made objects. If you are not familiar with map reading you can search the USGS Web site for legends of the various maps. Do not overlook Google Earth, and if you really want to get into it, go to a site like Railfan Depot (and there are others the names of which escape me right now) that offers track charts, diagrams, and maps that were produced by railroads themselves for their own use, many of which have been copied and published for railfans. Union Pacific and BNSF are particularly well represented. Also, consider joining up with a railfan forum that covers the UP and BNSF. You can make the acquaintance of aficionados there who can point you to other resources.

Enjoy the hunting.

Bernie

 

[NCkilla333]

Another good suggestion is Bing maps. Their "Birds-eye view" is taken from low flying aircraft as opposed to satellite so it's alot clearer and you can rotate to different angles. It's really laggy though where it has to change images frequently. http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?q=&mkt=en-US&FORM=BYFD

 

[ljstott]

Hello Ljstott,

You're only looking at one of a number of resources that can be of use in solving the detail problem you are having. One excellent source is the USGS maps that are available. MSR Maps offers these on line here http://msrmaps.com/CTile.ashx?P=0. These will show you not only a lot of detail of the location of track and buildings, but also the terrain including contour lines and terrain features such as cuts and fills, rivers, creeks, and many man made objects. If you are not familiar with map reading you can search the USGS Web site for legends of the various maps. Do not overlook Google Earth, and if you really want to get into it, go to a site like Railfan Depot (and there are others the names of which escape me right now) that offers track charts, diagrams, and maps that were produced by railroads themselves for their own use, many of which have been copied and published for railfans. Union Pacific and BNSF are particularly well represented. Also, consider joining up with a railfan forum that covers the UP and BNSF. You can make the acquaintance of aficionados there who can point you to other resources.

Enjoy the hunting.

Bernie

Hello Berine,
Thank you for the advise. I have made some note on where to go. The link you post did not work. All I got was a world map which did nothing.
I get check out Railfan depot which looks to be a great site to use. I will need to google usgs msr maps to find the right site.

 

[ljstott]

Hello NCkilla333,
Thank you for the advise. I see a big different in the detail of the maps.

 

[mezzoprezzo]

Another good suggestion is Bing maps. Their "Birds-eye view" is taken from low flying aircraft as opposed to satellite so it's alot clearer and you can rotate to different angles. It's really laggy though where it has to change images frequently. http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?q=&mkt=en-US&FORM=BYFD

I use Bing to view satellite imagery which is more up to date than any other mapping tool that I have so far found. Click on the dropdown menu and change from Bird's eye to Aerial.

I've seen some views in the past year which I know were very new. They were just three months old, datable after seeing some recently completed building work in my area. I believe the most recent supplied by Google is around two years old.

 

[RRSignal]

Let me throw out one more useful tool: www.wikimapia.com has a tool that allows you to measure distances.

That said, consider using basemaps or even a raster map overlay on a DEM. I did that any it helps GREATLY. The data I got (MSRMAPS) still doesn't always differentiate between, say, 1 track and 2, but it usually does between 1 and 3 or more.

 

[ljstott]

Thank you for your advise. I did have look at this yesterday and found really good details.
I was a kid with a new toy. Play with this for about an hour.
It did really help in what I'm looking for.

 

[ljstott]

Hello RRSignal,
I did sign up and make anccount wikimapia. It has help with more detail.
Thank you for the tip. I am checking out the basemaps and raster map overlay.

 

[Jerker]

G'day ljstott,

...greetings from 'down south'. You haven't indicated yet where the route you are building is actually located but presuming it is local, I have found that the aerial imagery provided by the good people at Nearmap for Australia leaves anything that is available from anywhere else in the world (for the same 'area') for dead. At the moment, for your home town, the current map dates from February 5, this year (2012) - you will not get 'better' than that anywhere else. You do need to 'register' but this free and they provide much the same facilities as Google Earth/Maps, albeit without "Street View" and their topographic mapping overlays are provided by Open Street Map...

...if your route is based elsewhere, the let me know and I will advise you accordingly...

...I also recall that DEM was mentioned in an earlier post and if you need advice in that area, I am more than willing to provide it (and quite possibly, the actual DEM, itself)...

later edit:

...here you go...


...I know where you live (assuming you are the only 'Stott' listed in the White Pages). This is the best aerial image I can get (having been 'taken' only a few minutes ago, this posted image, that is, by me, from Nearmap) of your residence...

Jerker {}

 

[Vern]

In some cases, Open Street Map provides a slightly better level of detail than Google though obviously not the satellite. Also, if just using for visual reference, Google Earth as opposed to Google Maps is generally quicker to move around in. I find Google Maps, especially in Satellite mode, painfully slow to scroll around or zoom in and out these days.

 

[ljstott]

G'Day Jerker,
The routes are in the U.S. North Platte is in Nebraska. It is Union Pacific major yard in the country. The other is Bnsf in Galesburg, Illinois. I'm not the only Stott in the white pages. I'm in Australia. I just love the U.S. railway.
If you would like to send a link to Dem it would be really great. Also your image did not work.

 

[ljstott]

G'Day Vern,
I am finding that bing maps with the aerial is doing a really good job for what I need. I know that there are a few of maps that take forever to refresh. That is a real pain.

 

[Jerker]

G'day ljstott,

..indeed, the implication by the reference to you being ..."...the only Stott..."... in the white pages was to imply the "only Stott" listed for the location you cite as your 'location' in your visible profile (I did not wish to enter this location in the text, even though it is readily visible in the aforementioned profile)...


....there is nothing awry with the image. You have obviously only read my response since yesterday when the web site where I store these images suddenly went 'off-line', making all of the images I have ever posted anywhere, no longer visible. I do not know when this problem will be rectified, regrettably...

...with regard to existing DEMs for the areas you are modelling, I suggest you start looking at the stuff that has already been 'published' by fellow 'DEM creator' "fishlipsatwork", although I do not know where his oeuvre is being stored these days. If you do not find that which you seek, then I suggest a polite request in these pages may find a kindred soul that will create them for you...

Jerker {}

 

[Vern]

If you want to build prototype style routes I recommend you invest in a copy of Transdem. It's only a few Euro's but money well spent as a one off investment that will serve your route building needs for as lond as Trainz is around.

DEM files can be found at the NASA site http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/srtm/ under Public Data Distribution (you may need to hunt around for what you want).

For the US a good source of maps is Libre, http://libremap.org/ , they have collated most of the 1:24000 sheets for the US and these can be georeferenced into Transdem.

 

[ljstott]

G'day Vern,
Thank you for the tips. I did have a look at both of the sites. Also I was just wondering if Bing and Msr maps can be used with Transdem? As soon as the monery is available I will invest in Transdem.