If you like railroads, you probably like maps, as discussed in the SPV thread. If you like maps and railroads, chances are you use the satellite photo services offered on the web.
Which service do you find the best?
Terra Server is very good, but away from the “urban” area, the shots are black and white and usually from about 1998. Google seems ok, but the resolution is not very good.
What other services do you use and which do you find the best.
thanks,
ed
Google Earth…better than Google maps, and the 3D stuff is fun.
OT…Check out google maps for Las Vegas NV and the Google Campus.
I use this one
Those Terra Server urban shots are great. Dont think I would want to go exploring in the East St. Louis B&O roundhouse tho.
ed
…Try Flash Earth, I find it has worked rather well for me. Easy to locate something by simply typing in location, and easy to move around in it…Just today I followed a RR line for about 15 or so miles and it was not difficult at all to do. Resolution {to me}, seems good.
[#ditto]
I’ve found that Google Earth and Google Maps are generally the same images. But Google Earth certainly has a lot higher fun factor.
Terraserver is nice for two reasons. Despite being nearly 10 years old and in black and white, the resolution is consistent across the board. Google has good resolution in some areas, but, as noted others are not that good. The other good thing about Terraserver is that you can flip over to a USGS map.
I use whichever has the information and images I want. Oftimes all of them.
I used Google Earth 99 percent of the time. And their images are only about 2 years old. (I can tell just by looking at the photos of my area, and seeing what is under construction.
I use Google Earth to find everything from trains, to traffic accidents, and other things. It’s interesting what is captured by the sattelites. I also look for military stuff as well, especially naval bases, I was surprised at what I could see at the Russian Naval bases of Polyarnyy, and Severomorsk. Norfolk, SanDiego, and Pearl Harbor didn’t show as much.
Overall, I like Google Earth the best… .
I use Google Earth. The only problem is that some entire states…Iowa is one of them…are blurry. Overall, it is pretty good though. In some places in my area you can actually see trains going down the main line. It’s interesting to turn the hybrid map on so you can see satellite and road names - a good way to find train yards and other interesting places.
Yahoo maps for broadband connection can be changed to satellite view and have pretty good resolution as compared to Google. With Yahoo I can see exactly where my garden is, with Google I can barely make out the township.
You just can’t beat those < 1 meter resolution images from the NSA. [:)]
Dave
…Just checked Pearl Harbor {as one mentioned above}, and zoomed in to where I could see the USS Arizona setting on the harbor bottom with one turret protruding above the water line and the white Memorial building straddling the sunken vessel…Awesome…! {Using Flash Earth}. I had never thought to look for that before someone {Above}, mentioned it.