The value of railway heritage for community development

Abstract

The progressive modernization of the railway infrastructure has caused many lines (both active and disused) to progressively leave apart a series of railway buildings (some of them, architectural and civil engineering elements of great value), with their use already obsolete or without the main function which they were intended for. The high cost of maintenance leads them to a progressive state of margination, neglect and decay. This paper discusses various elements of the railway heritage, particularly the stations and their auxiliary buildings, their context and the way to put them in value, according to the needs of the society and the territory in which they are set. The railway heritage represents potentially an added value that can be assumed, correctly managed, be the drive shaft of a new function that ensures the future of the stations and serve as the main driving force and enhancer for the active development of a community or territory. For this, the analysis of the territorial strategy, the new energetic and social model and the existing potential in the closer areas will play a key role in achieving, through a new strategic role demanded by society, a self-management of architectural (constructed) railway heritage.

The analysis of disused railway lines as complex systems: GIS-based inventory and comprehensive analysis method

“…Disused railway lines are also understood as territorial systems composed of their nodes and connecting thread. Consequently, the set of built railway heritage acts as part of the system, where the line gives meaning to all elements, its connecting ability being the most favourable feature to consider [11]. In this case, the relation between the system and the territory is limited not just to the existing nodes, because any external element could work as a node due to the variety of possible future uses of the system.…”

“…This paper argues that approaches regarding the protection of disused railway lines could go a step forward by means of an integrated enhancement that is able to take advantage of the potential of the whole system. The literature offers some theoretical approaches, such as the methodology for the analysis of disused railway lines as complex systems [10], in which this paper is based, or the guidelines for putting in value stations and other built railway heritage as a whole [11].…”

An approach to a methodology for the analysis and characterization of disused railway lines as a complex system

“…2). Consequently, the set of built railway heritage acts as part of the system, where the line gives meaning to all elements, being its connection ability the most favourable feature to consider [11]. As Figure 2: Components of a disused railway line; the line (left) and a node (right).…”

“…The restoration of the built railway heritage is proposed as part of them, although in practice this type of intervention focuses on a single system node. It should finally be noted that the first theoretical guidelines were developed for putting in value stations and other built railway heritage as a whole [11].…”

Interpretation of Value Advantage and Sustainable Tourism Development for Railway Heritage in China Based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process

“…The railway is the core that is lined by related functional, cultural, and historical heritage resources. In comparison to the significance of general, non-RH industrial heritage that display technological development, novel ways of production, and cultural continuity, RH is more strongly connected to distinct local cultural regions, because it adapted to challenging terrain, supported local production and exports, and helped maintain cultural continuity [3,4]. Railway heritage resources reflect historical changes in the landscape and were driving forces of urban landscape transformations [5,6].…”