Can you convert height units to something usable?

R

rick1958

Active member
Can the height units in Trainz be converted to something usable in Model Railroads. Example... A trackplan calls for a given terrain to be 59" which means nothing in Trainz units (At least as far as I can tell).
For example...A height of "12" is always twelve in Trainz, be it metric, imperial, HO or real scale. What exactly are the Trainz units based on?
 
pware said:
Height in Trainz is always in metres.

You can set the "Working Scale" for horizontal distances in a variety of different ways such as "Real Scale" (the default), "G Scale", "HO Scale", etc which only affects the rulers. I have never used anything other than "Real Scale".

For more info see the Trainz Wiki Page at Route_and_Session_Basics#Creating_a_New_Route
Click to expand...
Yeah, thanks for that. The horizontal rulers work just fine in the various scales. I don't quite "get" the vertical measurements.
 
The height is measured in meters. Use a converter calculator for inches = meters.
The baseboard only uses meter squares, it's the ruler that changes.

1inch = 0.0254m
12inches = 0.3048m
59inches = 1.4986m
 
Perfect! Thanks guy's, that's a big help and using the HO calculator and a little math, I can figure a 10" elevation on a HO map.
 
You miss the point that the game offers the player the option to use the "Imperial" system but that system is not fully implemented in the interface and code. Lots of programs offer the same choice and fully support it seamlessly. Blender being one of them. What is so hard about doing the conversion for the user? Australia's official language is English and yet they translate the game into other languages.

I reject the idea that using the metric system is somehow being superior or rejecting it is being inferior. Historically most countries embraced the metric system for no other reason than it symbolized the rejection of the colonial system that had enslaved them.
 
Yeah, reverse it.
1 mile = 1.609344 Km
1 yard = 0.9144m
1 foot = 0.3048m

Did you really think you were making a point? All systems of measurement are arbitrary. The great cathedrals of Europe were built using story boards made by the master builder. Its measurements were found to be pleasing to the eye and nothing more. The historical system of measurement in England was convenient for the ordinary people to use in their day to day lives. Yards could be paced off. A human foot could be used to measure. Sure it isn't precise but it didn't need to be. An acre of land being what one man and one oxen could plow in one day. Yes, they were all standardized by the British government but that is exactly what the metric system went through or do you believe that a French peasant decided that a meter is defined as the distance light travels in a vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second. More likely they simply renamed a yardstick.

The point remains. Why can't Trainz tell me how tall a hill is in imperial measurements?
 
I think we should use Picas, Points, Ciseros, and Dittos. That will solve everything because measurement units are arbitrary.

Let's see roughly 72 points to an inch. IBM ruined the actual measurement by rounding the real point to 72 to an inche, but anyway we should use it because we can.

Then there's Picas with 6 Picas being roughly an inch, give or take a few points either way.

Ciseros and Dittos are the metric equivalent of the other.
 
wreeder said:
The point remains. Why can't Trainz tell me how tall a hill is in imperial measurements?
Click to expand...
Once could answer that with another question - How many countries are NOT using the metric system? The answer is only 3 (USA, Liberia and Myanmar) with another 2 using a mix of metric and imperial (Canada and United Kingdom).

As John points out above, why doesn't Trainz display the height of hills in Rods, Perches or Furlongs - all excellent imperial length units. I had to learn about them when I was in Primary (Elementary) School many decades ago.
 
I think I have to side with wreeder on this one. When you start a new route, you can pick, metric or imperial, (not to mention all the scales) which in turn, converts the Horizontal ruler. To me, at least, it seems to be a break in the chain when the program converts everythong, but doesn't follow through with vertical measurements.
One step further would be Trainz '17 that was supposed to be geared toward "Model Railroads" Practically all track plans give elevations in inches, which is a huge part of layout construction
 
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You have to love those old Imperial units of measurement. What did the Romans use? They did a significant amount of engineering. Then there's always cubits!

In Trainz, I use the metric system for rise/run calculations (since vertical measurements are always in meters) and sometimes horizontal meters when assembling pieces of fixed track. But I'm much more familiar with the Imperial measurement system.
 
pware said:
How many countries are NOT using the metric system? The answer is only 3 (USA, Liberia and Myanmar) with another 2 using a mix of metric and imperial (Canada and United Kingdom).
Click to expand...
Frankly, that makes no difference at all since Auran/N3V decided to add the option in the first version and has failed to fully support it every since. What matters is that in the major countries around the world where railroads were built and operated before 1950. Those railroads were documented in feet and inches in the plans as were historical maps and books. American model railroad plans are mostly in the feet and inches. Yes, I can convert them easily but the point is why should I? When it would simple to have the software support it.

Strawman arguments about what other countries do or don't do are meaningless. I believe 43 of those countries that are using the metric system also have laws making being gay a crime and in 21 of those countries it is punishable by death. Should other metric loving countries follow their example in that area? Of course not, but that is where the argument of following the consensus leads to in the end.
 
wreeder said:
Frankly, that makes no difference at all since Auran/N3V decided to add the option in the first version and has failed to fully support it every since. What matters is that in the major countries around the world where railroads were built and operated before 1950. Those railroads were documented in feet and inches in the plans as were historical maps and books. American model railroad plans are mostly in the feet and inches. Yes, I can convert them easily but the point is why should I? When it would simple to have the software support it.

Strawman arguments about what other countries do or don't do are meaningless. I believe 43 of those countries that are using the metric system also have laws making being gay a crime and in 21 of those countries it is punishable by death. Should other metric loving countries follow their example in that area? Of course not, but that is where the argument of following the consensus leads to in the end.
Click to expand...
We fought and won a war which entitles me to two things... 1. I don't have to look at the Royal family photos and 2... I don't have to use the metric system. I'd say it was worth it :ROFLMAO:
 
LOL. Y'all are a bunch of weenies. 🌭🌭🌭

I have been converting Imperial-metric all my life, in every job I've held and in model railroading, Plastic kits, Cardstock models, RC Cars/Trucks, Slot cars and more. If you create model content for Trainz you'll have to do this all the time as well.

Man up and get converting !

Not to mention the multitude of websites that will do it all for you ;)


Rico
 
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ricomon35 said:
LOL. Y'all are a bunch of weenies. 🌭🌭🌭

I have been converting Imperial-metric all my life, in every job I've held and in model railroading, Plastic kits, Cardstock models, RC Cars/Trucks, Slot cars and more. If you create model content for Trainz you'll have to do this all the time as well.

Man up and get converting !

Not to mention the multitude of websites that will do it all for you ;)


Rico
Click to expand...
I do a lot of converting, but it's fractions to decimal or reversed. Metric sockets and wrenches is enough for me :rolleyes:😆
 
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