Scenic Railway Mapping: An Analysis of Spatial Patterns in France Based on Historical GIS

Abstract

Scenic railway refers to the trains that operate for tourism purposes, which are mainly maintained for facilitating leisure activities, scenic tours, and heritage experiences. As both an extension of railway heritage and an important redevelopment method, this concept is meaningful for the touristic development of historical railways but has received less attention in academia. To understand the tourism and landscape values of scenic railways from a geo-historical perspective and discuss the recent techniques and methods for railway tourism, this article first introduces the relationship between railway and landscape and the concept of scenic railway in French literature. Secondly, it analyzes the current distribution of French scenic railways based on geographic information system (GIS) tools. Through georeferencing, mapping, data relating and joining, calculating, and classifying, different groups of scenic railways are systemized and published online. Following statistical treatment, the pattern of distribution of scenic railways in comparison with the standard-gauge railway system in France is revealed. Based on the discussions on scenic railways, further study should focus more on the landscape evaluation of scenic railways and its integration with other spatial technologies for deeper geo-analysis. Moreover, the research results can serve as a reference for the development of relative railway heritage and tourist activities.

Dynamic Visual Landscape Assessment of Disused Railway in Complex Terrain: A Study of Jingmen Railway

“…Relying on GIS to analyze the spatial distribution characteristics of railway landscapes, mapping the spatial structure of railway landscapes, and then describing the visual landscapes seen when traveling on conventional trains [28], [33]. This method can describe the distribution of the railway landscapes in the corridor and make the reuse planning of the disused railway accordingly, but it is difficult to describe the microscopic features of the railway landscapes and may not sufficiently support railway landscapes design.…”

“…Zhang Hui et al used RS and GIS technologies to establish a landscape visual management system along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway [32]. Guiye Lin et al used GIS technology to analyze the distribution of scenic railways in the French railway heritage [33]. Kun Sang et al introduced GIS into the management of the Yunnan-Vietnam Railway heritage [34].…”

Spatial Distribution Characteristics and Driving Factors of Tourism Resources in China

“…There are few studies on the spatial distribution factors of landscape tourism resources from the national level [34]. Tourist attractions refer to areas with a beautiful natural environment, concentrated cultural landscape, concentrated supporting resources, certain scale, and sightseeing conditions, enabling people to visit, rest, watch, and carry out scientific and cultural activities [35]. It is not difficult to find that a scenic spot is not only a complex involving the protection and development of human and natural environmental resources, but also a spatial carrier of national, supportive, recreational public service resources.…”