A question about scales

[dash56]

Hi guys,

I have a little doubt about sizes:

I read somewhere that a baseboard is about 720 mts per side (0,72 km). Considering that "N" scale is 1:160, that means that if I build a layout in "N" scale, each baseboard will measure about 115 km per side? Please advise

Cheers

 

[oknotsen]

I think it is the other way around. Not 720*160 but 720/160, so 4.5m per side.

 

[dash56]

So, if I want to build a long route, in order to avoid using lots and lots of baseboards, what can I do?

I am from Chile, a loooong and narrow country, so if I want to model just a small branch of a railroad, lets say, from Santiago to Concepción, that's about 550 kms long. What do you recommend?

 

[oknotsen]

Scale is not going to change that. For 550km of distance you will need to use 763 baseboards, no matter what scale you use.
You can not avoid it.

Why would you like to avoid lots of baseboards?

What you could consider is simply not build the 550km. Some long stretches of fields or forest could still be experienced as long even if you reduce them by 25% of actual length with being visually (that) noticable.

 

[dash56]

Scale is not going to change that. For 550km of distance you will need to use 763 baseboards, no matter what scale you use.
You can not avoid it.

Why would you like to avoid lots of baseboards?

What you could consider is simply not build the 550km. Some long stretches of fields or forest could still be experienced as long even if you reduce them by 25% of actual length with being visually (that) noticable.

Thanks for your suggestions Oknotsen

I thought that using lots of baseboards will bring me performance issues in my computer....is that true? Anyhow, I find your suggestion of reducing in percentage very interesting...I'm going to try that

So, if I want to build whatever length without reducing, I will have to use the corresponding baseboards.

Then, what are the advantages of using different scales when modelling? I understand that in "real world" situations (a small room in a flat, limited space at home, etc). But if in Trainz is the same number of baseboards, would I use different scales?

Please advise. I am very confused.

 

[oknotsen]

Switching the scale is there so people who have (for example) a HO or N scale route can easelier rebuild those routes in Trainz without having to recalculate all the measurements. The rulers will switch to the scale you selected.

The number of baseboards will hardly effect the performance; the number of assets (and the amount of poly's of those assets) on those baseboard will effect it.

If you fear performance issue's, you could considering the number of baseboards to the side of the route to be low; not for the baseboards but for the assets used on them.

Example:
A huge amound of detailed tree's on 1 baseboard will have a higher negative effect on performance then a large number of almost empty baseboards (with for example open fields).

 

[dash56]

Thanks a lot Oknotsen. It's much clearer now.

So, if I understand well, if I have a "real world" HO scale layout sitting on a room at home, if I want to "translate" that layout onto Trainz, I shoul use am HO scale in Trainz. Am I right?

I will start trying to model a route now (my first one). Let's see what happens...

What parameters do you recommend to start (scale, location, etc)?

Thanks again and best regards.

 

[ray_whiley]

I have included my thoughts on using model railway/railroad layouts in Trainz on my website. You may find them helpful. See http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/raywhiley/layout.plans.html

Ray

 

[stagecoach]

Trainz scale is always full size, it is only the ruler that will change its size. So to convert an n scale layout measure your model and then use the n scale ruler to transfer measurement to trainz. To convert trainz into an n scale model layout measure the trainz creation with the n scale ruler and place the those actual measurements on your model layout.

 

[cascaderailroad]

I would think that 99.99% of trainz routes would be in "Real Scale", and that using any other model railroad "Scale" would be somewhat ineffective ... Use real scale, unless you are planning a model RR, using Trainz as a designing tool.

 

[dash56]

Thank you all guys for your valuable advise.

Best regards