KMZ Files - route building aids?

[Orbita]

https://www.msrailroads.com/Google_earth.htm

This website has some really nice Google Earth overlays that map out various railroad lines. Quite the variety on this site. I've got a bunch of these I use for railfan trips.

Thing is, would these be useful in aiding route builders? Some of the overlays are quite thorough. The lines are labeled, documenting the history of when they were built, abandoned, transfer of ownership, etc. Some of them have yards and buildings laid out too. Again, depending on which railroad you download.

[eric]

I did some spot checking on the KMZs for my favorite railroads, and these are pretty darn accurate going back to track that was abandoned in the 1960's thru today.

I've never done much with KMZ, but if you save them as KML that can be imported into both TSRE and MSRE as markers, which have been useful for laying out scenery and track.

The only problem with using markers is that you have to have them placed close enough together to see them and get the alignment correct.

[grundge69]

I've never done much with KMZ but KML can be imported into both TSRE and MSRE as markers, which have been useful for laying out scenery and track.

The only problem with using markers is that you have to have them placed close enough together to see them and get the alignment correct.

KMZ is just a zipped file of 1 or more KML files. I don't really know how much compression it gains.

Cody

[landnrailroader]

My interest is mainly the L&N and to a lessor extent, the Southern. I checked these and quite honestly was not impressed.
If the track actually exists, I can digitize it better myself. If in single track, I digitize the C/L of the track and if in double
track, I digitze the C/L between the tracks. The real issue is that there can be a considerable difference in where the track
appears to be depending on when the aerial was taken. Now if the track is long abandoned, it become useful regardless.

J. H. Sullivan, P.E. (retired)