Tag:railway=switch
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 railway = switch
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| Description |
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A railway switch, turnout or points: where trains can change from one track to another track. 
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| Group: railways |
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| Status: de facto |
| Tools for this tag |
A railway switch (or railway turnout or railway point) is a point where trains can change from one track to another track. Add a node 
where the two tracks diverge and add railway=switch.
The most visible feature of a switch is the switch stand, which is located beside the rails and contains levers and linkages that control the switch. When determining the precise position of a switch, it is often quicker and easier to look for the switch stand than to eyeball the point where the rails meet.
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normal right switch, showing switch stand -
normal left switch, showing switch stand -
three-way switch -
double inside slip switch, showing switch stand -
Abt switch -
wye switch
Additional tags
railway=switch– switchref=*– switch numberrailway:switch=*– type of switchrailway:switch=default– normal switch, default (does not have to be tagged)railway:switch=three_way– three-way switchrailway:switch=single_slip– slip switch, combines a switch and a railway crossingrailway:switch=double_slip– double switchrailway:switch=wye– wye switchrailway:switch=abt– Abt switch (funiculars only)
railway:turnout_side=left/right- turnout direction (left/right)railway:switch:heated=yes/no– switch heating (to prevent freezing)railway:maxspeed:straight=*– speed limit in km/h if used in straight directionrailway:maxspeed:diverging=*– speed limit in km/h if not used in straight directionrailway:switch:electric=*– electric switch motor?railway:switch:electric=yes– yes (default)railway:switch:electric=no– no
railway:local_operated=yes/no– Is the switch operated in field (yes) or by a person at the signal box (no)?railway:switch:movable_frog=*- movable frograilway:switch:movable_frog=yes– movable frograilway:switch:movable_frog=no– default value
railway:switch:frog_number=*- is the ratio of its breadth to its length, i.e., the quotient of its breadth divided by its length.railway:switch:frog=lift– a type of flange bearing frog that is tread bearing on the main (through) movement and flange bearing on the minor (diverging) movementrailway:switch:resetting=yes/no– resetting switch (only used on branch lines)railway:switch:merging_only=yes- Indicates that the switch is passive and only allows merging to the exit rail, this is common in tramways switches at the exit of a junction. Taking the switch from the tip/toe is not possible since the switch does not have any kind of control in the position of the tips/toes and those are only moved by the first axle of the tram taking the switch. Example
Tags used for single and double slips
You can use railway:switch:configuration=inside/outside to describe if the movable rails are inside or outside.
Rendering
Possible tagging mistakes
Lifecycle
disused:railway=switch- Switch unusedrazed:railway=switch- Switch removed - note that razed features, also for railways, should not be mapped if traces are utterly gone (with exception of temporary keeping for example features still visible on aerial imagery)
See also
- OpenRailwayMap/Tagging
railway=railway_crossing– Crossing rails that do not interconnect / flat crossing (point where to tracks crosses but trains cannot switch from one track to another)railway=level_crossing- A crossing between a railway and a roadrailway=crossing- Pedestrians can cross a railway herehighway=crossing- Pedestrians can cross a street here