I'm fascinated by it, and that i know the rough idea (and geography of the area) helps me work it out a bit more.
I think I'll stick with railway station diagrams. At least they are easily understood.
See, for example, this diagram of Coalgate, on the now-closed Whitecliffs branch in Canterbury that diverged from the Midland Line (i.e. the one the TranzAlpine uses) in Darfield.