Add three presets for substation=minor_distribution (Kiosk, Building, Tower)

[tordans]

Description, Motivation & Context

I am having a hard time mapping those minor distribution "buildings". This PR adds three presets that provide explicit tagging recommendation for common objects.

Relevant OSM Wiki links:

• https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:substation%3Dminor_distribution
• https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:power%3Dsubstation

Examples:

• Well mapped: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/872220810
• Insufficiently mapped: https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/7721504279
• Probably wrongly mapped: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/797976482

Relevant tag usage stats:

None; Hard to analyse given the many sub tags.

In general all those tags are well documented and established.
https://taghistory.raifer.tech/#***/building/service&***/building/transformer_tower&***/substation/minor_distribution&***/man_made/street_cabinet&***/power/substation

Related issues

None

Translations

Some keywords we should add to the German translation:

substation_minor_distribution_building.json

stromhäuschen, stromhaus, trafostation, Strom

    "tags": {        "building": "service",        "utility": "power"    },
    "addTags": {        "power": "substation",        "substation": "minor_distribution"    },
    "terms": [        "minor distribution station",        "small masonry building"    ],
    "name": "Substation (Building)"

substation_minor_distribution_kiosk.json

Trafo-Kompaktstation, Stromhäuschen, Stromhaus, Strom

    "tags": {        "man_made": "street_cabinet",        "substation": "minor_distribution"    },
    "addTags": {        "utility": "power",        "power": "substation"    },
    "terms": [        "kiosk",        "compact"    ],
    "name": "Substation (Kiosk)"

substation_minor_distribution_tower.json

Turm, Turmstation, Trafotrum, Transformatorenturm, Trafoturmstation, Trafo-Kompaktstation, Strom

    "tags": {        "building": "transformer_tower"    },
    "addTags": {        "utility": "power",        "power": "substation",        "substation": "minor_distribution"    },
    "terms": [        "transformer building",        "electricity pole"    ],
    "name": "Substation (Tower)"

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## Test-Documentation

### Preview links & Sidebar Screenshots

<!-- Use the preview to find examples, select the feature in question and **copy this link here**.
     Find examples of nodes/areas. Find examples with a lot of tags or very few tags. – Whatever helps to test this thoroughly.
     Add relevant **screenshots** of the sidebar of those examples. -->

<!-- FYI: What we will check:
     - Is the [icon](https://github.com/ideditor/schema-builder/blob/main/ICONS.md) well chosen.
     - Are the fields well-structured and have good labels.
     - Do the dropdowns (etc.) work well and show helpful data. -->

### Search

<!-- **Test the search** of your preset and share relevant **screenshots** here.
     - Test the preset name as search terms.
     - Also test the preset terms and aliases as search terms (if present). -->

### Info-`i`

<!-- **Test the info-i** for your fields and preset and share relevant **screenshots** here.
     The info needs to help mappers understand the preset and when to use it.
     [Learn more…](https://github.com/openstreetmap/id-tagging-schema/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md#info-i)
 -->

### Wording

- [ ] American English
- [ ] `name`, `aliases` (if present) use Title Case
- [ ] `terms` (if present) use lower case, sorted A-Z
<!-- Learn more in https://github.com/openstreetmap/id-tagging-schema/blob/main/GUIDELINES.md#2-design-the-preset -->

[github-actions]

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[tordans]

Test-Documentation substation_minor_distribution_building.json

Preview links & Sidebar Screenshots

Overpass: https://overpass-turbo.eu/s/23Ui

• https://pr-1543--ideditor-presets-preview.netlify.app/id/dist/#locale=en&map=20.00/50.98226/12.45687&disable_features=boundaries&background=Bing&id=w1373448582

(Outdated; Fields changed a bit)

• The "Type", "Type" Fields are not ideal. I remove the first Type which was power=substation from the fields to clean this up. I don't think that field needs to be present given that the preset is named Substation and the options don't show anything I would like to switch to.

• I also remove the "Type" (substation) because it does not explain anything and no one would want to change that (or should)

• FYI: When I select an existing building and change the preset, all fields get updated.

Search

Search terms work great.

Info-i

Picket the building data here to signify that this has to be an actual building, not the kiosk type.

• https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Item:Q5341
• https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:building=service

---

Test-Documentation substation_minor_distribution_tower.json

Preview links & Sidebar Screenshots

Overpass: https://overpass-turbo.eu/s/23Uf

Example: https://pr-1543--ideditor-presets-preview.netlify.app/id/dist/#locale=en&map=20.00/51.05082/12.82381&disable_features=boundaries&background=Bing&id=w228749027

(Outdated; Fields changed a bit)

• Note: The wiki page https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:building%3Dtransformer_tower does not mention but the page https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag%3Asubstation%3Dminor_distribution does and I think it makes sense to have this tag on all those features.

Search

./.

Info-i

• https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:building%3Dtransformer_tower
• https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Item:Q6553

---

Test-Documentation substation_minor_distribution_kiosk.json

Preview links & Sidebar Screenshots

Overpass: https://overpass-turbo.eu/s/23Ug

Example: https://pr-1543--ideditor-presets-preview.netlify.app/id/dist/#locale=en&map=20.00/51.04404/12.80905&disable_features=boundaries&background=Bing&id=n6544854454

(Outdated; Fields changed a bit)

• I removed the "Type (man_made)", because it does not explain anything and no one would want to change that (or should)
• I also remove the "Type" (substation) for the same reason

Search

./.

Info-i

• https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:substation%3Dminor_distribution
• https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Item:Q6523

[tordans]

@flacombe could you have a look at this and check if this has any relevant issues?

[flacombe]

Hello @tordans

Thank you for mentioning and refining those presets!

I see no major problems:

• Tagging is fine
• Willing to remove unnecessary static fields from the presets is relevant

The two points I want to raise are:

• there is no need for frequency on those substations (edit: there is no need for building substation but can be kept on cabinet and poles). It's more a property for devices (transformers, compensators inside substations) than for facilities.
• A fourth preset for substations on poles can be valuable in some countries (some countries consider a transformer on a pole is a minor distribution substation and some other don't)

Furthermore, although it's advanced tagging so probably outside of the scope of these presets, cabinet tagging may be completed with transformers inside of them.
Charts can be seen here: https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Proposal:Substation_nodes_extension

All the best

[tordans]

Thanks for checking this!

there is no need for frequency on those substations. It's more a property for devices (transformers, compensators inside substations) than for facilities.

Thanks. I saw it on one example (that fits the image I have in mind for this one of the presets) but removed it now.

A fourth preset for substations on poles can be valuable in some countries (some countries consider a transformer on a pole is a minor distribution substation and some other don't)

Given the quite complex tagging I think adding more presets would be a good idea. Maybe some should be scoped for certain countries… — But lets do that later/separately. And ideally by someone who knows more about this than me ;-).

[flacombe]

Thanks. I saw it on one example (that fits the image I have in mind for this one of the presets) but removed it now.

I got it clearer now, thank you.
That's because the substation is merged with the transformer inside on the same node, so the frequency is related to the transformer and could be preserved only for cabinets and poles substations only, sorry for having mistaken it.
At the end, iD could merge substation and transformer preset on such nodes.

Given the quite complex tagging I think adding more presets would be a good idea. Maybe some should be scoped for certain countries… — But lets do that later/separately. And ideally by someone who knows more about this than me ;-).

I wonder if such node (https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/2880673331) would already be covered by this PR without any change?
It's an actual substation on a power pole

[flacombe]

Regarding buildings, they are mostly drawn as polygons, so transformer shouldn't be mixed with substations in a building (transformer would be added as a separate node inside).
That's directly related to those affinities.
So I would remove transformer, frequency and phases for such ones (and keep them for cabinet and poles substations, according to my last answer)

[matkoniecz]

@tordans what you think about this comment?

[matkoniecz]

@tordans what you think about this comment?

I plan to close that PR as abandoned in about 120 days.

(EDIT: also emailed on 3rd April 2026)

[matkoniecz]

#1543 (comment)

(not saying that suggestion/request present there must be followed - but can you answer it?)

[matkoniecz]

@tordans - have you seen those comments?