Active and Abandoned Railroads in Illinois by County

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Frequently-anticipated questions:


What does this data set describe?

Title: Active and Abandoned Railroads in Illinois by County
Abstract:
Active and abandoned railroads by county at 1:100,000 for all of Illinois and portions of surrounding states. Derived from the US Geological Survey 1:100,000 Digital Line Graph files, transportation layer. Publication dates of the USGS maps used as sources range from 1980 to 1986. Data were recoded to reflect ownership, use by AMTRAK and active/abandoned status as of January 1991. Sidings and yards are included. The maximum estimated error in horizontal position based on National Map Accuracy Standards is 167 feet.

Supplemental_Information:
The path to these data sets is *path_name_suppressed*/rails where <county_name> should be replaced with the name of the county of interest. Longer county names have been truncated to eight characters.

  1. How should this data set be cited?

    Illinois Department of Natural Resources, 1994, Active and Abandoned Railroads in Illinois by County: IGIS GIS Database rails.

    Online Links:

  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -92.0
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -87.5
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 42.5
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 37.0

  3. What does it look like?

  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?

    Beginning_Date: 1980
    Ending_Date: 1991
    Currentness_Reference:
    publication date of sources. Contact metadata contact for a list of sources.

  5. What is the general form of this data set?

    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: map

  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?

    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?

      This is a Vector data set.

    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?

      The map projection used is Lambert Conformal Conic.

      Projection parameters:
      Standard_Parallel: 33 0 0.000
      Standard_Parallel: 45 0 0.000
      Longitude_of_Central_Meridian: -89 30 0.000
      Latitude_of_Projection_Origin: 33 0 0.000
      False_Easting: 914400.00000 meters
      False_Northing: 0.00000

      Planar coordinates are encoded using coordinate pair
      Abscissae (x-coordinates) are specified to the nearest unknown
      Ordinates (y-coordinates) are specified to the nearest unknown
      Planar coordinates are specified in feet

      The horizontal datum used is NAD27.
      The ellipsoid used is CLARKE1866.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378206.4 meters.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/294.98.

  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

    Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:
    Attributes are in typical Arc/Info feature class format. Arc attributes requiring additional explanation are:

     RAILCLASS     -  Status of railroads.
                      from Railroads of Illinois, 1991,
                      Ill. Dept. of Transportation.
                      Domain:
                      1 - active
                      2 - abandoned as of IDOT map of January 1, 1991
                      3 - AMTRAK, active
    
     SIDING         - One or more single tracks branching off
                      from a main line of a railroad. USGS Major
                      code 180, Minor code 208.
                      from USGS Standards for Digital Line Graphs, 1987.
                      Domain:
                      0 - Not a siding
                      1 - arc is a siding, as coded by USGS in DLG files,
                      Major code 180, Minor code 208.
    
     NUM_TRACKS     - Number of tracks represented by a single line.
                      from USGS Standards for Digital Line Graphs, 1987.
                      Domain: positive integer
    
     AMODIFIER      - Indicates lineage or other information
                      about the rail line represented by each arc.
                      from USGS Standards for Digital Line Graphs,
                      USGS, 1987. Illinois Department of Energy and
                      Natural Resources.
                      Domain:
                      101 - added to original data by INHS
                      601 - in tunnel
                      602 - Overpassing on bridge
                      605 - Underpassing
                      607 - Under structure
                      613 - US Government
    
     ARBITRARY      - Arbitrary line extension, formerly USGS DLG
                      Minor code 210.
                      from USGS Standards for Digital Line Graphs,
                      USGS, 1987.
                      Domain:
                      0 - non-arbitrary
                      1 - arbitrary
    
     OWNER          - Character code indicating owner of the line.
                      AMTRAK uses some of these lines. See attribute
                      RAILCLASS.
                      from Illinois Department of Transportation
                      Domain:  See the file *path_name_suppressed*/rails.lst.
                      Note: AMTRAK is coded in RAILCLASS and operates
                      on some of these lines.
    
     COINCIDENT     - DLG feature code indicating the type of feature
                      in other DLG data sets with which this arc is
                      coincident. This attribute was carried over from
                      the original DLG data set and has not been checked
                      or maintained.
                      Domain: Refer to USGS DLG Users Guide
    
    Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation: none


Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)

  2. Who also contributed to the data set?

     GIS Processing:  INHS Staff
     Documentation:   D. Nelson and S. Beaverson
     Quality Control: INHS Staff
    

  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?

    Illinois State Geological Survey
    Information Office
    615 East Peabody Drive
    Champaign, Illinois 61820
    USA

    217-333-4747 (voice)
    217-244-0802 (FAX)
    isgs@isgs.uiuc.edu

    Hours_of_Service: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday, U.S. Central Time


Why was the data set created?

These data are appropriate for use in local and regional thematic analysis involving railroads. All railroads contained in USGS 1:100,000 DLG files are included. These data were corrected and updated as of 1991. Data are not appropriate as a geodetic or engineering base.


How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?

    none (source 1 of 1)
    Survey, US Geological , 1980-1991, US Geological Survey 1:100,000 Digital Line Graph files, transportation layer.

    Type_of_Source_Media: digital file
    Source_Scale_Denominator: 100000
    Source_Contribution:
    Location of active and abandoned railroads as contained in the USGS 1:100,000 DLG files

  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?

    Date: unknown (process 1 of 1)
    not available

  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?


How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?

  1. How well have the observations been checked?

    All data were evaluated and compared to Illinois Department of Transportation Railroad Map for Illinois, January 1, 1991.

  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?

    Accuracy of 1:100,000 analog map based on USGS National Map Accuracy Standards.

  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?

  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?

    No statement of completeness was provided with the original USGS DLG data. Visual inspection and use suggests that coverage is comprehensive but reflective of the date of each source map publication date. This date varies across the state.

  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?

    Data set is topologically structured linear data with nodes at all intersections. Pseudo nodes (nodes between arcs with common attribute values across all non-system attribute fields) may exist on some arcs.


How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?

Access_Constraints: none
Use_Constraints:
Reproduction or redistribution of copyrighted digital data sets or products derived therefrom outside of licensee's organization or entity is expressly forbidden. The only exception is redistribution to consultants working for the licensee, and then only for purposes, related to work for the licensee. Such consultants may not further reproduce or redistribute these data sets. None of these data shall be electronically duplicated on magnetic or optical media for use by others, in whole or in part, without permission of the appropriate custodial division within DNR.

Any hardcopies utilizing DNR data sets shall clearly indicate their source. If the licensee has modified the data in any way they are obligated to describe the types of modifications they have performed on the hardcopy map. Licensee specifically agrees not to misrepresent DNR data sets, nor to imply that changes they made were approved by DNR.

These data are not to be used for commercial profit.

  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)

    Illinois State Geological Survey
    Information Office
    615 East Peabody Drive
    Champaign, Illinois 61820
    USA

    217-333-4747 (voice)
    217-244-0802 (FAX)
    isgs@isgs.uiuc.edu

    Hours_of_Service: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday, U.S. Central Time
  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?

    An Arc/Info .e00 (export) file is currently available free of charge at the Illinois Natural Resources Geospatial Data Clearinghouse. Refer to the Citation Information portion of this file for access to downloadable data and metadata. Shift-click to download the data set and related documentation. (Data and metadata offered separately via the Illinois Datasets by County browse area, please download both files.)

  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?

    The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (DNR) provides these geographic data "as is." DNR makes no guarantee or warranty concerning the accuracy of information contained in the geographic data. DNR further makes no warranties, either expressed or implied as to any other matter whatsoever, including, without limitation, the condition of the product, or its fitness for any particular purpose. The burden for determining fitness for use lies entirely with the user. Although these data have been processed successfully on computers of DNR, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made by DNR regarding the use of these data on any other system, nor does the fact of distribution constitute or imply any such warranty.

    In no event shall the DNR have any liability whatsoever for payment of any consequential, incidental, indirect, special, or tort damages of any kind, including, but not limited to, any loss of profits arising out of use of or reliance on the geographic data or arising out of the delivery, installation, operation, or support by DNR.

  4. How can I download or order the data?


Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 31-Jul-1998
Last Reviewed: 31-Jul-1998
To be reviewed: Aug-2000
Metadata author:
Illinois State Geological Survey
Information Office
615 East Peabody Drive
Champaign, Illinois 61820
USA

217-333-4747 (voice)
217-244-0802 (FAX)
isgs@isgs.uiuc.edu

Hours_of_Service: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday, U.S. Central Time
Metadata standard:
FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)


Illinois Natural Resources Geospatial Data Clearinghouse

Generated by mp version 2.8.11 on Mon Jan 29 15:19:42 2007