Taking my route building a step forward.

[malikrthr]

For the past couple of days, I have been uninstalling and reinstalling trainz because of problems that I have had with service pack 4 in trainz 2009. Now I am thinking about starting fresh. I have not given up on my major tri state area project, but I would like to take my route building a step further. Can someone please give me a summary about DEM maps and all the other things such as microdem, hog, tiger, etc.... Sorry for sounding a bit mean there but I am determined to make my routes as real as possible. On the dls, I saw some topography maps made by someone named fishlipsatwork. I saw that he made some maps a majority of the Harlem and New Haven lines, and port jervis line. Would anyone know where I can get one of those maps with the long island area, the bronx, manhattan, queens, NEC, and the Hudson line. Basically, I would like those topography maps for LIRR, NJT, Metro North, CSX, Amtrak, Norfolk Southern, and Naughatauck Railroad. If there are topography maps for all of those or the whole tri state area, I would be in trainz heaven. I would like to get these maps without paying for DEM. If I used his topography maps on the dls, would it be possible to merge them together. It would be nice to have all the topography and elevations already made so I won't have to make them by hand

 

[backyard]

Cut to the real chase...

Skip the Micro-DEM & HOG trial & error & go with TransDEM Trainz Edition.

It cost about $28US and from the way you talk it would give you the freedom to really get into route building, especially because you don't want to pay for a DEM.

I use 1/3rd acr/sec DEM data and overlay Topo maps for a clear, detailed way to start and create.

You can also create Google Earth tile maps for use under the baseboards in grid view.

 

[steamboateng]

There is also a bit of a problem matching DEM's to the baseboards.
If you want an accurate, interconnected set of DEM's to set up in Trainz then TrainzDEM is the answer. There is an active community on line to help you along. Once you get thru a short practice route, you'll be knocking out track miles by the hundreds; it's worth the few dollars and will save a lot of time and frustration.
The hardest part of Dr.Z's program is chewing thru the terminology.....but,....he does include a large glossary of terms with the manual. (Pssst.............You may need a dictionary to get thru the glossary!)

 

[malikrthr]

If I payed the $28 for Tranzdem, than that means I can have all the baseboards I want for free with the elevations already made accurately rather than making them myself by hand?


For example: Would it be possible to have all of New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut all in one map? That would be a couple thousand baseboards. How do you get the areas or states or major cities that you want if you use tranzdem. For those people that use transdem, would it be possible to set the baseboards in trainz to wireframe view so that I can use basemaps as references for the scenery. I have no experience with transdem at all so I really don't know how it all works. The only thing I know is that you have accurate elevations or topography already made for you. Since I really don't know what this program is, would it be worth the purchase, or would it be best to purchase and then learn the whole process at my own pace while.

 

[Thai1On]

I know it may so like a broken record but once you start using TransDEM you won't want to be without it. Steamboat wrote some tutorials on how to use the USGS Seamless Server and here is a quick example of the process.

1. Pick a city to start from box in the area you want and download the information.

2. Put this info in TransDem and let it do it's magic. Then you will get a day glow map of the area you downloaded.

3. Have TransDEM go to the raster map server of your choice and apply a large raster map.

4. Trace the route you want on the raster map and you maybe lucky and find some old railroad grades are still shown. Download more detailed maps along your route.

5. When your happy decide how many baseboards that you want on either side of the route then let TransDEM make you your custom made DEM.

6. Open in Trainz and see not only the DEM but a DEM with the raster map placed on it so you can reference the details you may need.

7. Start building your route and watch many hours of your life disappear :hehe:

Note: TransDEM can make super-sized DEMs but Trainz can't import them. You need to make smaller maps and merge them in Trainz. That being said though with TransDEM the merged maps are flawless when merged

 

[steamboateng]

TrainzDEM offers you several options to lay your route.
In general:
The program offers you the freedom to plan your route exactly as you want it. 1/3 arc-sec DEM data is availailable for the lower 48 states for free from the National Elevation Database (NED) download site provided by the USGS (and paid for by your taxes).
TranDEM will convert the NED data to a DEM within the program. Route data can be accessed and downloaded on line from the various map sevices or directly from USGS quad maps. You are free to define any route you wish within the limits of the generated DEM. You must georeference raster map data (long., lat. or UTM) to your DEM within the program, which will then overlay the raster map data onto your DEM. You define your route by tracing a series of vector lines over the route. Within TrainzDEM, you can overlay and view the baseboard arrangement. At this point, TrainzDEM is ready to generate DEM data suitable for import into Trainz. You control how much data with the various options.... let's say one baseboard to either side of the the route you traced. Select your options, run the program and TrainzDEM puts the DEM data into a folder in Trainz. At this time you also have the option to generate 'UTM Objects' which are 1000 meter sqares containing the raster map data from which your route was generated. TrainzDEM will place this data into a folder in Trainz.
Import the folders into Trainz and, open your route and admire your handywork. The 'UTM Objects' will show up as raster map data beneeth the base boards in wireframe mode, for a quick reference to the map data.
The above is only one method of the various options available to TransDEM to generate DEMs and map info.
Depending on your computing power, My experience has shown TransDEM can crunch at least 1200 squre miles of data into Trainz at a sitting. Other Trainzer's surely have tried and succeeded at more.
You can continue adding routes to your DEMs in TransDEM, export them into Trainz, and combine them within Trainz.
Baseboards generated from 1/3 arc-sec NED data have proven to be accurate within 10 - 12 feet, when compared against their underlying USGS quad maps.
This post says about the same thing as Thai1On's does. I guess I'm trying to reinforce the idea that here, in the US, DEM data and raster map dap data is readily avaialable for free, if you hunt down the right places on line. Univerities and Libraries may also have 'historic' raster map data available at no cost.
You just pay once for the program, man! The rest is up to you.

 

[malikrthr]

The process seems a bit difficult to follow but the outcome seems awesome.

 

[steamboateng]

I have tried microDEM.
TransDEM process is no more difficult, with the ability to export directly into Trainz. It's ability to precicely georeference and overlay raster map data as well as Google Earth data makes it an invaluable tool for any Trainz route builder.
Yes it has a learning curve, but the program itself is simple to use. As I noted above, the vocabulary can be rough on the uninitiated, but there's lots of us out here to help you muddle thru it.
Dr. Ziegler, who wrote the program, is always available to advise.

 

[backyard]

Add this...

After you have downloaded/unpacked/imported and created the map, go to the Bureau of Transportation website, scroll down to Polylines and download the Railroad Network you need.

Unpack the region files and import the rail lines.shp("shapefile") file onto your map.

Windows Vista and Windows 7 have a screen capture utility called "Snipping Tool." Catch a screenshot of the route applied to the DEM...this shows the Topo map completed, ready for route creation in Trainz...


You cannot use the polylines you applied with the Web Mapping Server(WMS). You have to use Simple Route Editor and screen capture of the rail region to manually apply the route, then that is where you start with the WMS downloads.

The map shown has an additional line of maps applied each side the rail region rights of way for a 7-map radius of the Lake Superior & Ishpeming Railroad...just because I could!