Google Earth is a popular software by Google that allows users to view a 3D view of planet Earth. It makes use of aerial photography, satellite imagery, and GIS data to provide users with detailed images of cities and landscapes.

Initially released 20 years ago in 2001, Google has updated the software with new data and several new features with Earth now covering more than 98% of the world. It also enables users to view the sky and Earth from outer space.

Google-Earth

That being said, Google Earth Pro users are now reporting that they are unable to see the Rail Lines layer. Many say that the issue is preventing them from locating rail lines worldwide.

It looks like some other layers like roads, coastlines, and county boundaries are missing as well. Users say that the Transportation layer is now completely useless.

Many are angry since they are unable to see the layers and are asking to bring the feature back.

Google-Earth-Rail-lines-layer-not-visible
Source

Rail Lines missing I’m using Google Earth Pro which i use when working on Train Simulator 2021, Rail lines are No Longer labeled in the United States which really hampers locating rail lines, Can this be corrected?
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Recently powered up my Google Earth Pro (desktop) version. Haven’t used it much in the past 3 or 4 months and want to look at some old rail lines. Turns out all of the old layers are no longer functional (transportation, etc.). I checked here and discovered that the layers have been moved/combined. Except that the new layers are not showing on my version. So I uninstalled and reinstalled, and still, I have the old menus but with no content.

They also added that the web version has no rail lines layer as well.

So the question is: Is Google Earth Pro going to be returned to working status, or has it reached End-of-Life and only Google Earth on the web will be supported going forward? P.S. – I should take the opportunity to point out that Google Earth Web has no rail lines either.
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Thankfully, a Diamond Product Expert on the Google Earth Community forum has shed some light on the issue and said that the rail line layer in Google Earth Pro has been removed.

Hi Carlos, The rail layer in Google Earth Pro has been removed. It was years old and no one was maintaining it. All the Roads and Transportation data is coming from the Google Maps server now.
You may be able to find rail info for your area of interest by searching the web. Use search terms that focus your search and add the terms kml and shapefile. These are the types of files most commonly used in GE Pro. An interesting site that I see is Open Railway Map. It is constantly updated and seems very interesting to me.
Hope that helps.
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If you want the old layers back, you can submit your feedback using the in-app feedback tool.

We hope Google listens to its userbase and brings back the rail lines layer along with other layers that have been removed from Google Earth Pro since many were dependent on them for their work or otherwise.

Note: We have more such stories in our dedicated Google Section so be sure to follow them as well.

PiunikaWeb started as purely an investigative tech journalism website with main focus on ‘breaking’ or ‘exclusive’ news. In no time, our stories got picked up by the likes of Forbes, Foxnews, Gizmodo, TechCrunch, Engadget, The Verge, Macrumors, and many others. Want to know more about us? Head here.

Anurag Chawake
1373 Posts

My fascination with technology and computers goes back to the days of Windows XP. Since then, I have been tinkering with OS, mobile phones, and other things. When I am not working on anything, you will find me enjoying video games on some Discord server.

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