A faster way to grade track?

[Approach_Medium]

Hi;
I have a large route in TRS2006 which was created with TransDem Trainz ed.
The route was created to simulate the rail lines in Northern New Jersey and up the Hudson river to Selkirk NY.
Transdem creates the ground file, which includes elevation.
It also creates track splines.

Now in TRS2006, I've got all my track in the right place, but it's not graded.
I have to survey the ground height, and look at my Google maps to see where the track lies (whether it's elevated, in a cut, or on level ground, etc), then grade the track accordingly.

As I check the ground height, it rises and falls, but of course the track cannot follow the undulations of the landscape.
From what I know, the only way to set the grade for my tracks is to estimate the grade of the prototype, then set the grade for each track spline section.
It's a very slow, and often frustrating process.

Is there a better way to accomplish this?
I hope that TS2009 has some features that will help in this respect.

FW

 

[gfisher]

I can't think of one offhand. Personally I always found this part of doing a prototype route one of the more fun parts of the modeling...trying to figure out where the railroad used cuts and where they used fill, or bridges and tunnels if all you have is a USGS map. It helps to have track charts with grade and curve information. There is a lot of that info available for northern New Jersey.

 

[Approach_Medium]

I'm using Google Earth and MS Live Earth, and have had success with this method.
The problem is that when changing the grade for a section of track, I need to do it for each spline, and each track.
Originally, i couldn't even figure out what the grade should be, but reading another thread in this forum, I realized that it is actually quite simple: You just lay a single spline of track from one end to the other of the grade you want to create, set each end's height, and get the grade.
Then, knowing what my grade should be, I can set the grade for each spline, and it will come out pretty close, unless there are lots of curves in the route.

As far as knowing where to use fills, and when to use cuts, sometimes it's visible on aerial maps, but other times I just have to guesstimate.
Cuts are easier to see due to the shadows. Live Earth's Bird's Eye view is really good in some places.

For large yards, I am just going to assume a level ground, except of course, hump yards.
I wonder whether TRS2006 or maybe in TS2009 we can actually have cars roll down hump yards? Having a working model of a hump would be way cool!

FW

 

[gfisher]

Cars will roll down a hump yard in TRS2004 and TRS2006, in fact they roll so well that in my humpyard they continued down the line for 2.5 miles before stopping. You need to use the retarders that you can find as part of TPR's humpyard kit.

 

[Dap]

fwassner,

I'll second gfisher's comment about the fun of laying track. I enjoy putting on my civil engeneer's hat and figuring out the grades and cuts and fills and bridges. I have laid over 100 miles on my mainline. Track charts with grade & curve data are a big help if you can get them. ALso check with your state university websites - there may be aerial photographs that will help when modeling tracks from yesteryear.

 

[robbiehanson]

I'll recommend Google Earth--on the bottom edge of the view window there's an elevation indicator. Use that as a guide for adjusting your height, and remember that Trainz uses meters for height

 

[geophil]

Now in TRS2006, I've got all my track in the right place, but it's not graded.
I have to survey the ground height, and look at my Google maps to see where the track lies (whether it's elevated, in a cut, or on level ground, etc), then grade the track accordingly.

What type of DEM are you using? Did you try NED 1/3 arc sec (10 metres)? Not sure whether it's available for this part of NJ/NY, though. I did a few tests in the Rockies and the Sierras and often the 1/3 arc sec DEM shows high fills and cuttings and gives a pretty good indication of grade.

 

[Approach_Medium]

What type of DEM are you using? Did you try NED 1/3 arc sec (10 metres)? Not sure whether it's available for this part of NJ/NY, though. I did a few tests in the Rockies and the Sierras and often the 1/3 arc sec DEM shows high fills and cuttings and gives a pretty good indication of grade.

I'm not sure, but I know it's at least 1arc. Is that info available somewhere in TransDem after the DEM is loaded?
In any case, I'm using the UTM tiles created from GE to give me detail in TRS.

FW

 

[geophil]

I'm not sure, but I know it's at least 1arc. Is that info available somewhere in TransDem after the DEM is loaded?

Indirectly. Load the DEM and call "Edit" | "New DEM raster width".
Check "Old grid width". 20 m would make it 1 arc sec, 10 m most probably 1/3 arc sec (unless you have changed the raster width).

 

[Approach_Medium]

Cars will roll down a hump yard in TRS2004 and TRS2006, in fact they roll so well that in my humpyard they continued down the line for 2.5 miles before stopping. You need to use the retarders that you can find as part of TPR's humpyard kit.

Thanks for that info. When I'm ready, I'll look for the retarders.

FW

 

[leader2302]

fwassner,

No need to try to figure out the grade. Just use the actual gradient.
Get an official railroad track chart of the area you are modeling. It will have the real percent grade for the track. You can input the percent grade into Trainz on the track laying drop down box in surveyor and set your track percisely.

You can buy track charts from several websites.