Good evening. Here is the latest project update for Volume 1 of the NZ Rail Maps project.

Last time we discussed five different groups of historical aerial photos that would be included in this revision of Volume 1. The first two groups being classified as “Priority 1” and the rest as respectively “Priority 2” to “Priority 4”. We have now completed all the “Priority 1” mosaics. We are also considering the “Priority 2” and “Priority 3” mosaics for possible completion.

However, for now, we have decided to extract all of the completed mosaics, put them into Qgis, and start drawing maps upon them. We just feel like getting into the maps after a couple of weeks of doing different stuff, so the plan for now is as of tomorrow we will be drawing the maps for this update of Volume 1 and pull out all the mosaic tiles to begin doing this.

As a section is completed, maps will be produced before going on to the next section. The first section is the Auckland suburban area, Westfield to Waitakere. As of now, the maps have been drawn up to just past Newmarket, as well as the Onehunga Branch. We need to complete the maps as far as Waitakere, and also complete the Newmarket Branch to Auckland, as well as any sidings that are currently open, and any historical detail we want to include.

The mosaics to “Priority 2” and “Priority 3” will be considered over this time, and we will make a decision over whether to include any part of them in the maps, after completing the Auckland suburban section. It is envisaged the Auckland suburban maps will only take at most a day or two to complete at the “Basic+” level.