fairviewroad
Engineer
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2011
- Messages
- 3,389
You know how Google Maps offer "streetview" for nearly every major road and highway in the US and Canada and much of Europe? (For those not familiar, here's a highly random example.)
I just stumbled across this: On a scenic European rail line,Google recently mounted a streetview camera on a special rail car to produce streetview style images of the route. While the images they collected have not yet been uploaded to Google maps, it seems like it would be an awesome feature to include for Amtrak routes.
The main problem of course would be the redtape required to cut through here in the US. For one thing I think it's highly unlikely that the contraption used by Google in the video linked to above would be permitted on a regular train route here. For one thing it runs out in front of the engine which would probably violate the sensibilities of US safety regulators. But perhaps there's a way it could be mounted on an engine, or maybe it could trail at the rear of the train. Perhaps on the deck of an observation car platform?
Anyhow, it would certainly be fun to "explore" Amtrak routes you haven't been on by riding along vicariously on Streetview.
I just stumbled across this: On a scenic European rail line,Google recently mounted a streetview camera on a special rail car to produce streetview style images of the route. While the images they collected have not yet been uploaded to Google maps, it seems like it would be an awesome feature to include for Amtrak routes.
The main problem of course would be the redtape required to cut through here in the US. For one thing I think it's highly unlikely that the contraption used by Google in the video linked to above would be permitted on a regular train route here. For one thing it runs out in front of the engine which would probably violate the sensibilities of US safety regulators. But perhaps there's a way it could be mounted on an engine, or maybe it could trail at the rear of the train. Perhaps on the deck of an observation car platform?
Anyhow, it would certainly be fun to "explore" Amtrak routes you haven't been on by riding along vicariously on Streetview.