Best approach to building prototypical routes to scale

[Blu3wolf]

G'day all!

Im looking to have a few general questions I have answered. Im looking at building a route consisting of (to start with) Kewdale and Forrestfield yards in Perth, WA. I have found a set of template objects called 1km basemaps - found here - http://www.g0akh.f2s.com/Trainz/Basemap_tutorial.html

I filled the templates with a texture sourced from a popular global satellite imagery source, and ensured that the texture was of a 1km * 1km region. The baseboards I am told are 720m by 720m, and the basemap objects I used appear to be roughly 30% longer and wider than a baseboard, so I believe the texture is correct, and the basemap object is also correct.

My curiosity was piqued however, by the fact that the tracks I layed in surveyor appear to be much larger than the ones on the template. The template tracks are dual gauge between narrow and standard gauge, and I assumed that the tracks in question (freeware produced by JR) would be standard gauge. However, the tracks on the template have a gap in real life of about 3 and a half meters in between adjacent rails, and the tracks when layed in surveyor appear to have a gap of perhaps 6 feet (judging by the size of the tracks compared to their separation).

Is there a good way for me to judge the scale of the tracks compared to the baseboard, other than laying adjacent track all the way across a baseboard?

EDIT: slightly related - anyone know of good locos and rolling stock for WA? Im having a hard time finding australian locos on the DLS, and I had a similar problem when I was working in TS12.

 

[Blu3wolf]

Well, Ive messed with the ruler tool some, and stuffed around trying to gauge the gauge, check the relative scale... and it doesnt really look right to the eye. That said, the ruler rool seems to think it is right - though it is hard to judge accurately where the end of the ruler tool actually is. I think Im just gonna double the resolution on the basemap, and then lay the track from there.

 

[cascaderailroad]

You zoom in when placing a ruler, and the end is @ where the"R" is, you can rotate view of the words in the ruler 90 degrees to the track for precision

 

[Blu3wolf]

I cant actually see an 'R' in my ruler section. Just a (very short) line, and the distance written above the ruler. 3.5m.

 

[Vern]

Want to build a prototype route?

Buy Transdem.

Simples.

 

[Blu3wolf]

I had been under the apparently mistaken impression that high detail DEM data was not available for areas outside CONUS?

 

[steamboateng]

TransDEM is definitely the fastest and easiest method to build accurate prototype terrain.
DEM data is available from the Australian government site. Chek it out here if you havn't already:
http://www.ga.gov.au/scientific-top.../topographic-maps-data/digital-elevation-data
DEM data at 1/3 arc sec resolution generally will produce a pretty good map for Trainz.

 

[cascaderailroad]

Also it opens up the nightmare of applying gradients ... It took me 2 weeks to lay 15 miles of track, and iron out all the gradients ... +3.75% and the next section -4.25% ... the real gradient was @ 0.15% with intermittent level sections

 

[Blu3wolf]

That doesnt sound like very good data! Is that due to poor elevation data, or just that its not fine enough resolution for trainz?

Also I note that you suggest DEM data to 1/3 arc second, but the site you linked me to has 3 arc second data, and for government use it has 1 arc second data.

Wouldnt those be 81 and 9 times less detailed, respectively?

 

[steamboateng]

I read the site and noted that also, but I didn't dive too deeply into the site to see what was offered, or what resolutions were actually available or if they were referring to 1 arc sec, 1/3 arc-sec, and 1/9 arc-sec data.
3 arc-sec data is pretty rough but it's better than none. 1 arc sec data will create a passable map, if you can access it. Maybe some digging will come up with more options or reference sites. Perhaps a search of commercial sites may come up with something. In any event,, if your looking to build a route of any size, your gonna save hundreds of hours of terrain tweaking with the TransDEM program. I know there are Aussie TransDEM owners out there. Perhaps one or two will come across your post and offer a few suggestions.
Regards

 

[Blu3wolf]

Hmm. Im not sure how big its going to be really. I mean I figured Id start with the yard, and if I still wanted to keep going when it was done, Id start on the mainline. There is certainly plenty of mainline to add if I decide to do that. I mean, you can follow those tracks to Sydney ultimately, so I figured the route would get as long as I could be bothered making.

I guess I cant add DEM data to the route after I start, right?

 

[steamboateng]

You can add Trainz maps (base boards) generated with DEM data in the sense of combining routes/base boards. A given set of DEM data can generate a route with hundreds of base boards. I'm presently working on a 120 mile route with many hundreds of base boards all generated in TransDEM.

 

[Vern]

Terrain generated by DEM data is unlikely to remove the need to apply gradients manually, either from a profile chart or the LAB (looks about right) method of working. Typically DEM will not show raised embankments or where the line runs in a cutting, so you need to use in conjunction with maps, aerial views and photos to get the best overall appearance. My preferred method is to measure the height change over a distance of 500 or 1000 metres and apply the necessary gradient, adjusting if the line at that point should be in a deep cutting, for example. If the value comes out at something silly (like 4% on a main line) then chances are something is a bit off, sometimes the map data is less than accurate and can be 100 - 150 metres off where it should be on the terrain.

Where DEM saves countless hours is in getting an almost perfect representation of the physical terrain surrounding the railway, combined with a good mapping overlay so you know where the forested parts are, what should be fields or urban areas.