Wikipedia:WikiProject Australian Transport/Naming convention and guidelines

To replace old proposal Naming conventions (Australian and New Zealand stations) Article titles -

This is a standard naming convention for transport stations and for transport lines/routes/services – including intercity rail, commuter rail, rapid transit, buses, and coaches – in Australia. It is related to guidelines for Canada (WP:CANSTATION), Poland (WP:PLSTATION), the United Kingdom (WP:UKSTATION), and the United States (WP:USSTATION).

The guideline is intended to bring Australian station and line names into a standard format that reflects common use in those countries and the relevant local communities.

It is also to serve as a guide for a standard format for route/service/station diagrams and transport symbols used in relation to transport systems in Australia.

Naming - stations
Generally, stations in Australia should take the following forms: "[NAME] railway station" for heavy rail stations; "[NAME] metro station" for rapid rail transit; "[NAME] light rail station" for light rail stops, and "[NAME] tram stop" for other tram stops; "[NAME] bus station" for bus and coach stations; and "[NAME] station" for other types of rail transit, or stations that serve more than one form of transit. Comma-separated disambiguation should follow if necessary; see the disambiguation guidelines below. If the station has a common name that does not follow this format, always default to the common name per the WP:COMMONNAME policy.

Notes:
 * Where a named station has separate heavy rail and metro stations, the metro station should be named "[NAME] metro station" eg Parramatta metro station.
 * For Melbourne, stations on the former Port Melbourne/St Kilda rail line are considered light rail (Beacon Cove-Southbank tram depot and St Kilda station-City Rd).
 * Some railway stations in Adelaide are known as “[NAME] Interchange”, do not name articles by this, instead use the normal conventions as per the table. An example is Mawson Interchange, which redirects to Mawson Lakes railway station.

Exception to the above rules:
 * Newcastle Interchange; as “Interchange” is part of the official station name, it would be bothersome to name it Newcastle Interchange railway station (redirect).

Disambiguation - stations
If a station's name is ambiguous, disambiguate it according to the disambiguation policy and guideline. Use natural disambiguation where appropriate. Otherwise add a distinguishing term using comma-separated disambiguation. The following options are appropriate depending on the circumstance:


 * State: This option is appropriate for stations served by intercity rail outside the major metropolitan areas (see below), especially if the station shares the name of its town (e.g. Croydon railway station, Queensland in Croydon, Queensland).
 * City: This option is appropriate for stations located within the metropolitan areas of Australia's major cities: Adelaide, Brisbane, Ipswich, Melbourne, Perth, or Sydney (e.g. Croydon railway station, Melbourne in the Melbourne suburb of Croydon, Victoria).
 * Other: Use dates, railway names, etc., for cases where there are multiple stations of the same name in the same place, as may happen with historical stations.

Examples:

Disambiguation pages - stations
A disambiguation page should list all the ambiguous stations. "Xxx railway station" (or "Xxx station") should point to the disambiguation page, unless one is the WP:PRIMARYTOPIC. For example, Richmond station disambiguates stations in Melbourne, Sydney, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

For a list of station disambiguation pages in general, see Category:Station disambiguation pages, which is supported by WikiProject Disambiguation.

If a station name is ambiguous or could be confused with a similar name, place a hatnote at the top of the relevant article explaining the situation. For example, see Macarthur railway station, Greenfields railway station, Perth railway station, and Broadmeadow railway station.

Do not place hatnotes if the name is not ambiguous, such as Town Hall railway station, Sydney.

Lines, routes & services
If a service shares a name with the physical line and also runs almost the full length, these should be combined in one article and named according to the physical line (eg Williamstown railway line & Olympic Park railway line).

Definition

 * Railway: Used to describe heavily built, lines. Generally required an Act of Parliament to build.
 * Tramway: Historically used to describe lightly built, special purpose lines. Generally did not require an Act of Parliament to build.
 * Tramway (Victoria):
 * Light Rail:
 * Route / Service: Regular transport traveling to a regular timetable, mostly for passengers. Uses one or more lines.

Naming - lines
Generally, routes / services in Australia should take their name from the original operator's name for the route / service. The more common form is: "[NAME] railway line".


 * The major line that connects each state capital should be in the form "[NAME1]–[NAME2] rail corridor". This would most likely cover different individual railway lines.
 * The physical lines in Australia should take the following forms: "[NAME] railway line" for heavy rail lines; "[NAME] tramway" for lightly built, special purpose lines.
 * Lines should be named after the last station that officially opened on them (even if that station has since been removed).
 * Those that cross over the state border, should use the end of the line if not connected to the other state's network.
 * If connected to the other network, then they should use the last station that was part of the each state's network followed by Comma-separated disambiguation for both lines.
 * For cross country lines, they should be a hyphenated listing of both ends of the line, unless otherwise named by the original owner of the line. The order the stations should be listed in:
 * Closest to the states 0.0 km mark & trains are able to run onto that line without needing to be reversed.
 * The order they opened.

Comma-separated disambiguation should follow if necessary; see the disambiguation guidelines below. If the line has a common name that does not follow this format, always default to the common name per the WP:COMMONNAME policy.

Naming - services
Generally, services in Australia should take their name from the original operator's name for the service (know as WP:COMMONNAME). The more common form is: "[NAME] line", or in the case of officially named trains "[NAMED TRAIN]".


 * Light rail should be in the form "[NAME] Light Rail".
 * Melbourne tram routes are just numbers, and should be in the form "Melbourne tram route [NUMBER]".
 * For tourist railways, and other small companies that had their own private lines, these should be covered on the page relating to that company. Note: do not use official or legal name, use company's WP:COMMONNAME
 * Named train services (eg Indian Pacific) should be the name of the train in italics (  [NAME]  )

Disambiguation - lines
If a lines's name is ambiguous, disambiguate it according to the disambiguation policy and guideline. Use natural disambiguation where appropriate. Otherwise add a distinguishing term using comma-separated disambiguation. The following options are appropriate depending on the circumstance:


 * Country: This option is appropriate for cases where the name is only ambiguous with entries from other countries.
 * State: This option is appropriate for lines serving interstate locations outside the major metropolitan areas (see below), especially if the line shares the name of its town (e.g. Tocumwal railway line, Victoria, Tocumwal railway line, New South Wales).
 * City: This option is appropriate for lines located fully within the metropolitan areas of Australia's major cities: Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, or Sydney.
 * Other: Use dates, etc., for cases where there are multiple lines of the same name in the same place, as may happen with historical lines.

Examples:

Disambiguation pages - lines
A disambiguation page should list all the ambiguous lines. "Xxx railway line" (or "Xxx line") should point to the disambiguation page, unless one is the WP:PRIMARYTOPIC. For example, Midland Line disambiguates lines in Perth, Western Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Gauges and BSicon colours
In Australia, it is acceptable to use the imperial units for the gauge as the majority of the lines were built pre-metrification. When more than one gauge is used in a route or station diagram, include &#123;{BS-AUSgauge}&#125; at the bottom of the diagram.

Rail line and service diagrams
I.e. diagrams that depict physical track layouts.

Station diagrams
If all 3 (broad, standard, and narrow) gauges are present in a station, always use red for broad, blue for standard, and green for narrow gauges.

Service diagrams

 * Only include stations that the service stops at
 * - Interchange to another service
 * - Only a limited number of services stop
 * - All other station on the service
 * Do not include sidings, depots, workshops, etc (open or closed)
 * Do not include station that are not part of that service

Rail line diagrams
For rail line (physical track) diagrams:
 * Include
 * All stations, depots, workshops (both open and closed)
 * Sidings that are not part of any station yards
 * Passing loop for single track section that is not a station.
 * All freeways, motorways, expressways, and tollways (bridge over/under and crossings) - include the used of [space][NAME]  Highway 1
 * In regional areas include roads unless it has an "A" or "M" prefix, or if it is a national highway in NT and WA.
 * All "rivers" (even if it doesn't have a seperate Wikipedia page yet)
 * Any "creeks", or other waterways, that have seperate Wikipedia pages or if their bridge is of significance (length, age, etc)


 * Omit
 * Sidings that are part of a station yard
 * Other "creeks" and other waterways that don't have seperate Wikipedia pages
 * Roads that are not freeways, motorways, expressways, or tollways. Freeways in Australia, Toll roads in Australia articles are a good guide to determine if the road should be included. In metropolitan areas do not include highways.


 * Icons
 * - All stations
 * - All closed stations
 * - Stations no a stop for this track
 * - Interchange to another service
 * - Terminus to a service (not an interchange)
 * - Sidings
 * - Depot (workshop, maintenance, etc)
 * - Tracks
 * - Elevated racks
 * - Tracks in tunnel
 * - Tracks disused
 * - End of electric service (used if track continue)
 * - Freeway, Motorway, Expressways, all other roads with "M" prefix
 * - Alphanumeric roads, state routes, national highway

Format for lines and services

 * On a track diagram, for current stations - km from start station, link to station name, link to the connecting service(s) (if a service doesn't have a separate page, link to the relevant section on the station's page).
 * On service diagram, for current stations - time & km from start station, link to station name, link to the connecting service(s) (if a service doesn't have a separate page, link to the relevant section on the station's page).
 * For other stations - link to station if it exists, include status in brackets (eg. closed, demolished, etc.).
 * For other locations - link to siding/depot if it exists.
 * For non-rail infrastructure - natural features, roads names; other rail infrastructure (eg. operational boundaries).
 * For junctions - and direction arrow, first row for line names, second row for terminus or next junction station.
 * For level crossing removal dates - first row for street name, second row for removal year; and used when there are multiple adjacent stations; or when there is insufficient space to displace information.
 * City-bound tracks should always face upwards, while country-bound tracks face downwards.
 * Only show the ticket zone on the first and last station in each zone.
 * For a change in ticket zones, insert the following 2 lines of text where the change occurs:

Station track layout diagrams
Include infrastructure halfway between own station and adjacent stations.


 * Things to be included in station track layout diagrams:
 * All platforms, sidings, depots, and workshops (if open or closed but intact)
 * For sidings include all tracks if sidings are between tracks, optional if segregated from normal route.
 * For depots and workshops only include entrance and name.
 * Type of track: ground/trenched/elevated
 * Include all track flyovers
 * All freeways, motorways, expressways, and tollways. (bridge over/under and crossings) - include the use of [space][NAME]  Highway 1
 * In regional areas include roads that have an "A" or "M" prefix, or if it is a national highway in NT and WA.
 * Level crossings on other roads - include road name and planned removal
 * For trams and light rail include all roads that it is intersecting at grade.
 * Platform numbers
 * Adjacent stations - to at the end of tracks
 * Level crossings - include road name and planned removal
 * Arrows showing track directions
 * Operational boundaries (E.g. Melbourne Metro Trains and V/Line, Sydney Metro and Sydney Trains)
 * For line endings, include previous continuing line names if tracks are still intact or right-of-way still exists.
 * All natural features: "rivers", "creeks" (Metropolitan only, for regional areas only include those with a Wikipedia article)
 * Electrified/non-electrified tracks (only if the station includes both or is the end of electric service)
 * If the station is at the end of electric service, include the electricity icon with dotted lines
 * (optional) If the station includes sidings that are non-electrified


 * Do not include:
 * Roads that are not freeways, motorways, or tollways unless it is a level crossing. Freeways in Australia article is a good guide to determine if the road should be included. In regional areas do not include roads unless it has an "A" or "M" prefix, or is a national highway.
 * North/compass arrows, rail trails
 * Signals, signaling type change, AC electrification neutral zones, type of electrification change (e.g. Rigid overhead conductor bar to overhead catenary)
 * Removed level crossings (for current stations)
 * Previous infrastructure that is demolished or dismantled (for current stations)
 * River and creeks without a Wikipedia article (for regional stations)


 * Icons:
 * - Tracks in use
 * - Elevated racks
 * - Tracks in tunnel
 * - Tracks disused
 * - Non-electrified tracks (if the station includes both and is not an electric service ending)
 * - End of electric service (used if track continues)
 * - Freeway, Motorway, Expressways, all other roads with "M" prefix
 * - Regional highways with "A" prefix, or is a national highway
 * - Roads intersection with trams and light rails that are single carriageway
 * - Roads intersection with trams and light rails that are dual carriageway
 * - Level crossing with sealed road
 * - Unprotected and unsealed level crossing
 * or - Direction of tracks
 * or - track ending
 * - Line ending previously continues, tracks dismantled but right of way exists.
 * or - platform
 * or - platform not in use
 * - operational boundary, state borders
 * - separation for tracks and platforms at different levels

Format for stations

 * For rail infrastructure - station names, siding/depot names, operational boundaries
 * For non-rail infrastructure - natural features, roads names; rail infrastructure intact but no longer in use - old stations, former continuing lines.
 * For level crossing removal dates: first row for street name, second row for removal year; and used when there are multiple adjacent stations; or when there is insufficient space to displace information.
 * For platform numbers, use
 * Never use 90-degree turn icons, when in need use two 45-degree turn icons.
 * City-bound tracks should always face upwards, while country-bound tracks face downwards.
 * In border stations, use its located state as a reference. (e.g. Albury should have Melbourne bound tracks facing downwards, while Sydney bound tracks facing upwards, and vice versa in Wodonga)
 * For single-line sections, include both direction arrows. For triplicated tracks, include no direction arrows for the middle track.
 * Always used  masks for tracks going out of the diagram. Do not use arrows.
 * For station platforms that can contain 6-car trains or less, place two rows of platform BSicons. For platforms that can contain 7-cars or more, place three rows of icons. The only exception is when the station intersects above a road, where three rows of icons should be used and a bridge icon to be included in the 2nd row. For closed stations with platform intact but short, place only one row of icons.
 * Only use  sets for crossovers. For line merge, use   sets.
 * For closed stations after a track layout is made on Wikipedia, keep original version with a title indicating closing date but make it collapsed.

Display order
Note: When displaying symbols, a space should be put between multiple icons to allow room between them.