Talk:Trans Canada Trail

NOTE: the source of this data still needs to be verified based on the Import/Guidelines. --acrosscanadatrails 11:31, 21 September 2009 (UTC)

The intent of this Wiki project is to accurately tag on OSM a Relation_Route for each of the completed sections of the Trans Canada Trail. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans_Canada_Trail Wikipedia Article, http://www.tctrail.ca/ Official_Website and to see the status.

And example can be see here. http://www.openstreetmap.org/browse/relation/28102

 	
name = Trans Canada Trail
network = ncn
route = bicycle
type = route

TCT relation Route

Each official trail has details about the route on the official website www.tctrail.ca

note: Permission still needs to be granted to use this information. You can see this removed example http://www.openstreetmap.org/browse/relation/146837

name = Isadore Cayon Trail
source = tctrail.ca
tctrail:Activities = Walking/Hiking; Cycling; Horseback riding
tctrail:Date_registered = 2003-03-12
tctrail:Grade = Slight incline
tctrail:Length = 24.2 km
tctrail:Pavilions = Cranbrook
tctrail:Province = British Columbia
tctrail:Ref. No. = 10-0040
tctrail:Surface = Gravel/ Crushed stone
tctrail:Trail_Type = Operational Trail
type = route
url = http://www.tctrail.ca/tlocator/infotrail/en/infotrail.php?no=10-0040

Trans Canada Trail points of interest

Here is the list of those points of interest which are important for Trans Canada Trail users. When rendering a map, below are the Key/Value pairs that are need.

TCT Legend Values	Equivlant OSM Tag(s)	Recommended Additional (standard) Tags
TCT Pavilion	amenity=shelter name=TCT Pavilion	operator=Trans Canada Trail
Hardware Store	shop=hardware	name=* phone=+1 (###) ###-####
Resturant	amenity=restaurant	name=* phone=+1 (###) ###-####
Grocery store	shop=supermarket	name=* address=*
General Store	shop=convenience	name=*
Fuel	amenity=fuel	name=* operator=*
Pharmacy	amenity=pharmacy	name=* address=* phone=+1 (###) ###-####
Hospital	amenity=hospital	name=* phone=+1 (###) ###-####
Museum	tourism=museum	name=* phone=+1 (###) ###-#### fee=yes;no
Information	tourism=information	name=* information=office information=map opening_hours=(eg 9am-5pm)
Ferry	amenity=ferry_terminal	name=* sailing_times=*
For aquestrians	*highway=bridleway	horse=yes foot=permissive applies only to ways, rendered differently than footpaths
Lodging	tourism=hotel;motel;guest_house	name=* phone=+1 (###) ###-####
Camping	tourism=camp_site	name=* phone=+1 (###) ###-#### reservations=yes;no;optional
Restrooms/outhouse	amenity=toilets	power=yes;no pit=yes;no
Parking	amenity=parking	amenity=bicycle_parking
Drinking water	amenity=drinking_water
Picnic Tables	tourism=picnic_site
Park	leisure=park	name=* operator=*
Rest area	unknown tag	highway=services amenity=bench
Town/Community	place=town	most towns are already listed
Trans Canada Trail	*route=ncn type=cycle	see below a Super relation relation
Local adventures & detours	route=	local routes (connecting to the TCT)
Other trails	highway=path	highway=footway highway=cycleway
River	waterway=river	most will be imported
Highway/ Road number	highway=*
Trans-canada Highway	route	a super relation

See also [Relations to GPX] to create a GPX file from many Trans Canada trail route relations.

Tagging the Trans Canada Trail

Operators

The Trans Canada Trail is a multi-surface recreational trail covering all of Canada. The common physical element that you will see is the TCT Symbol, on the sign posts, and on the pavilions and local area maps, as well as in local area tourist maps. We can tag each way with this as the operator. Because the whole trail is not yet complete, we cannot create a unified relation route for it. Having the operator listed as this, should be sufficient and true for all segments of the Trans Canada Trail. Although the TCT is technically not the operator, as they provide the signs, (it is up to the provincial organizations todo that) See www.tctrail.ca for the current status and to see where the trail is. However, for OSM, we use this because we physically see the signs this helps to keep this common element. (As the surface and usage changes across the country)

operator=Trans Canada Trail  

or =TCT or =Trans-Canada Trail or=Sentier Transcanadien ???

Provincial The overall routing of the trail is planned and maintained by each provincial trails organization. (Notice in the official trail reference number, there is a 2 digit number before it. .. 01-12) Each Trans Canada Trail segment which is in the same province, is associated as the operator of that province. They communicate and coordinate with the regional and local trail groups to physically put the signs in place. The list of provincial contacts can be found here. http://www.tctrail.ca/Provincial_Partners.php

operator=Alberta TrailNet
operator=TrailsBC 
operator=Manitoba Recreational Trails Association (or =MRTA)
operator=New Brunswick Trails Council Inc. (or =NBTCI)
operator=Newfoundland T'Railway Council (or=T'Railway)
operator=NWT Recreation and Parks Assoc. (or=NWT)

Regional

Local

Tagging Recreational Trails In Canada

See Tagging Recreational Trails in Canada

Tagging the trail Surfaces

As such, there is no 1 single way to tag it all. However, there are some common elements for the various complete trail sections.

This section is organized based on surface type.

Paved Surface (separate from road)

(insert chart here)

• sometimes having a painted center line stripe indicating direction of traffic
• mainly found in city centers or inter urban routes

(picture)

Gravel Surface (loose gravel, crushed stone)

• usually rail-trails or dyke trails
• can be very dusty

(insert picture of the surfaces)

• Recreational activities handle it:

(insert chart with pictures of the various activities)

Dirt Trail Surface

• could be single track or double track
• generally not in the city core
• hiking is

Highway shoulder paved

(picture)

• can have loose gravel in spots (mainly after spring thaw)
• watch for broken glass

Highway shoulder Un-paved

• wishing they were paved
• best to avoid if possable taking side roads
• mountain bike would be better

(picture)

Primary Road rotary routes

(hopefully i didn't get that mixed up)

• These are generally not separate from the road, but indicated by signage
• put there by the local rotary club

Secondary highway roads

• These are sparcely marked, as distances between times when you need to turn are so great.
• ie. northern ontario where there is only 1 road for a great distance with no connecting roads (there is no need for signage every 100 meters)

Tagging the trail Usage

There are different levels when traveling along the Trans Canada Trail. As this trail is multi-use, it is apparent that each usage should be shown. By simple physical observations, each activity permitted should be sign posted. There are 6 general uses for the Trans Canada Trail.

Activity 1: Hiking / walking

Walking

highway=footway

Activity 2: Cycling

bicycle=yes

Activity 3: Cross-country skiiing

• only where there is snow :)

Activity 5: Snowmobiling

• only where there is snow :)

Activity 6: Canoeing

• only where there are rivers/lakes/water :)

OSM TCT Tagging Progress status chart

			% Complete
TCT Reference #	TCT Trail Name	OSM Route Relation #	Raw Tracks uploaded	Mapped (traced)	Labeled	Notes (description of status)
10-0001	Galloping Goose	19895	Yes tracks	Yes Mapped	Yes Labeled	See Galloping Goose Regional Trail
connection route
10-0007	Cowichan Valley Trail					See Cowichan Valley Trail

How to mark the trail on OSM?

name=Cowichan Valley Trail ref=10-0007 bicycle=yes

pavilion=no

Trail Name: Cambridge to Paris Rail Trail name=Cowichan Valley Trail

Trail Number: 06-0005 ref=06-0005

Trail Type Operational trail

Province Ontario province=Ontario

Length 19 Km length km=19

Grade Mainly flat grade=Mainly flat

Surface Gravel / crushed stone surface=gravel

Classification

Activities - Hiking / walking - Cycling - Cross-country skiing (see note below)

Pavilions No Pavilions=No

Comments

Date registered 1997-07-26 00:00:00 Date Registered= 1997-07-26

ets start from the top.

Major Highways

Like the 400 highways which has complete interchanges. .. obviously.. no bikes are alloud, they even go to the trouble and post signes 'no bikes on highway'.

Highway shoulder

• bicycle = yes
• Surface=paved
• Name= (the name of the highway)

Highway Shoulder Unpaved=

Designated Bicycle lane

• surface = paved
• cycleway = track

Side road

• surface = paved

Gravel Road

• surface: unpaved

Gravel trail

• surface: unpaved

Dirt trail

• surface: ?

• Step 1: Goto http://www.tctrail.ca/tlocator/ website, and find the trail(s) you have sucessfully navigated on your GPS Device.

On the site you can see the details of these trails, (Note: if you cannot find the trail you can message user: acrosscanadatrails who will be happy to help)

• Step 2: If you have navigated more than 1 trail on your trip, please

split your trip into separate paths, 1 path per trail.

• Step 3: (if nothing else, somewhere in the tags include ´Trans Canada Trail´ so then it can be searchable) .. preferably add in the relation . .. ´Trans_Canada_Trail´

• Step 4: Include everything from the TCLocator website, most importantly the trail name & trail number.

• Step 5: Include all the details of the trail, as shown below (or discus), heres an example.

Trail Name: Cambridge to Paris Rail Trail

Trail Number: 06-0005

Trail Type Operational trail

Province Ontario

Length 19 Km

Grade Mainly flat

Surface Gravel / crushed stone

Classification

Activities - Hiking / walking - Cycling - Cross-country skiing (see note below)

Pavilions No

Comments

Date registered 1997-07-26 00:00:00

Note: We can add under Activities the breakdown, indicating ´yes´ or ´no´, and have each activity that is ´yes´ listed. ... its assumed that the rest are ´no´

Activities Permitted on the Trans Canada Trail

Unofficial Trans Canada Trail GPS Map

Using the Unofficial Trans Canada Trail GPS Map it is possable to accuratly follow the completed sections of the Trans Canada Trail.

You can download the map file from map center here http://mapcenter2.cgpsmapper.com/mapview.php?id=1882

Included with the download map file are:

• Virtual Trail Markers

Shown as an icon of the Trans Canada Trail (TCT), this file can also be downloaded separately from [[1]]

• Trans Canada Trail Pavilions

Showing 81 of these red roofed pavilions, the user is able successfully to navigate their was to/from these permanent pavilions. Also available separately on [[2]]

All the trails which are physically marked with the TCT logo, have this logo Icon, so it is visible on the GPS Device.

How can you help?

As the saying goes, many hands make light work.

Simply marking the recreational trails in your area When anyone who lives close to a section of the Trans Canada Trail, (or one of the Across Canada Trails), along with navigating the route, can map out by mapping out the physically marked sections. Most importantly, it would be of great help to map out the way you got out to and from the trail. Ideally connecting with a major highway, which connects to the Trans Canada Highway. Your contributing help, will in-turn, help others to navigate that section of the trail easier.

Concerns

• figure out how the tagging will work to be consistant across the country
• how the relation route will work
  • potential copyright issues (using data from other sources)
• Google map maker? - none. .. This OSM is totally free, and totally wiki. .. complaints are simply ignored. .. but questions are answered, and suggestions and solutions are better. ... Go wiki wiki

Ideas

• translate what im writing into true wiki form, placing it in the wikipedia context (out of the 1s person)
• go back to grammer school
• print this map in a map book form with some kind of print on demand site, so users can trdownload the latest version of the map. ... map being created and revised with wiki concept. So then you can have a paper map version of OSM, and only print what you need, having it bounded and made into a book. ... for All of Canada?
• write a state of the map canada summery (wiki)
• use and learn from other countries, regions what they are doing and copy

wiki todo list

• Unofficial Trans Canada Trail Pavilions

http://www.poifriend.com/poigroup.php?poigroup_id=4386 (done, but needs updating as more are built)

• Trans Canada Trail segments (as shown on the TCtrail.ca website)

[[3]] (done, but needs updating as more are named)

• Trans Canada Trail Discovery Panels

• Trans Canada Trail Local Information boards

• Marking the Trails with activity use permitted (POIs):

Authors Notes

1 Although I would like to see this map made available on OSM, as the tracks should be 100% accurate; These tracks were downloaded from the Trans Canada Trail website as GPX and KML. So the origional source is from multiple contributors, however, I can provide the raw files and each track is already named.

2 Currently in development are t6 TCT icons representing the different types of usage, these icons will be shown on the tracks, at each road/path intersection and along the trail in appropriate places (as to not interfere with other physical way point markers, or other POI. (Idea: using part of the TCT logo which shows all the recreation types, with the TCT leaf as smaller and shown in the top right corner) This would it smaller, but still be identifiable. Comments???

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