Does anyone have a use for this?

[RRSignal]

1) If I have to restrict myself to only the built-in content, then I'm not going to bother. Most of the better stuff is not build-in content. The DLS content is touted as one of the biggest selling points of Trainz. Frankly, there just isn't enough usable content built-in to produce the sort of route I want to create.

...

3) I am attempting to upload the basic route only, without including any one else's content. If you check back a few posts, I gave a location for downloading the only non-DLS asset needed. This ought to be enough of a clue that I do not want to include other people's assets.

I sense some confusion. Whether or not assets are on the DLS or not has no bearing on this. When people are saying you should only upload the route, what we mean is you should be exporting and then uploading the route alone and none of the dependencies, regardless of where they come from. In other words, if you try to upload somebody else's content along with yours, the DLS will kick it out regardless whether that content is hosted on the DLS or not. No one is saying you shouldn't be using non-DLS content; I agree 100% that there's a lot of awesome content not on the DLS!

ETA: I sent you a PM.

 

[RRSignal]

Well, it's on the DLS and runs great! Nice little layout.

 

[handlaidtrack]

Thanks RRsignal for your help in getting it there.
I was not expecting to hear this just yet because when I submitted it, I received an automated message to say that I would receive an email when it had been accepted...
Well, I haven't had that email yet, but I'm glad that it's there and that someone likes it.

Just a note that I probably should have put in the description, but forgot...
When connecting up to the rest of the mainline, the entry curves need an additional 40m of easement on the next board to avoid a kink.

 

[RRSignal]

You're welcome, and thanks for sharing it. I haven't noticed the track problem, but I have only really test-driven it so far. I'm going to spend some time this weekend populating the yard with all my favorite locomotives and tons of railcars, including the gazillion rcgx released, so I'll get more running it too. It's really a good route for that due to the huge yard.

 

[wheelsonfire]

Hi, just downloaded the route and it looks as if you've spent many hours working on it handlaidtrack - it's very cleverly designed. For those that follow me the tunnel entrance is included in SG_rock_tunnel_selection.cdp on the right of the page (link provided by handlaidtrack) and the missing texture is on this page http://www.trainzone.co.nz/ground.htm

Thanks and well done.

 

[handlaidtrack]

Thanks wheelsonfire, yes I did spend a lot of time on it. I wanted the practice at creating all those curves, gradients and curved turnouts. I still have a lot more experimentation to do because I am not yet happy with them. They are just not smooth enough for my liking.
The 'route' was only a test bed. I hope to be able to do better next time.

BTW, the 'missing' texture is irrelevant and not needed. It's one I tried and then rejected (along with a gazillian others). Unfortunately, that was before I discovered that once a texture has been tested on a route, it's there forever, even if it's no longer visible.

 

[flatlander]

Handlaidtrack,

Thanks for the small route. I'm sure you put a lot of time in it given the accuracy and detail. I'll use it somewhere down the road for sure.

But for now I have a 5 year old grandson who enjoys coming over to visit Papa and running TS2010. No matter what route or session he goes in to, he'll hook up every engine and car together and see how long of a train he can make. I really think this may give him a good place to start learning how to build trains using Surveyor. It's small and compact.

Jim

 

[bl4882]

Hello Handlaidtrack,

Glad to see you got your offering on to the DLS at last. I downloaded it and must say it is very well done. If you are still refining it I can't wait to see the "good" version.

Always a pleasure to see another track fanatic's work. It also has "model railroader" written all over it. Not a square scale inch of space squandered. (Lest there be any question, that is intended as a complement.) :wave:

Bernie

 

[handlaidtrack]

Thanks for the compliments.
I've pretty much finished refining that one, but I might completely redo it at some point in the future.

The problem I'm having, is that I'm still not satisfied with the curves. I thought I had a formula for creating acceptably smooth curves and easements, and I figured that with practice, I could get them better. Unfortunately, the more I did, the more I became dissatisfied with them. I have been back and run trains on some of the best built-in routes, but they suffer from the same problem. The best routes I've seen have curves that would be acceptable for a backwoods logging line, or maybe a low-speed branch-line (just), but would give a mainline train little chance of staying on the rails at anything above a crawl.

I've created another curve test module since this one, where I've tried several other methods. I've been able to get minor curves pretty near perfect, but anything with more than about a 45 degree direction change is just not coming together. Even on the minor curves, the method I've discovered does not allow the addition of any additional spline points, so there can be no curved crossovers or junctions. With major curves (i.e. more than a 45 degree direction change), I'm still striking out every time.

Until I can solve the problem, I'm not going to make any further starts on my route. In my opinion, no railroad (real, model or cyber) can ever be better than it's track. The imagination can easily fill in missing details and overlook many unlikely arrangements, but if the track does not flow smoothly, nothing else matters.

Throughout my model-railroading 'career', I've been in pursuit of better track. I started hand laying at age 12, longer ago than I care to remember, and haven't used commercial turnouts since. I've also worked extensively with model railroad CAD packages and other similar programs (even having some of my work published). When I began in Trainz, I had no idea that I would have such trouble creating accurate curves.

 

[bl4882]

Your philosophy mirrors mine. Track is not a handmaiden to scenery. Track is to a layout as a foundation is to a building. Unfortunately, many seem to view track as something to be gotten away with as soon as possible so they can get to the "good stuff." I started with ties, spikes, and rails in my teens and never went back to prefab.

In regard to the curves, when modelling in HO I used Mallory's book as a model and always used cubic spiral templates to lead into curves that were visually pleasing as well. This resulted in zero derailment track. Unfortunately, I have not been able to replicate this geometry in Trainz due to the way it interprets curves. I've been working at it since 2006!

PM me if you are interested in sharing some information and experience.

Bernie:wave: