Identification Information

Abstract The TIGER/Line Files are shapefiles and related database files (.dbf) that are an extract of selected geographic and cartographic information from the U.S. Census Bureau's Master Address File / Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (MAF/TIGER) Database (MTDB). The MTDB represents a seamless national file with no overlaps or gaps between parts, however, each TIGER/Line File is designed to stand alone as an independent data set, or they can be combined to cover the entire nation. The Rails Shapefile includes all features within the MTDB Super Class "Rail Features" distinguished where the MAF/TIGER Feature Classification Code (MTFCC) for the feature in MTDB tha begin with "R". This includes main lines such as spur lines, rail yards, mass transit rail lines such as carlines, streetcar track, monorail or other mass transit rail and special purpose rail lines such as cog rail lines, incline rail lines and trams.
Purpose In order for others to use the information in the Census MAF/TIGER database in a geographic information system (GIS) or for other geographic applications, the Census Bureau releases to the public extracts of the database in the form of TIGER/Line Shapefiles.

Time Period of Content

Range of Dates/Times

Beginning Date 2010-01
Ending Date 2010-07

Currentness Reference publication date

Status

Progress Complete
Maintenance and Update Frequency TIGER/Line Shapefiles are extracted from the Census MAF/TIGER database. No changes or updates will be made to this version of the TIGER/Line Shapefiles. Future releases of TIGER/Line Shapefiles will reflect updates made to the Census MAF/TIGER database.

Spatial Domain

Bounding Coordinates

West Bounding Coordinate -165.401137
East Bounding Coordinate -65.749309
North Bounding Coordinate 65.000056
South Bounding Coordinate 17.951745

Keywords

Theme

Thesaurus None
Keyword Nation
Keyword Linear
Keyword Feature
Keyword Rail Feature

Theme

Thesaurus ISO 19115 Topic Categories
Keyword transportation

Place

Thesaurus INCITS.38-200x (R2004),INCITS.31-200x (R2007),INCITS.454-200x,INCITS 455-200x,INCITS 446-2008
Keyword United States
Keyword U.S.

Access Constraints None

Use Constraints The TIGER/Line Shapefile products are not copyrighted however TIGER/Line and Census TIGER are registered trademarks of the U.S. Census Bureau. These products are free to use in a product or publication, however acknowledgement must be given to the U.S. Census Bureau as the source. The horizontal spatial accuracy information present in these files is provided for the purposes of statistical analysis and census operations only. No warranty, expressed or implied is made with regard to the accuracy of the spatial accuracy, and no liability is assumed by the U.S. Government in general or the U.S. Census Bureau, specifically as to the spatial or attribute accuracy of the data. The TIGER/Line Shapefiles may not be suitable for high-precision measurement applications such as engineering problems, property transfers, or other uses that might require highly accurate measurements of the earth's surface.Coordinates in the TIGER/Line shapefiles have six implied decimal places, but the positional accuracy of these coordinates is not as great as the six decimal places suggest. The data are free from Title 13 restrictions

Point of Contact

Contact Information

Contact Person Primary

Contact Person
Contact Organization

Contact Organization Primary

Contact Organization U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division, Geographic Products Branch
Contact Person

Contact Position

Contact Address

Address Type Mailing address
Address 4600 Silver Hill Road, Stop 7400
City Washington
State or Province DC
Postal Code 20233-7400
Country United States

Contact Voice Telephone 301-763-1128

Contact Facsimile Telephone 301-763-4710

Contact Electronic Mail Address geo.tiger@census.gov

Hours of Service

Contact Instructions

Data Quality Information

Attribute Accuracy Report

Report Accurate against Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS), FIPS Publication 6-4, and FIPS-55 at the 100% level for the codes and base names. The remaining attribute information has been examined but has not been fully tested for accuracy.

Quantitative Attribute Accuracy Assessment

Attribute Accuracy Value
Attribute Accuracy Explanation

Horizontal Positional Accuracy Report

Report The Census Bureau uses Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates at road centerline intersections to evaluate the horizontal spatial accuracy of source files that may be used to realign road features in the MAF/TIGER database and test the horizontal spatial accuracy of the road features in the TIGER/Line Shapefiles. The test compares a survey-grade GPS coordinate to its associated road centerline intersection in the TIGER/Line Shapefiles. The test is based on an independent collection of GPS coordinates for a random sample of road intersections from a centerline file that meet certain criteria. The points are referred to as the sample points and are gathered through a private contractor working for the Census Bureau. Since the collection method uses survey-quality GPS-based field techniques, the resulting control points are considered 'ground truth' against which the TIGER road centerline intersection coordinates are compared. The distances between the coordinates are calculated and the Census Bureau determines the Circular Error 95% (CE95). That is, the accuracy of the file in meters with 95% confidence. The CE95 can be calculated from the mean and standard deviation by using the formula: mean of differences plus (2.65 times the standard deviation). CE95 results reported for each file tested are determined using a spreadsheet with embedded statistical formula. The use and applicability of the spreadsheet and its embedded formula have been verified by Census Bureau statisticians. The basis of the calculation is the use of the root mean square error (RMSE). This is the method as stated in the U.S. Government's Federal Geographic Data Committee Standard FGDC-STD-007.3-1998, Geospatial Positioning Accuracy Standards. Part 3: National Standard for Spatial Data Accuracy. The results of using this measure of accuracy are in compliance with Federal Spatial Data requirements. In terms of the Census Bureau application, the dataset coordinate values are those taken from the centerline file and the coordinate values from an independent source of higher accuracy are those acquired through the Census Bureau's contractor. Please note that the horizontal spatial accuracy, where reported, refers only to the realigned road features identified as matched to the positionally accurate source file with that accuracy. It is not the spatial accuracy of the TIGER/Line Shapefile as a whole.

Quantitative Horizontal Positional Accuracy Assessment

Horizontal Positional Accuracy Value
Horizontal Positional Accuracy Explanation

Logical Consistency Report There may be some inconsistencies in feature names along features. An anomaly exists with the sporadic occurrence of road segments comprising a complete chain with different MAF/TIGER Feature Census Class Code (MTFCC) values assigned. This problem could affect applications that use the MTFCC values for network analysis, routing, or for assigning symbology to a feature when creating a map. The Census Bureau performed automated tests to ensure logical consistency and limits of shapefiles. Node/geometry and topology relationships are collected or generated to satisfy topological edit requirements. These requirements include: (1) Complete chains must begin and end at nodes. (2) Complete chains must connect to each other at nodes. (3) Complete chains do not extend through nodes. (4) Left and right polygons are defined for each complete chain element and are consistent throughout the extract process. (5) The chains representing the limits of the files are free of gaps.

Completeness Report Data completeness of the TIGER/Line Shapefiles reflects the contents of the Census MAF/TIGER database at the time the TIGER/Line Shapefiles were created.

Lineage

Source Information

Source Citation

Citation Information

Originator U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division

Publication Date Unpublished

Publication Time

Title Census MAF/TIGER database

Geospatial Data Presentation Form

Publication Information

Publication Place
Publisher

Other Citation Details

Source Scale Denominator

Type of Source Media online

Source Time Period of Content

Source Currentness Reference publication date

Source Citation Abbreviation MAF/TIGER

Source Contribution The selected geographic and cartographic information (line segments) are derived from the U.S. Census Bureau's Master Address File Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (MAF/TIGER) database.

Process Step

Process Description TIGER/Line Shapefiles are extracted from the Census MAF/TIGER database by nation, state, county, and entity. Census MAF/TIGER data for all of the aforementioned geographic entities are then distributed among the shapefiles each containing attributes for line, polygon, or landmark geographic data.
Source Used Citation Abbreviation MAF/TIGER
Process Date 2010
Process Time
Process Contact

Spatial Data Organization Information

Indirect Spatial Reference Method United States

Direct Spatial Reference Method Vector

Point and Vector Object Information

SDTS Terms Description

SDTS Point and Vector Object Type Complete chain
Point and Vector Object Count 185971

Spatial Reference Information

Spatial Reference

Name North American Datum of 1983 in the 48 contiguous states, the District of Columbia, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of the United States, and the Pacific Island Areas.
Code EPSG:4269
URL http://www.epsg-registry.org/export.htm?gml=urn:ogc:def:crs:EPSG::4269

Spatial Reference

Name Geodetic Reference System 80
Code EPSG:7019
URL http://www.epsg-registry.org/export.htm?gml=urn:ogc:def:ellipsoid:EPSG::7019

Entity and Attribute Information

Detailed Description

Entity Type

Entity Type LabelRAILS.shp
Entity Type Definition Rails National
Entity Type Definition Source U.S. Census Bureau

Attribute

Attribute Label LINEARID

Attribute Definition Linear feature identifier

Attribute Definition Source U.S. Census Bureau

Attribute Domain Values

Unrepresentable Domain data are unavailable

Attribute

Attribute Label FULLNAME

Attribute Definition Concatenation of expanded text for prefix qualifier, prefix direction, prefix type, base name, suffix type, suffix direction, and suffix qualifier (as available) with a space between each expanded text field

Attribute Definition Source U.S. Census Bureau

Attribute Domain Values

Unrepresentable Domain data are unavailable

Attribute

Attribute Label MTFCC

Attribute Definition MAF/TIGER feature class code

Attribute Definition Source U.S. Census Bureau

Attribute Domain Values

Enumerated Domain

Enumerated Domain Value R1011
Enumerated Domain Value Definition Railroad Feature (Main, Spur, or Yard)
Enumerated Domain Value Definition Source U.S. Census Bureau

Enumerated Domain Value R1051
Enumerated Domain Value Definition Carline, Streetcar Track, Monorail, Other Mass Transit Rail
Enumerated Domain Value Definition Source U.S. Census Bureau

Enumerated Domain Value R1052
Enumerated Domain Value Definition Cog Rail Line, Incline Rail Line, Tram
Enumerated Domain Value Definition Source U.S. Census Bureau

Distribution Information

Distributor
Resource Description Downloadable Data
Distribution Liability The material on this site is made available as a public service. Maps and data are to be used for reference purposes only and the Earth Data Analysis Center (EDAC), Resource Geographic Information System (RGIS) and The University of New Mexico are not responsible for any inaccuracies herein contained. No responsibility is assumed for damages or other liabilities due to the accuracy, availability, use or misuse of the information herein provided. Unless otherwise indicated in the documentation (metadata) for individual data sets, information on this site is public domain and may be copied without permission; citation of the source is appreciated.
Custom Order Process Contact Earth Data Analysis Center at clearinghouse@edac.unm.edu
Technical Prerequisites Adequate computer capability is the only technical prerequisite for viewing data in digital form.

Metadata Reference Information

Metadata Date 2024-05-01

Metadata Review Date

Metadata Future Review Date

Metadata Contact

Contact Information

Contact Person Primary

Contact Person
Contact Organization

Contact Organization Primary

Contact Organization Earth Data Analysis Center
Contact Person

Contact Position Clearinghouse Manager

Contact Address

Address Type mailing and physical address
Address MSC01 1110
Address 1 University of New Mexico
City Albuquerque
State or Province NM
Postal Code 87131-0001
Country USA

Contact Voice Telephone 505-277-3622 ext. 230

Contact Facsimile Telephone 505-277-3614

Contact Electronic Mail Address clearinghouse@edac.unm.edu

Hours of Service 0800 - 1700 MT, M-F -7 hours GMT

Contact Instructions

Metadata Standard Name FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata

Metadata Standard Version FGDC-STD-001-1998

Metadata Time Convention

Metadata Access Constraints

Metadata Use Constraints

Metadata Security Information

Security Classification System
Security Classification
Security Handling Description

Metadata Extensions

2010, nation, U.S., Rails

Metadata from the RGIS Metadata Repository

Identification Information

Data Quality Information

Spatial Data Organization Information

Spatial Reference Information

Entity and Attribute Information

Distribution Information

Metadata Reference Information