Which Train Side combines railway data, geographic map data, and calculated route information to determine which side of a train is more likely to offer the stronger scenery.
The site does not rely on a single database for every part of a route result. Railway alignment, stations, mapped landscape features, and sun position serve different purposes and are processed separately before they are presented together on a route page.
Railway Route and Station Data
Railway routes require accurate information about stations, service patterns, stop sequences, and track geometry.
Where available, Which Train Side uses official or publicly distributed General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) data published for passenger rail services. GTFS allows railway information to be represented in a consistent format while preserving individual stations, routes, trips, and geographic shapes.
For current United States coverage, railway information includes official GTFS data published for Amtrak passenger services.
GTFS service patterns can contain many trips that use the same physical stretch of railway. Which Train Side separates operational trip patterns from physical railway sections so the same piece of track does not need to be treated as a completely different geographic route every time a timetable pattern changes.
OpenStreetMap Geographic Data
Geographic scenery information is derived in part from OpenStreetMap, a collaborative geographic database maintained by contributors around the world.
OpenStreetMap data can provide the mapped position and, where available, names of features such as:
- lakes and reservoirs,
- rivers and canals,
- bays and coastlines,
- mountain peaks and ridges,
- valleys, cliffs, and beaches,
- viewpoints and attractions,
- castles, forts, ruins, monuments, memorials, and archaeological sites.
These features are compared with the railway geometry to determine their approximate position relative to the direction of travel.
OpenStreetMap data is © OpenStreetMap contributors and is available under the Open Database License (ODbL).
OpenStreetMap is an independent project. Which Train Side is not operated by or affiliated with the OpenStreetMap Foundation.
How OpenStreetMap Data Is Used
OpenStreetMap objects are not copied directly into a route recommendation as a simple list.
The geographic data is processed to determine how features relate to the railway. Relevant calculations can include distance from the track, nearest position on the railway, direction of travel, feature category, and whether the feature is located primarily on the left or right side.
A single real-world feature may be represented by several separate map objects. When possible, named objects representing the same place are consolidated so that a river, lake, or other feature does not receive additional weight simply because it is divided into multiple mapping elements.
Unnamed geographic features may contribute to the scenery calculation without being displayed as named places on the route page.
Map Display
Interactive maps can use geographic information from OpenStreetMap and other map-display components needed to render the railway and nearby features.
Where OpenStreetMap data is displayed on a map, the map includes the required OpenStreetMap attribution. Attribution remains part of the map presentation and should not be interpreted as an endorsement of Which Train Side by OpenStreetMap or its contributors.
Sun Position Data
The Sun feature does not depend on a database that labels one side of a railway as sunny or shaded.
Sun position is calculated from the date, time, geographic coordinates, and direction of the railway. The resulting solar azimuth and elevation are compared with the train’s direction of travel to estimate whether direct sunlight is coming primarily from the left, right, front, or rear.
Because this information is calculated for the selected conditions, it can change throughout the day and along different sections of the same route.
Calculated Data
Several values shown on Which Train Side are produced by the site’s own calculations rather than copied from a source database.
These can include:
- left-side and right-side scenery scores,
- overall LEFT, RIGHT, or BOTH recommendations,
- confidence values,
- feature-to-track side classification,
- distance relationships between scenery and the railway,
- reverse-direction results,
- sun exposure direction.
These calculated values are interpretations of the underlying geographic and railway data. They should not be attributed directly to the organizations that provide the source datasets.
Names and Geographic Labels
Place names shown on route pages can originate from railway datasets or geographic map data.
When multiple name fields are available for a geographic feature, an English-language name may be preferred where one is explicitly provided. Otherwise, the mapped local or standard name can be used.
Station names may contain operational wording used by a railway operator. Public route URLs can use simplified geographic names while the route page retains the more specific station identity needed to distinguish between different stations in the same city.
Data Changes Over Time
Source datasets are not permanent snapshots of the railway or surrounding geography.
Passenger rail operators can modify stations, service patterns, routing, and track geometry. OpenStreetMap contributors can add new features, correct locations, update names, or improve existing geographic information.
When newer data materially changes a railway alignment, an older scenery result is not automatically assumed to remain valid for the new geometry. The affected route can be processed again before an updated scenery result is treated as current.
Source Limitations
A mapped feature being present near a railway does not necessarily mean it will be clearly visible from every train.
Map data may not fully represent temporary or highly detailed viewing conditions such as vegetation, buildings, noise barriers, construction, train window placement, tunnels, seasonal foliage, weather, or local terrain blocking a distant feature.
Likewise, passenger rail data can describe the normal route without guaranteeing that every individual service will follow the same track on every date.
Which Train Side therefore uses source data to evaluate geographic viewing potential rather than treating a mapped feature as a guaranteed passenger view.
Corrections and Source Quality
Railway and geographic datasets can contain incomplete, outdated, or incorrect information. A route result can also change when the underlying source data improves.
When a source change affects the physical railway or the scenery associated with it, the corresponding route data can be recalculated. Corrections are intended to improve the geographic result rather than preserve an older recommendation simply because it was previously displayed.
Independence
Which Train Side is an independent travel information website.
References to railway operators, train services, stations, geographic databases, landmarks, or other organizations are used to identify routes and data sources. Such references do not imply sponsorship, endorsement, partnership, or ownership.
All trademarks, service names, and organization names remain the property of their respective owners.