Air carrier reports confusing ramp, taxi situation due poorly marked taxiway lines.

Attributes
ACN	209934
Time
Date	199205
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : orf
State Reference	VA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : czyz
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	209934
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

Orf has yellow painted lines and recessed lighting on ramp which appear to outline C taxiway (not sure). These markings are not depicted on airport diagram. Since the lines are old and fading, and the lights are recessed, they are very difficult to see in daylight. Upon leaving gate we were cleared to taxi to runway 5 so I proceeded straight (with concourse on my right) to intercept C. Before I saw the lines and lights my nose had crossed them. I corrected back to right and stayed on ramp until I found a break in lines to go to outer ramp (taxiway C). Lines need to be repainted and outlined in black and lights need to be raised or is it okay to cross this area?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR RPTS CONFUSING RAMP, TAXI SITUATION DUE POORLY MARKED TAXIWAY LINES.

Narrative: ORF HAS YELLOW PAINTED LINES AND RECESSED LIGHTING ON RAMP WHICH APPEAR TO OUTLINE C TAXIWAY (NOT SURE). THESE MARKINGS ARE NOT DEPICTED ON ARPT DIAGRAM. SINCE THE LINES ARE OLD AND FADING, AND THE LIGHTS ARE RECESSED, THEY ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE IN DAYLIGHT. UPON LEAVING GATE WE WERE CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 5 SO I PROCEEDED STRAIGHT (WITH CONCOURSE ON MY R) TO INTERCEPT C. BEFORE I SAW THE LINES AND LIGHTS MY NOSE HAD CROSSED THEM. I CORRECTED BACK TO R AND STAYED ON RAMP UNTIL I FOUND A BREAK IN LINES TO GO TO OUTER RAMP (TAXIWAY C). LINES NEED TO BE REPAINTED AND OUTLINED IN BLACK AND LIGHTS NEED TO BE RAISED OR IS IT OKAY TO CROSS THIS AREA?

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.