PortLineParker
UK Route Builder
Hi all,
I'm interested in hearing from those of you who have modelled a real life area using DEM and hearing about how you have tackled the surrounding topography. I've built on a few DEMs now and, as I'm sure anyone who has tried can attest, they seldom line up perfectly with the track and gradient profiles - this being especially so for railways that are no longer in existence, as embankments and cuttings have been obliterated to make way for housing/new roads/new railway/industrial units/trailways etc.
I'll give an example; on my current project this station is sat at the foot of the Mendip hills and should be relatively smooth sloped in the surrounding areas. Not flat, but no real embankments or cuttings. You can see below the dilemma I face as this will involve a lot of 'earthworks' to level and smooth (oh how I wish we had a dedicated smooth ground tool) the ground around the area to represent the station as it was in the mid to late 1950s. I know I'll do it and I know that it will be worth it, but I also know it will most likely be a royal pain in the backside and will take potentially several days to get right.
My question, then, is how do you all address this on your routes? Is there a specific method you use? Do you try and tackle it meter by meter or try to do as much as you can with a single click? I'm really interested to hear about your methods and I might just pick up a trick or two!
Cheers,
PLP
I'm interested in hearing from those of you who have modelled a real life area using DEM and hearing about how you have tackled the surrounding topography. I've built on a few DEMs now and, as I'm sure anyone who has tried can attest, they seldom line up perfectly with the track and gradient profiles - this being especially so for railways that are no longer in existence, as embankments and cuttings have been obliterated to make way for housing/new roads/new railway/industrial units/trailways etc.
I'll give an example; on my current project this station is sat at the foot of the Mendip hills and should be relatively smooth sloped in the surrounding areas. Not flat, but no real embankments or cuttings. You can see below the dilemma I face as this will involve a lot of 'earthworks' to level and smooth (oh how I wish we had a dedicated smooth ground tool) the ground around the area to represent the station as it was in the mid to late 1950s. I know I'll do it and I know that it will be worth it, but I also know it will most likely be a royal pain in the backside and will take potentially several days to get right.

My question, then, is how do you all address this on your routes? Is there a specific method you use? Do you try and tackle it meter by meter or try to do as much as you can with a single click? I'm really interested to hear about your methods and I might just pick up a trick or two!
Cheers,
PLP