calculate the distance

Yes, use the ruler in the 'tools' tab - you can opt for metric or imperial (feet) measurements. If the length of track is inconveniently long, use one ruler after another and add the measurements when finished. As you want kilometres, use the metric option and divide the result by 1000.

Ray
 
The ruler can be a bit tricky to get accurate measurements on curves. So what I do is create a new route, and using the ruler measure one mile, or in your case one kilometer, then lay a stretch of track slightly longer then the 1km mark. Now add enough freight cars to stretch the entire 1km length of track. Once you've done that, save the consist in your freight car consist section.

Now when you want to measure the length of section of a route you just have to lay out your 1km consist end to end, counting how many you've placed. This will give you a more precise measurement. It does get tricky though when you need to figure out a half mile or half kilometer.

Hope that helps.

-Joe
 
You can also use the "Tachymeter" rule.

Despite its name, this rule measures the distance between two trackmarks. When you add it to the session, a small window appears in the lower left corner of the screen with two dialog boxes, "Origin" and "Target".

Lay two TM, then enter the name of the first one in the "Origin" box and the name of the second in the "Target" box. Press "Enter" after you typed the name of the Target TM.

If the "Origin" TM is pointing towards the "Target" TM, you will now read the distance between the two TMs. Otherwise, click on "Forward": the caption will become "Backward" and the distance shall be displayed.

You can move the TM, and the distance will be automatically updated.
 
Track scanner

Try the track scanner, kuid2:117746:23230:1 It's on the DLS.

"TrackScanner Device. Used in Surveyor to measure track distances and objects between two points."

It appears in Surveyor as a yellow conical trackmark. The idea is to put 2 of these markers on your track and when you right-click on one of the markers, it will show the distance between the 2 points. It gives the actual track distance, not just a straight line distance between the markers. From memory, it also showed how many signals, junctions, triggers, trackmarks etc were between the markers. Very nice object.

It worked in TRS2004. I don't know if it works in later versions.
 
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