Railway atlases: an attempt at typology

This article proposes a multidimensional typology of railway atlases. Although they may be considered a niche within thematic cartography, these specific products should not be perceived as a homogeneous group. A significant diversity in design and use occurs, reflecting the legacy of the last two centuries. Originating in the 1820s, the global diffusion of railways led to their representation on maps. With the expansion of complex rail networks came an evolution of dedicated cartographic products, including the atlases. For many decades, they have been used by professionals and passengers. The decline of railways, observed since the mid-20th century, has not reduced their supply. New elaborations and reprints of old releases have been issued in recent years. To date, however, little scientific research has been conducted on railway atlases. This article supplements and expands one of the author’s previous works, constituting a bibliography of such products. The proposed typology is based on an examination of the content of 268 old and contemporary railway atlases, covering various parts of the world. Criteria for distinguishing the types involve five perspectives: concept and purpose, scale and generalisation of map content, symbolisation of railway lines, presentation of historical data, and form of product. As a result, between 3 and 9 types have been identified within each perspective. The article refers to selected examples of cartographic products representing individual types.