Latest Contributions by JimBarry

The Annual Esri Railroad GIS Summit ("RailSummit") is scheduled for 4-5 November 2025, hosted at Union Pacific Railroad offices in Omaha, Nebraska. The agenda for that event is being pulled together now, but we would like to hear from you, if there are topics you would like to discuss, or present, or would like Esri to arrange. Registration to attend is now open!! Here is the web site you can use if you would like to attend. Here is a short list of topics we are thinking about, so it would be good if you could let us know if we're on the right track here, or if there are topics missing from this list: POSSIBLE TOPIC IDEAS LIDAR Linear Referencing Field Mobility Migration from Geometric Network to Utility Network Track Charts (straight line diagrams, schematic mapping) Real-time GIS and live data streams Artificial Intelligence (AI, or GeoAI) ArcGIS Railroads Data Model Migration from ArcMap to ArcGIS Pro GIS and Enterprise Asset Management ...what else would like us to cover or for all of us to discuss?  Feel free to use the comments below.   ... View more

This article here on the ArcGIS Blog, describes a newly released capability in ArcGIS Pro's LAS Classification tools called "Rail Selection". If you have Lidar data that includes steel rails, choosing this option during point cloud classification, finds the points that represent the steel rails in the data captures and classifies them as such. See this blog article for more details: https://www.esri.com/arcgis-blog/products/3d-gis/3d-gis/classify-rail-points-in-mobile-lidar-point-clouds   ... View more

On Tuesday, April 15th, 2025 we hosted a Railroad GIS Community live webinar that covered one of the several topics related to evolving your use of desktop GIS from the ArcMap workstation to the ArcGIS Pro workstation.  Specifically, we discussed the topic of how to migrate any custom tools you may have built for ArcMap using the ArcObjects SDK, and migrate those to ArcGIS Pro and the newer, more capable applications throughout the modern ArcGIS system. If you were not able to attend the webinar, or would like to refer to it again, we recorded it, and have made it available at this link here (link to follow soon). Here's a quick snapshot of the topics that we covered:     The presenters of the webinar were: Erik Henderson, Manager of Esri's Railroad Solutions Practice (ehenderson@esri.com) Jim Barry, Senior Solution Engineer, Railroads (jbarry@esri.com) Vedant Bajaj, Product Manager for the ArcGIS Pro SDK (vbajaj@esri.com)   VIDEO AND SLIDES If you weren't able to attend, or if you did, but want to review the presentation again: Here is a link to the video recording ...and... Here is a link to the slide deck we used during the presentation. It contains lots of links to other resources.   QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS We only had one question at the end:   Does ArcGIS Pro support all of the same data formats as ArcMap did? Answer: Almost completely, yes.  Actually, ArcGIS Pro supports several more data formats, both vector, raster, and others, than ArcMap did.  And while ArcGIS Pro continues to fully support the Shapefile format, we don't really recommend it, because of its many limitations, for example, shapefiles do not support null values in numeric columns, column names cannot be more than 10 characters long, it has limited codepage support, limited data type support, it does not support domains or topology. I could go on and on, but those there are enough reason to avoid using them.  Not to mention, not all functions within ArcGIS Pro support the use of Shapefiles, and are really designed with geodatabases in mind.  That said, there is one format that was very popularly used with ArcMap that is no longer supported with ArcGIS Pro, and that is the Personal Geodatabase format, which is based on Microsoft Access.  It would be better if you converted those into the File Geodatabase format if you want to store your data on your file system, or the SQLite-based Mobile Geodatabase format, or into the Enterprise Geodatabase format, if you want to store your data in a relational database management system like Oracle, MS SQL Server, PostgreSQL, etc.   ANNOUNCEMENTS Erik Henderson then provided a run-down of our upcoming Railroad GIS Community activities, both in person and online.                 ... View more

On August 29th, 2024 we at Esri hosted a webinar focused on how Short Line railroads can get started, and get productive, with ArcGIS.  We discussed how to start building your GIS database using data published by the ArcGIS Living Atlas and by the US Dept of Transportation's Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) mapping portal. Here is a link to the recorded video of that webinar in case you weren't able to attend: https://mediaspace.esri.com/media/t/1_9w18zlsc/238782693   First, we introduced ArcGIS Online, which is Esri's SaaS platform for building a mapping system of record completely online.  Then we explored some resources for finding and using datasets shared on various data portals, like the ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World, as well as the FRA's ArcGIS-based "Hub" web site. Once we found a nice set of map layers to start with, like track lines, switch nodes, and rail crossings, we went through a few live demos of using field apps to collect milepost locations to create a milepost layer, do some field inspections of rail crossings to validate or update the FRA data, as well as use web maps back in the office and in the field to assign, manage, and complete field work tasks.     Not only are there apps for office workers and field workers, automatically keeping everything in sync, but ArcGIS Online also includes ArcGIS Dashboards, which is a code-free way to design highly customized web app dashboards, so that management and the rest of the organization can have visibility into field work that is going on.  For example, in this case, the tie-down of crossing arms in preparation for a storm, assigning work tasks for tying them down, and then putting them back into operation again, as well as keeping track of damaged crossing arms that need immediate repair.     At the end of the webinar, we hosted a live Q&A with the attendees. I would like to include those questions and answers below, especially to cover the ones that we didn't have time to discuss.   Questions: 1.  What is the monthly cost of ArcGIS Online? Pricing of ArcGIS Online is based on number of users, and their user types, based on what kinds of capabilities they need. Here is a link to our website that covers all of this in more detail.  Beyond that, please contact your Esri account representative, or you can feel free to contact me (Jim Barry, jbarry@esri.com) or Erik (Henderson, ehenderson@esri.com), and we can put you in touch with someone who can help you.   2.  Can I use the ArcGIS Railroads Data Model in Europe? At this 2024 version of the ArcGIS Railroads Data Model, it is currently designed for use in North America. However, I do believe that while there are some significant differences in how railroads operate outside the US, there are also many similarities, to the point where you may still find the data model useful.  If you are outside North America and make use of it, we would greatly appreciate hearing from you and getting your feedback about how it can be improved.   3A. What if I need help getting setup, are there any resources out there that can help us get going? 3B. Question from an independent short line railroad.  Where is the best place to start if we are new to GIS mapping.  Looking to model our 400-mile system for our engineering and property department.  Show railroad improvements, existing infrastructure, dates of improvements, link valuation maps, etc. If you want to set things up yourself, you will find many self-help resources, such as tutorials. We also publish a "Learn ArcGIS" website with short lessons for putting ArcGIS to work.  If you learn best in more formal classroom or online web based training, we have an "Esri Academy" that has those types of courses.  If instead, you would like to engage with experts who can understand your needs and work with you to get setup, Esri has a wide partner network who have experience with this, or you can use Esri Professional Services on a "time and materials" or "project" basis for getting you setup and running.   4.  We LOVE our GIS system that Bartlett & West did for us!!! We started from scratch with them back in 2018. That's great news!  Bartlett & West, based in Topeka, Kansas, is a "Gold" Esri Partner with many years of success helping railroaders build and maintain a GIS system along with many, many other types of services.  If anyone is interested in contacting them directly for more info, here is their contact info.   5.  What other types of our personal data can we add? I'm not sure exactly what you mean by "personal data", but when it comes to understanding the spatial dimension of your business, the types of data that can be used in a GIS is almost limitless.  It ranges from structured data in a wide variety of formats that can either be used directly or after conversion, or it can be unstructured and "big data" sources as well as data warehouses and data lakes.  ArcGIS supports industry standard data formats and storage options and fits nicely in your larger IT infrastructure.  And lastly, data security is always a primary concern, so ArcGIS contains a data security structure, or works with security architecture that you have already have.   6.  I am using the Amtrak ArcGIS portal, and nothing comes up when searching layers under Living Atlas, however searching ArcGIS Online does work. Is there a way to filter whish data layers are more reputable/reliable than others as I choose which layers to add? Does the ArcGIS Online search show all the same layers as the Living Atlas search does? ArcGIS Online users worldwide have the option of selecting some or all of their datasets, maps, and other items and share them openly on the internet.  These datasets are searchable by all other ArcGIS Online users.  When you find a dataset you would like to use, the item page for that dataset will typically include all of the relevant information you need for deciding whether or not the data fits your needs.  Each item also includes information about its terms of use set by the owner of the data.  It also provides a link for knowing who the data owner is and how to contact them for more information. The ArcGIS Living Atlas is a carefully curated set of data, maps, and other items that have been selected by Esri.  But the same is true for them, that each item has a full description, metadata about its creation, as well as its terms of use.   7A. How do you collect locations to display them in a Linear Reference system? 7B. Can you link documentation on how to implement LRS in AGOL? For railroads, the best way to implement a linear referencing system (LRS) is with the ArcGIS Roads & Highways product. This product is actually an extension of ArcGIS Enterprise, and unfortunately does not yet work on ArcGIS Online.  Here is a link to a video of a recent technical workshop that describes all of this in more detail.   8.  Are the previous data retained when updates are made or is it replaced with the new data? Either way; that's up to you.  If you edit values in an existing record, also known as "updating", the old value goes away, replaced with the new one.  However, it is possible to time-enable your dataset so that new information can be entered into a new record, also known as "adding", and adding a "from date" and "to date" values so that the dataset understands which date ranges each feature is valid for.  In fact, this is fundamentally how LRS Event Layers based on a linear referencing system (LRS) work, in that, you typically don't delete any features, you only "retire" them based on date/time stamps, and it's these "from date" and "to date" values that time-enable the features in your dataset.   9.  Why some of the rail networks are not visible in the FRA? Very good question. That we do not know. Can you give us some examples of this, and we can see if we can figure out why?  In the end though, that sounds like a question better answered by the FRA.  Railinc* (part of the AAR) may also have a perspective on this. In theory, FRA are maintaining an up-to-date database of railroad track, nodes, junctions, switches, crossings, mileposts, and more, but it does seem that they rely quite heavily on the railroads themselve for reporting that information to the FRA, which may or may not be as up to date as you need.   10.  The big players for railroad asset data are railroad/operator, State/local and Federal entities. Is there a vision that the federal published data be the authoritative source of data or will there always be the opportunity for third party entities publishing data (possibly authoritative) in living atlas? The railroad datasets maintained and made available by the FRA are adequate for the purposes that they created it.  The quality of timeliness of that data may not be adequate for all purposes.  These datasets are often a good place to start, but when you're running a railroad, you will often find that you will want to improve the quality of that data over time. I also believe there is market opportunity for commercial data vendors to create and sell even better quality data sources, and then make those available through the ArcGIS Marketplace. There's a quote about "government open data" that I've always liked that I'll share with you, that I think applies here:  "Government open data belongs to you, but try not to forget that it wasn't created for you." A good example of this is TIGER line files created and maintained by the US Census Bureau. It is a nationwide street mapping dataset that works perfectly well for the US Census Bureau, but you'll find that pretty much all cities and counties in the US have better, cleaner, more accurate, and higher quality street network datasets for their own jurisdictions.  I believe there will always be that opportunity for commercial data vendors to maintain and market railroad data at degrees of completeness and accuracy exceeding that of those maintained by the federal government.  Just like the rail network datasets created and maintained by each railroad of their tracks and assets will almost always be better data than is managed by the FRA.   WRAP UP           If you have any other questions not covered here, we can discuss them in the comments below. *The ArcGIS Railroads Data Model is based on industry input and standards, including the RIGIS™ data model created by Railinc. RIGIS™ is a trademark of Railinc Corp.   ... View more

The degree that railroad track curves along its length, is one of the most significant factors which constrain the maximum speed that trains are allowed to travel along the railway network. There are several times when it's important to measure this curvature: 1. When the track construction is originally designed. 2. After the track construction is built. (ie., the "as-built" curvature measurement) 3. Periodically as the track is in service, as required by policy or regulation. THE GEOMETRY CAR As for #3 above, this periodic measurement is performed by a "Geometry Car", that is scheduled to ride along the track. Every part of the track network gets this on-site measurement at least twice a year, or more often if needed. The Geometry Car has many sensors in it that measure the actual curvature of the track, but also its "cant" (ie., the way the track is designed to help trains "lean into" a turn). The Geometry Car also contains other sensors such as imagery, lidar, ultrasonic, and so on, in order to capture at high resolution the current state of the track, rails, ties, ballast, poles, overhead lines, and more. BACK TO CURVATURE ArcGIS can be used to compare current measurements, that come from the Geometry Car, with measurements from previous inspections, from the original as-builts, and from the original construction plans themselves.  This kind of change detection can be used to help create prioritized maintenance lists, or be fed back into the Positive Train Control (PTC) system to reduce the maximum allowed speed along that section of track. There isn't a built-in tool in ArcGIS Pro to do this, but it is fairly straightforward to write a script that can make this measurements for you. Here is an example.   visualize track curvature THE SCRIPT Here is a link to the script on Github that created that curvature feature class. HOW IT WORKS Conceptually, what the script does is that for each section of track, say, a route polyline, it "walks" along the polyline, placing a point every 50', writing that point into a new output point feature class. Then for every 3 points, an angle is measured, and then written into the middle point's attribute record. It doesn't walk vertex by vertex, it actually creates new points along the line so that each one is 50' from the previous point. measuring curve angles Each point now "knows" the angle of curve along that 100' section (50' before it, and 50' feet after it). That curvature attribute value can then be compared to previous route layers, or can simply be visualized like we're doing above, where areas of low curvature are drawn yellow, higher curves are drawn orange, and the highest curves are drawn red. This is just one way to do it. THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND 1. The polyline feature class you run this script on needs to support measures. In other words, the polyline features need to be PolylineM or PolylineZM route features, that have already been calibrated so that every vertex knows its M value. Usually this M value is the milepost or kilometer post value along the railway network, but that's up to you. 2. You do not need to build an LRS (linear referencing system) for this script to work. The measure values along the polyline route features are good enough to work for this purpose. 3. The definition of what constitutes a "curve", I took from the US DOT FRA, which is the angular change of a track's direction over each 100' length. Some railroads measure curvature differently, so the script is flexible. In the first cell is a global variable called CURVE_LENGTH_INTERVAL_FEET, where you can set this value to 100', or 200', or convert it to metric. Whatever you need. 4. There is also a global up there called CURVE_TOLERANCE_PERCENT, which is there to basically say, that if a 100' length of track measures a curvature of below 0.5%, then consider that section to be "STRAIGHT". You can adjust that tolerance right there as you see fit.   IN CONCLUSION I tried to add code comments to the script as well as I could, but I might've left some gaps. So if you have any questions or comments, feel free to let me know below, or log a New Issue on my Github's "arcpy-samples" repository.   ... View more

********* BLOG ARTICLE UPDATE, JUNE 23, 2025 The ArcGIS Online Map Viewer now contains railroad line symbols. Just go into the Properties of your line layer, there are now different kinds of railroad symbols under the "Transportation" symbol set.    Thanks to @CameronRex1 for pointing that out.  For more information, see @CameronRex1's note in the Comments section below. So, in short, to make railroad symbols, you no longer need to jump out into ArcGIS Pro to do so, as the article below suggests.  That said, I'm going to leave this article and its steps up, because, as @BryanBoutz1 commented below, these techniques can still be used to add certain symbols to web maps that may not yet be available to the ArcGIS Online Map Viewer. ******************************** You may have noticed that the ArcGIS Online Map Viewer does not have any typical railroad symbols. You know, line symbols like these, that have a single line with a series of perpendicular cross hatches along its length.   When you make maps in both ArcGIS Pro and in the ArcGIS Online Map Viewer, you will find that the cartographic tools in ArcGIS Pro to be much more extensive, exhaustive, and flexible, than those you will find in the online map viewer. And in a way, that makes sense, and fits the general expectation that working with a web app in a browser will usually have lighter weight tools and limited capabilities when compared to a more heavy duty workstation application like ArcGIS Pro. At any rate... Making railroad maps using online tools, puts us in a position where we're asking "If it only had this one... more... thing..." So is there a way around this? Yes! There is a way to work with railroad line symbols in the ArcGIS Online Map Viewer.   First, let's see what the ArcGIS Online Map Viewer has. When you are choosing a line style for your railroad tracks layer, it will look something like this: arcgis online line symbol options   In the Layers view on the left tool bar, you would click "Show properties" on the Tracks layer, then drill in on the right panel to get to the "Symbol style" popup panel. Then at the bottom of this panel is a pull-down option for "Pattern". If you click that open, you'll see a small variety of solid, dotted, and dashed line symbols, but there are no options that provide any of the typical "railroad" type of line symbols, that draw with either a single or double line, with periodic perpendicular hash marks. solid, dotted, dash line patterns   As it turns out, just because the railroad line symbol we want to use isn't choosable through the popup panel doesn't mean that the web map doesn't support it. Here I'd like to describe a technique for using railroad symbols in an online web map.   STEP 1 Once you've published all of your layers as feature services, use the ArcGIS Online Map Viewer to add them to a new web map, set the symbology the way you want. For the track symbol, you can just choose the simple solid line for now. We will fix it later. Then save the web map, like this: make web map in arcgis online   STEP 2 In ArcGIS Online, go to your "Content" tab to find and open up the item page for your new web map. Over on the right, click the button that says "Open in ArcGIS Desktop > Open in ArcGIS Pro", like this:   This will create an "item.pitemx" file in your Windows Downloads folder. This "PITEMX" file contains all of the information needed so that you can open the online web map in ArcGIS Pro, in a way that maintains a link to the original web map it was created from.   STEP 3 Check your Windows Downloads folder to find a new file called "item.pitemx", or something similar. Check the date/time stamp to ensure you're working with the correct one. Double-click this file, which will open your web map in ArcGIS Pro.   And this is what your web map will look like in ArcGIS Pro. web map opened in pro   The neat thing about this, is that the "item.pitemx" file has information that maintains a link between the work you do here in ArcGIS Pro, and the web map stored back in ArcGIS Online.   STEP 4 Now that your online web map is open in ArcGIS Pro, go ahead and change the symbology of the track layer to use the Railroad symbol. The default color is gray, and it has a default thickness, and default length of the hash lines. choose railroad symbol   But in the Symbology pane, you can toggle over to the "Properties" tab (in green below) to change the color, length, and width of the track lines and the hash lines. Totally up to you. As you can see, there are many other symbol settings you can add, remove, change, and control, but we'll move on. advanced symbols in pro   STEP 5 Let's save these symbology settings back to the online web map. To do this, go up to the ribbon's "Share" tab, and click the tool called "Save Web Map", and when prompted in the popup dialog, click "Save web map" again, like this: save web map This will open the "Save Web Map" tool pane. Fill it out as you see fit, and when you're ready, click "Analyze", and then "Save". If clicking "Analyze" creates errors or warnings, you will need to sort those out, depending on what they are. analyze and save web map   STEP 6 Once the "Save Web Map" tool works successfully, go back to your web map, back in the ArcGIS Online Map Viewer, and you'll see that the railroad line symbol you setup looks the way you configured it back in ArcGIS Pro.  The changes may not appear automatically.  You will need to refresh your browser, or close and reopen the web map.   Additionally, if you want to modify the railroad line symbol some more, you can. If you open up the layer's "Properties > Styles" pane again, you'll see options for resetting the properties for both parts of the line symbol: the "solid stroke" and the "vector marker".  These symbol setting options were not available before.  They only become visible after you use ArcGIS Pro to change the line symbol, in this case, to a railroad symbol that uses both a line and a marker.   IN CONCLUSION These steps are working pretty well for me, but I'll admit, this workaround is a long way to go until the day railroad line symbols are included in the list of styles you can choose from within the map viewer. Let me know if you think there might be an easier way to do this. No doubt I could be missing something. Thanks for your time!   ... View more