This line layer was created from the GTFS data feeds from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to represent the MTA Metro North railroad routes that are east of the Hudson River. A python script was written to take the data files as input, process them and save them a spatial layer in the local state plane coordinate reference system. Lines in this layer represent individual train routes; they were generalized from the GTFS format where lines depicted individual train services. For the first time in this series, the lines in this file correspond with actual train tracks, as opposed to the generalizations in previous files (straight-lines drawn between stations). The unique ID is route_id, a field created by the MTA. This dataset is intended for researchers, policy makers, students, and educators for basic geographic analysis and mapping purposes. It was created by the GIS Lab at the Newman Library at Baruch College CUNY as part of the NYC Mass Transit Spatial Layers series, so that members of the public could have access to well-documented and readily-usable GIS layers of NYC mass transit features.
