Allow 2 lines that have been merged at start or end points to be exploded

[MikeSmith8]

After using the Merge tool to merge lines to one another at end or start points, the explode tool can no longer be used to separate the newly merged features. 

I have trails that have different surface types, i.e. wood, asphalt, concrete, gravel, dirt etc. I want my users to be able to select the line representing the trail and see it's attributes as a whole, for instance bring up a elevation profile. This is not possible when multiple line segments represent one continuous trail. I need to keep track of the said different surface types for inventory/maintenance purposes, but my public users don't. Rather than keeping 2 different data sets, it would be nice to only have to manage 1. 

I don't understand why the merge/explode will allow these to be exploded after merged if I simply add another line segment snapped even at the same end/start vertex. This logic doesn't make sense to me.  

[Scott_Harris]

@MikeSmith8 try making the Z values of the overlapping endpoints a bit different. If they are the same, the Merge tool will output a singlepart feature. If they differ, it will output a multipart feature.

You can also accomplish this with differing M values if your lines are M-enabled.

It also sounds like your trails could be managed using linear referencing, that way you can have a table of "surface types" that can produce a layer based on the surface type at measured intervals. If you did that, you could then produce the layer whenever you need it by running this tool: https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/tool-reference/linear-referencing/make-route-event-layer.ht...

[AyanPalit]

@MikeSmith8 There are better ways to model this; agree with @Scott_Harris that linear referencing, could be a great option.

I think the problem lies in using Merge for features that really need to maintain their own record.