Documentation Activities for Historic Railways: Detection of Potential and Weaknesses for a Sustainable Cultural Heritage Resource

Abstract

This contribution intends to emphasise a possible methodology for the documentation and enhancement of historic railways, seen both as socio-economic drivers and touristic resources. The research activities were mainly focused on regions facing development issues in a low-income scenario, taking into consideration two important case studies in Asia and South America. In this research framework, it is crucial to highlight that the European Commission has decided to make 2021 the European Year of Rail. Despite the pandemic period, a series of actions and initiatives in 2021 promoted rail as a sustainable and cultural mode of transport, highlighting the important role played by railways in not only connecting the EU countries physically but also improving the political cohesion among members. On the one hand, railways are one of the most sustainable and safest modes of transport, and, on the other hand, these railways that cross boundaries, mountains, rivers, small villages, and big cities are capable of creating an innovative formula for rail tourism. For these reasons, detailed and effective documentation activities need to be carried out to bring these tracks from the past into the future. The research analyses digital tools such as GIS platform to create affordable and effective dataset useful for the site management and improvement, trying to define a possible methodology for the implementation of knowledge and information. It is only by preserving the memory of these lines that it is possible to promote still hidden areas of many regions and, at the same time, the idea of slow and sustainable tourism as an important economic resource.