debugging tracks in a new TransDEM route

[martinvk]

Created another TransDEM route to relive a childhood memory. TransDEM is great at bringing the terrain and basic spline objects to Trainz but it does tend to get confused between roads and tracks, joining them with a common junction if the junctions they are too close to each other.

Then a great feature of S2.0 comes to the rescue. If you double click on a track spline, it glows up to the next track break or junction. Either one can then be quickly fixed until the next one is found.

 

[nswgrbuff]

Hi Martin, Not sure where to start my question, but basically I have been trying to create routes for a few years now and every time I try to use TransDEM, it never works. Not sure if (Must Be!) missing a step somewhere, but it seems like its a very long process to create. Do you use or know of a specific tutorial that works?

 

[martinvk]

Do you use or know of a specific tutorial that works?

This one I found helpful TransDEM Tutorial - Basic Trainz Route from Scratch
It was made 7 years ago but is still relevant.

 

[nswgrbuff]

Ah thank you!

 

[nswgrbuff]

Success!! Thanks Martin!
So does the resolution of the SRTM files affect how high the hills look (or are generated)? as my first attempt with a small section of a route, the hills are looking way too flat.

 

[martinvk]

The quality of the DEM data does affect the topology of the route. One thing to keep in mind is that for ordinary DEM, the elevation shown is not necessarily the ground elevation. Dense forests will have the tree tops as the elevation while in buildup areas, the tops of buildings will be the local elevation.

 

[Jayco-man]

This one I found helpful TransDEM Tutorial - Basic Trainz Route from Scratch
It was made 7 years ago but is still relevant.

Check the new post just above yours by Jaycoman.

 

[OddRails]

If anyone is setting up Transdem, be certain to use the provided Trainz version of the documentation.
The other docs don't mention the other support programs that need to be installed, GDAL for instance and a few other steps.

 

[martinvk]

other support programs that need to be installed, GDAL for instance and a few other steps.

Could you expand on this please? Perhaps I know GDAL by another name. And what other steps are you alluding to?

When I installed TransDEM, the folder Ziegler-Tools was automatically created and all the needed parts were placed.
In tandem with TransDEM I also have the Java OpenStreetMap Editor installed in order to generate the GPX files for track, roads and other spline objects to include in any new Trainz maps I make with TransDEM.

 

[OddRails]

Edited to name the correct file. Sorry folks!

Perhaps installation procedures have changed with the newest version? But in my version GDAL had to be installed to translate topo pdfs, trainz mesh importer, the Transdem map colors need to be installed inTrainz.

It's in the Transdem for Trainz instructions. The instructions that don't have "Trainz" in their name do not request that some of these utilites and support files be installed.

The instructions unfortunately don't have a section explicitly for installing the needed utilities. I believe it is assumed that the user will be reading the entire document. So such instructions are spread throughout the many pages.

Edit: the file is named TransDEM_engl.pdf
It is in the Program Files > Ziegler-Tools > Dokumentation folder.

My only curiosity regarding GDAL is that my version is 32 bit. A 64 bit version would handle data faster. But I haven't checked to see if a 64 bit version exists.

 

[martinvk]

I opened my TransDEMTrainz_engl.pdf (modified Apr 5, 2021, 3.92 MB) and searched for GDAL but didn't find any reference to it. Since I upgrade each time, some of the basic house keeping was probably only done once the very first time, a long time ago. I'm now using TransDEM64.exe version 2.6.7.1. -
Ah, found it in the non-Trainz file: TransDEM_engl.pdf It is in the section where they talk about GeoPDF maps. I only use SRTM Geo TIFF raster maps. And since TransDEM imports the SRTM data directly I never ran into an issue with this.

 

[JCitron]

I've seen the GDAL pop up because I use GeoPDFs. It's used to convert the PDF to a geo-referenced image that will become the textures on the terrain.

 

[OddRails]

Ah Indeed. I did specify the wrong file. Sorry.

The filename has been edited in my earlier post.