Amtrak data for GPS units

[dart330]

I did some searching on GPS units on the forums here, but most of the stuff I found was simply about a GPS adapter for laptops.

I have a Garmin eTrex I plan on taking on my trip on the SWC in May, and I want to upload the amtrak stations and the rail route to my hand-held GPS.

Has anyone on here done this?

GIS files for the stations and rails are available from http://www.bts.gov/publications/national_t...s_database/2008

For a handheld gps they need to be converted from .shp to .gpx file type.

I have created the .gpx file for the stations, and will create the one for the rail routes at work tomorrow (I am a GIS Specialist, sorry for all the tech talk).

If anyone else is interested I can email them the .gpx files for GPS units (sorry, I don't have an FTP).

If anyone has a site that can host the data, I would be glad to have both formats posted up for people to download.

 

[mercedeslove]

I did some searching on GPS units on the forums here, but most of the stuff I found was simply about a GPS adapter for laptops.
I have a Garmin eTrex I plan on taking on my trip on the SWC in May, and I want to upload the amtrak stations and the rail route to my hand-held GPS.

Has anyone on here done this?

GIS files for the stations and rails are available from http://www.bts.gov/publications/national_t...s_database/2008

For a handheld gps they need to be converted from .shp to .gpx file type.

I have created the .gpx file for the stations, and will create the one for the rail routes at work tomorrow (I am a GIS Specialist, sorry for all the tech talk).

If anyone else is interested I can email them the .gpx files for GPS units (sorry, I don't have an FTP).

If anyone has a site that can host the data, I would be glad to have both formats posted up for people to download.

check out www.sendspace.com for file hosting.

 

[AlanB]

Nathan,

I've sent you an email to the address that you used to register here on the forums. If you'll send me the files, I can upload them to this topic as attachments for all who want them to download. That will save you the trouble of fielding multiple email requests or finding hosting services.

 

[Bierboy]

I'd certainly be interested in them.

 

[dart330]

I have the shapefiles created for all Amtrak stations including bus stops, just Amtrak rail stations, and then all passenger rail routes with track owner info.

I wanted to split up the rail segments by station and give mileage for each section, but the station points aren't exactly on the track, so i would have to do it manually (don't have that much free time at work).

When I get home I will convert the files to .gpx and email them to Alan to post on the thread.

 

[Madbuster]

I'm interested as well. Thanks for sharing.

 

[dart330]

I sent Alan the point files for all the Amtrak Stations including the throughways, and also just the rail Amtrak Stations so you can load whichever you like.

Still working on the actual rail line file. I can't download the GPS software on my work computer and I don't have the editing software on my home computer, so it might take a while to get it right.

 

[Bierboy]

I sent Alan the point files for all the Amtrak Stations including the throughways, and also just the rail Amtrak Stations so you can load whichever you like.
Still working on the actual rail line file. I can't download the GPS software on my work computer and I don't have the editing software on my home computer, so it might take a while to get it right.

Have they been posted here yet? Where would they be?

 

[AlanB]

I sent Alan the point files for all the Amtrak Stations including the throughways, and also just the rail Amtrak Stations so you can load whichever you like.
Still working on the actual rail line file. I can't download the GPS software on my work computer and I don't have the editing software on my home computer, so it might take a while to get it right.

Have they been posted here yet? Where would they be?

Sadly, no. We're having technical problems at the moment. Hopefully they'll be resolved very soon.

 

[Bierboy]

I sent Alan the point files for all the Amtrak Stations including the throughways, and also just the rail Amtrak Stations so you can load whichever you like.
Still working on the actual rail line file. I can't download the GPS software on my work computer and I don't have the editing software on my home computer, so it might take a while to get it right.

Have they been posted here yet? Where would they be?

Sadly, no. We're having technical problems at the moment. Hopefully they'll be resolved very soon.

Thanks Alan.

 

[transit54]

Sadly, no. We're having technical problems at the moment. Hopefully they'll be resolved very soon.

In the meantime/if its easier, I'd be happy to host them off my server. Send me a PM if interested.

 

[user 683]

I sent Alan the point files for all the Amtrak Stations including the throughways, and also just the rail Amtrak Stations so you can load whichever you like.
Still working on the actual rail line file. I can't download the GPS software on my work computer and I don't have the editing software on my home computer, so it might take a while to get it right.

Thanks for taking time to make this data available to us! I'm curious - how did you convert the shape files into GPX?

I'm looking forward to seeing the GPX files.

Thanks to both you and Alan!

 

[transit54]

Here you go:

http://204.13.43.67/amtrak_stations.zip

 

[dart330]

I have been out of town for a week (sorry for the late reply), thanks for posting these up!

 

[diesteldorf]

Has anyone been able to use these on their Garmin device?

 

[Alice]

Has anyone been able to use these on their Garmin device?

I tried on a Numi. The process was real easy. I put these and several other files in folders on my PC, then used the Garmin tool to load the files. For use on a train, you might want to set them up with an alert. These can be set up to trigger for all locations in a file, or for individual entries. You can also set the distance that triggers the alert either globally or individually. The tool can load either gpx or csv files.

Not all of the fields loaded correctly from this file, but I think it would be easy to fix in a spreadsheet program. I didn't bother as my Garmin already has nearly all the Amtrak stations in its own database (in ground transportation), and I'm not interested in the alerts. Garmin has a page that specifies the expected format for files you can create yourself using software you probably already have. There are also several third party programs in case you want to do something exotic, such as write a tour guide that mates driving instructions with mp3 files to play at specified locations.

Second, and more important, when I add a favorite while I am out and about (something I do often), it does odd things with my preloaded files. So I've stopped preloading any of the files. Eventually I may just keep the files on the netbook in the car for reference. They are basically delimited text files, so are easy to read, search, etc.

 

[diesteldorf]

Alice,

When you unzip the original folder, do you only have 1 single file in the archive? I hooked my Garmin up to my computer and it would not recognize the file.

 

[Alice]

Alice,
When you unzip the original folder, do you only have 1 single file in the archive? I hooked my Garmin up to my computer and it would not recognize the file.

Hi Chris, Yes, I only have one file. Are you using Garmin's POI Loader? You put the file in a folder by itself and point the POI Loader at the directory, not the file. For multiple files, you put subfolders named for how you want them listed in the favorites directory, then one data file in each. Oh yes, you can put a bmp and an mp3 file in each folder. File and folder names are pretty important.

Sorry about this extra info if you already have it, but just in case you do not:

http://www8.garmin.com/products/poiloader/

Be sure to check compatibility with your unit.

http://www.gpsinformation.org/penrod/poilo.../poiloader.html

http://www.poi-factory.com/faq/garmin-poi-loader

Two places for general info I found useful in setting up my files.

Here is part of my folder structure. Those two dashes in the folder names are important. The bmp, gpx/csv, and mp3 base names must match. I point the POI Loader at POI_Loaded_01 to load this structure:

POI_Loaded_01

--Amtrak

Amtrak Stations.bmp

Amtrak Stations.gpx

Amtrak Stations.mp3

--Museums, Railroad

US Railroad Museums.bmp

US Railroad Museums.csv

US Railroad Museums.mp3

--Railroads

Scenic Railroads.bmp

Scenic Railroads.csv

Scenic Railroads.mp3

Edit: The forum software strips off my indents above. --Amtrak and --Museums, Railroad and --Railroads are subfolders below POI_Loaded_01. *.bmp, *.gps, *.csv, and *.mp3 are files within the respective subfolders.

When loaded, I go to Favorites, then the categories above show up, I choose one, and can then see the entire list. The subfolders/categories are important. Otherwise, you have to slog through all this stuff in order to find, say, Mom's House.

One thing I do not like about the Garmin software is entries in Favorites are not treated the same as entries in the Garmin base database for searching.

 

[diesteldorf]

Alice,

I have a Garmin Nuvi 200. I downloaded the POI Loader. When I unzipped the archive I had one file amtrak_stations that was around 3 MB

I put in a directory titled Amtrak and it would not recognize the file. Do I need to put the file in C:\POI_Loaded_01\Amtrak ?

 

[Bierboy]

I think I successfully uploaded the files to my Garmin (since I now have a long list of Amtrak stations), but I'm still not clear on how to have them listed in my favorites. The only place I can find them are in the POI area on my GPS. How to I get them to appear in my favorites?

 

[Alice]

Alice,
I have a Garmin Nuvi 200. I downloaded the POI Loader. When I unzipped the archive I had one file amtrak_stations that was around 3 MB

I put in a directory titled Amtrak and it would not recognize the file. Do I need to put the file in C:\POI_Loaded_01\Amtrak ?

Garmin confirms your unit is compatible. My unzipped file is closer to 6M for each of two files (you only use one) so you might try another download. The two files are Amtrak_Stations_Rail.gpx and Amtrak_Stations_All.gpx . The second one includes bus stops.

The POI_Loaded_01 is just so I can set up different loads for different kinds of trips. For instance, I'd load lighthouses for a coastal trip or rest areas for a road trip, and those have other folder names. If you use my system, then you'd want C:\POI_Loaded_01\--Amtrak (although I'd put it in a subdirectory near the raw files). I'm sure you have your own organization system and naming convention so you can find things. For instance, C:\Garmin_Nuvi\POI\--Amtrak would give you a place to put all of your Nuvi files in one place: loader install file, POI raw files and notes about them, manual, etc, but only the gpx file in --Amtrak (unless you add bmp and mp3).

Don't forget the dashes: --Amtrak

 

[diesteldorf]

Thanks Alice.

I got it. The problem was the it was telling me that the zip file was a "Read Only archive" and was not extracting correctly. Now it's fixed. I am really going to ernjoy this on Saturday..

 

[manlymatt83]

OK, so not to hijack this thread, but I've been trying to get a nice handheld GPS that has long battery life, is simple, and that I can use for hiking, "train"ing, and potentially (though not often) driving. Can anyone recommend one? Some have recommended the Garmins... the oregon series, CSx series (forget the actual name), etc.

What's a good model and brand? Especially one where I can import Amtrak waypoints!

Thanks!

 

[Alice]

OK, so not to hijack this thread, but I've been trying to get a nice handheld GPS that has long battery life, is simple, and that I can use for hiking, "train"ing, and potentially (though not often) driving. Can anyone recommend one? Some have recommended the Garmins... the oregon series, CSx series (forget the actual name), etc.
What's a good model and brand? Especially one where I can import Amtrak waypoints!

Thanks!

I've had two Garmins. Most of the newer units (all brands) allow you to upload custom POIs (points of interest). Garmin (and probably other manufacturers) have pages on their website to allow you to compare different units. I've had the first unit maybe 10 years or so and replaced it because its hard drive failed and it is about the same price to repair it or replace it with a new one.

My needs are different than yours. I would suggest browsing around some websites to become familiar with what features are available and what each feature costs. For instance, touchscreen programming is really easy, but is it worth an extra $100 or so to you? It sounds like you want a good antenna (for the train) and perhaps even the ability to attach an external antenna (which I needed on my first unit but not the recent one), long battery life (How long? 6 hours? 12? 18? Think about your longest hike... ), light weight, pocket sized, and a good screen viewable in bright daylight (probably adjustable brightness to preserve battery). The ability to store your custom POIs on an SD card instead of internal memory could be real nice. Replaceable batteries instead of rechargeable would allow you to get something with less battery life, but at the "expense" of needing to carry spares. Would a waterproof unit be a good idea for the kind of hikes you take? You'll want the ability to adjust settings to travel off road (so the unit doesn't keep snapping to the nearest street); probably all of the units designed for hiking will have this.

One of the features I had on my first Garmin is no longer available, so I emailed Garmin asking about it. They were quick to reply confirming the demise of that feature and with suggestions of what units had the other entries on my need/want list. I'd suggest this step with any company just to see what you think of their customer service department. I also found online and read the owner manuals for all of the units I was considering, and found that to be a really useful step, well worth the time, because it saved me quite a bit of money paying for features I thought I'd use until I read what they really did.

Garmin maps show train tracks but only zoomed in all the way. This is worthless. In town, I can tell where the tracks are because there will be a row of streets that all deadend along a line, usually a diagonal to everything else in town. From other threads, I think the only way you are going to get a good view of tracks is with a laptop.

Now that I've said all that, I think any GPS is better than no GPS, and you'll enjoy anything you get, so don't fret too much about not getting all of your features as long as you get the critical ones. The first GPS I used on a train was a friend's Mio 200: small database, couple of hours battery, couldn't add POIs, marginal screen, no tracking ability; but pretty good antenna (not as good as my current one though). It worked like a charm. I manually put in station addresses before we approached each one so I could see how far (as a crow flies) each one was, and our speed.

 

[manlymatt83]

Funny you should mention MIa. I had a Mia for quite a long time until unfortunately it was stolen. But I was really happy with it. Perhaps I'll look into a Mia. I'd say the following are requirements of mine:

Things I care about:

- good viewable screen

- long battery life

- rechargeable battery (preferably USB, as I have a solar powered/hand crank powered USB charger)

- ability to setup waypoints

- waterproof would be good

- light-weight would be good

- compass, altitude, etc.

Things I don't really care about:

- color vs. black and white

Some have said the Oregon's from Garmin are good. Other's have suggested the CSx model, etc.

I'm wondering if I should check out the Mia's. Curious what the feature you're missing is on the Garmin's?